The Apple AirPods (1st generation) Truly Wireless are decent-sounding truly wireless earbuds with a sturdy and stylish design. They're compact, breathable and more stable than the Apple EarPods making them a suitable option for sports. However, getting a tight fit may vary from person to person. They also barely block any ambient noise, which helps you monitor your surroundings, but also means they will struggle in loud, noisy environments.
Our Verdict
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen are well-designed, comfortable headphones. They have an innovative way of connecting to your iOS devices and a rechargeable battery life that can last up to 27 hours, provided you have a fully charged case with you. They won't be the ideal headphones for critical listeners or to commute with, due to their average audio reproduction and poor isolation. However, their portable and stable design, make them decent headphones for sports and casual listeners.
- Great build quality.
- Amazingly portable design.
- Stable fit.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Limited control scheme.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen are passable for neutral sound. They're incredibly comfortable and lightweight so you can them wear for hours, which is great for long listening sessions. However, their sound quality is average-at-best and may not be ideal for neutral listeners that want a great Soundstage or a deep extended bass range.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen are acceptable for commuting or traveling. The open design lets in a lot of ambient noise seep into your audio, which is not ideal for the loud environments, typically, involved in commuting. On the upside, they're super portable and have a good battery life and charging case so you can keep them on you at all times.
The Apple AirPods 1 are very good for sports and fitness. The earbuds are a vast improvement over the EarPods regarding stability. The truly wireless design allows them to stay in your ears, when running or jogging, provided you can get a tight fit. However, They are not sweat resistant and don't have any additional stability tips so they may not be ideal for intense exercise.
The Apple AirPods 1 are sub-par for office use. They don't leak much, so they won't distract your colleagues. They're also comfortable so you can wear them for hours. However, their earbud design is quite open so they won't isolate you from the office chatter and ambient noise.
The Apple AirPods 1 are sub-par for gaming. They have a mediocre microphone, they lack customization options and have a bit too much latency to be suitable for gaming.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen are truly wireless headphones with a decent sound and good active features. They're the best truly wireless earbuds for iPhone we've tested. However, they're more optimized for iOS so they won't be as good for Android users and they're also not as stable due to their one-size-fits-all design. See our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds and the best Bluetooth earbuds.
The Apple AirPods (2nd generation) and the first model, the Apple AirPods (1st generation), are practically the same headphones. There are very few differences between the two models. The second-generation model now uses the H1 chip, has better wireless range, and should have less latency, although we measured the opposite. They pretty much have the same sound profile, but the biggest difference is that you can now buy them with a case that supports Qi wireless charging.
The Apple AirPods (1st generation) are better headphones than the Apple EarPods if you want a wireless design. The EarPods are wired, so they do not have the range and convenience of the wireless AirPods. On the upside, this also means they have no latency when watching movies. You also do not have a battery life to worry about since the EarPods are completely passive, unlike the AirPods. The AirPods, on the other hand, are a bit more stable for most listeners thanks to the absence of an audio cable. The AirPods are also a bit more practical for everyday casual use since they are truly wireless headphones with good battery life and a stable wireless connection.
The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) are better for most purposes than the Apple AirPods (1st generation). The 3rd generation have a longer continuous battery life, a better control scheme, and an IPX4 rating for water resistance. They support Spatial Audio and head tracking for virtual surround sound and also come with a case that supports wireless charging. They may also be less comfortable since they have a bulkier design that can put pressure on the inside of your ears. Ηowever, both versions have a one-size-fits-all design, so it depends on the size and shape of your ears.
The XFYRO xS2 Truly Wireless are more versatile headphones than the Apple AirPods (1st generation). They have better isolation due to their closed-back design, making them a better choice for commuting and use at the office. They also barely leak, have great wireless range, and aren't exclusive to Apple products. On the other hand, the AirPods have significantly better build quality and have one of the best cases we've tested so far. They also have better battery life, but they lack a lot of bass.
Test Results
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen look almost identical to the Apple EarPods without the cable. They're well-crafted headphones with a smooth plastic casing and brushed aluminum that gives the earbuds a premium appeal to match their price. However, they still have the long stalks that would usually be connected to the audio cables, which may look a bit awkward when protruding out of your ears.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen have a unique, open fit that barely exerts any pressure on the ear canal. The smooth finish and incredibly lightweight design make them barely noticeable once you have them on. Unfortunately, they have a one-size-fits-all design which means comfort and stability will vary a bit depending on the shape and size of your ears.
The Apple AirPods 1 have a limited control scheme that relies on Siri to access basic functions. Skipping tracks or adjusting the volume have to be done by voice, which is not practical. You can manually change the touch-enabled voice controls to a touch-sensitive call, and play/stop button (not available on Android devices. Defaults automatically to voice-enabled control scheme). This makes them a bit cumbersome to use in a public setting and it's often easier to just change the volume and tracks directly on your phone or Bluetooth device. If you like the stalk-like design of the AirPods but wish they had better physical controls then check out the TREBLAB X5 Truly Wireless or the RHA TrueConnect Truly Wireless. Unfortunately, overall performance may not be on par when compared to the AirPods for most.
