Apple AirPods 1 Fully Wireless 2017 first generation [Review]

The Apple AirPods are a pair of fashionable and convenient headphones from Apple. They have a special way of connecting to your iOS phone, as well as a rechargeable battery life of up to 27 hours if you have a fully charged case with you. Owing to their average audio reproduction and low isolation, they won’t be the best headphones for important listeners or commuters. However, because of their portability and stability, they are ideal for sports and casual listeners.

Update: Apple Airpods Pro Review

Price

Style

Without the wire, they look almost similar to the EarPods. The earbuds are well-made, with a smooth plastic casing and brushed aluminium accents that give them a luxury look to fit their price. They do, however, retain the long stalks that are normally attached to the audio cables, which can seem uncomfortable when protruding from your ears.

Comfort

The Apple AirPods Wireless features an open design that places very little pressure on the ear canal. When you put them on, the smooth finish and ultra-lightweight construction make them almost unnoticeable. Unfortunately, since they are one-size-fits-all, comfort and durability can differ depending on the shape and size of your ears.

Controls

The Apple Wireless AirPods feature a restricted control scheme that relies on Siri to perform basic tasks. The only way to skip tracks or change the volume is to use your voice, which is inconvenient. The touch-enabled voice controls can be changed to a touch-sensitive call and a play/stop button (not accessible on Android devices). Automatically switches to a voice-activated control scheme). In a public environment, this makes them a little difficult to use, and it’s always easier to just adjust the volume and tracks on your phone or Bluetooth unit. Check out the Treblab X5 or the RHA TrueConnect if you like the stalk-like nature of the AirPods but wish they had better physical controls.

Breathability

These headphones are extremely breathable. They don’t have any tips and just a few points of contact with your ear. They’re slightly less robust than other fully wireless headphones, such as the Jaybird Run or the Samsung Gear IconX, but they’re also a little more breathable.

Portability

The Apple AirPods are among the most compact headphones we’ve ever tested. They have a remarkably small footprint and are simple to transport in any pocket or purse. You will, however, most definitely hold them in their charging case, which is luckily also very small and fits into almost any pocket.

Case

Unlike some other fully wireless charging cases, the Apple Air Pods come with a sleek, well-designed charging case that doesn’t add a lot of bulk to the earbuds. It’s small enough to fit into most pockets and light enough to bring around on your person. The headphones will be protected from minor falls and cuts, but not from water damage. The case of the newer AirPods 2 2019 model now supports wireless Qi charging, which is a welcome addition.

Build Quality

They have a beautifully built and one-of-a-kind build made of high-quality materials. The plastic casing feels high-end and sturdy, and it should be able to handle a few drops without cracking. They’re well-made, solid headphones that sound high-end, but they lack some of the more luxurious finishes seen on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless and the Beoplay E8 2.0. They’re also prone to cracking or dropping from great distances, and they’re not as sweat resistant as the Jabra Elite Active 65t, so keep that in mind when using them at the gym.

Stability

Unlike some other fully wireless charging cases, the Apple Air Pods come with a sleek, well-designed charging case that doesn’t add a lot of bulk to the earbuds. It’s small enough to fit into most pockets and light enough to bring around on your person. The headphones will be protected from minor falls and cuts, but not from water damage. The case of the newer AirPods 2 2019 model now supports wireless Qi charging, which is a welcome addition.

Build Quality

They have a beautifully built and one-of-a-kind build made of high-quality materials. The plastic casing feels high-end and sturdy, and it should be able to handle a few drops without cracking. They’re well-made, solid headphones that sound high-end, but they lack some of the more luxurious finishes seen on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless and the Beoplay E8 2.0. They’re also prone to cracking or dropping from great distances, and they’re not as sweat resistant as the Jabra Elite Active 65t, so keep that in mind when using them at the gym.

Stability

The Apple AirPods are much more robust than the EarPods because they don’t have an audio cord. They have a one-size-fits-all style like the EarPods, except without the wire, nothing pulls on the stalks, so they remain in place. We put the fit to the test with many people in the office, and we came to the conclusion that if it works for you, it should be safe enough to run with.

Battery

The battery life of these headphones is exceptional. When fully charged, they last about 4.8 hours on their own, which is adequate for wireless in-ear headphones but inadequate for an average user during the day. They do, however, come with a charging case that can hold up to five batteries, with each one using about 20% of the case’s battery life while both AirPods are in use. They charge in about 28 minutes, but the fifth charge will put the earbuds up to 71-75 percent and leave 5% of power in the case). When both the case and the earbuds are fully charged, they have a combined battery life of 27 hours.

Verdict

The Apple AirPods are a pair of fashionable and convenient headphones from Apple. They have a special way of connecting to your iOS phone, as well as a rechargeable battery life of up to 27 hours if you have a fully charged case with you. Owing to their average audio reproduction and low isolation, they won’t be the best headphones for important listeners or commuters. However, because of their portability and stability, they are ideal for sports and casual listeners.