The Apple AirPods 1 are incredibly breathable. They have no tips and there are barely any points of contact with your ear. Although this means they're a bit less stable than other truly wireless headphones like the Jaybird Run Truly Wireless or the Samsung Gear IconX Truly Wireless, they're also slightly more breathable.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen are one of the most portable headphones we've reviewed so far. They have an outstandingly small footprint and are easy-to-carry around in any pocket or bag. However, you will most likely carry them in their charging case, which fortunately is also is quite compact and fits in almost any pocket.
The Apple Air Pods 1 come with a sleek, well-designed charging case that doesn't add a lot of bulk to the earbuds, unlike some of the other truly wireless charging cases. It easily fits into most pockets, and it's easy-to-carry around on your person. The case will protect the headphones against minor falls and scratches but not water damage. The newer model Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless' case now supports wireless Qi charging, which is a nice addition.
The Apple AirPods 1 have a superbly designed and unique build that's made out of premium materials. The plastic casing feels high-end and durable and should be solid enough to withstand a few drops without getting damaged. They are well-made, sturdy headphones and feel high-end, although they do not have some of the more premium finishes of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless and the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 2.0 Truly Wireless 2019, They're also still susceptible to cracking under enough force or falling from great distances and they're not as sweat-resistant like the Jabra Elite Active 65t Truly Wireless, so keep that in mind when using them at the gym.
The absence of an audio cable makes the Apple AirPods 1 a lot more stable than the Apple EarPods. Like the EarPods, they have a one-size-fits-all design, but without the cable, nothing is pulling on the stalks, so they stay in place. We tested the fit with multiple people in the office, and we conclude that if the fit works for you, then they should stable enough to run with.
The frequency response consistency is mediocre. However, the results are rather impressive, considering their earbud design. If you are able to get a stable and tight fit, then the deviation in the bass range would be less than 2dB at 60Hz which is excellent. However, the treble range performs less consistently and shows about 5dB of deviation across re-seats at 5KHz, which is quite noticeable.
The bass performance of the Apple AirPods 1 is mediocre. Their low-frequency extension (LFE) is at 64Hz, suggesting that they won't be able to produce low thump and rumbles. This is also shown in their low-bass, which is lacking by 11dB. Mid-bass and high-bass, responsible for the punch of basses and kicks, are quite flat and within less than 2dB of target. Since lack of low-bass is especially hard to hear on headphones, the overall bass range will be light on thump and rumble, but punchy-enough to be adequate for music that doesn't have a lot of sub-bass (like classical music, music recorded before the 1980's, and podcasts/audiobooks). Also, their bass delivery varies noticeably across users, and is sensitive to the quality of fit and seal. The response here represents the average bass response and your experience may vary.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen have a good mid-range response. Low-mid and mid-mid are very flat and within 2dB of our target response. This means the higher harmonics of basses/kicks, and lower harmonics of vocals/leads will sound well-balanced (not too thin and not muddy/thick). However, high-mid shows more than 3.5dB of overemphasis, which adds a bit of intensity to the higher partials of vocals/leads. The overall mid-range profile is slightly forward sounding.
The Apple AirPods 1 have an average sounding treble. Low-treble and mid-treble are overemphasized by more than 4dB. However, since they are quite flat, they only add a bit of excess brightness and presence to the sound. However, the 10dB bump around 10KHz, could make siblants (S and T sounds) slightly harsh and piercing on overly-bright tracks. The overall treble profile is well-balanced, but definitely on the bright and sibilant side.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen have very good imaging. Their group delay doesn't cross our audibility threshold, which is excellent. Especially when compared to the Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless which have a very similar design and form factor. This means that the bass produced (even though not very deep), will be tight and fast. Additionally, our test unit showed very good matching between the L/R drivers, which suggests good ergonomics and quality control.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen, like the Jabra Elite Sport Truly Wireless and most other in-ears and earbuds, have a poor soundstage. This is mainly due to their lack of interaction with the pinna, which is a key factor in giving the sense of a large and in-front soundstage. However, because of their open design, they tend to have a more open and spacious soundstage than closed-back headphones. Overall, they will sound open and spacious, but small and inside-the-head.
The Apple AirPods 1 have poor noise isolation. This is due to their open-back design (very similar to the Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless). Therefore, they do not isolate in the bass and mid ranges, unlike the Jaybird X4 Wireless, Jaybird Tarah Wireless, JBL Free X True Wireless, or the Skullcandy Jib True Wireless. In the treble range, they reduce outside noise by only 9dB, which is quite poor and barely noticeable. However, this makes them a very suitable option for situations where you would like to hear your surroundings, like going for a jog and wanting to hear the cars passing by. If you don't like the open design and would prefer something to block out ambient noise, check out the noise canceling Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless instead.
The leakage performance of the Apple AirPods 1 is decent. Because of the open design, they show significant leakage in the treble range, around 5KHz. However, due to the earbuds design (i.e. small drivers), the overall level of their leakage is not very loud. The resulting leakage will include mainly S and T sounds (sibilances), but it may be audible to people around you at high volumes in a quiet environment.
The performance of the Apple AirPods 1st Gen's integrated mic is mediocre. Speech recorded or transmitted with the microphone sounds thin, and lacking in brightness and air. However, it will be easily intelligible in quiet environments. In louder environments though, they will struggle to separate speech from background noise even in moderately loud situations like a busy street.
The recording quality of Apple AirPods 1st Gen's microphone is mediocre. The LFE (low-frequency extension) of 354Hz suggests that voice transmitted with the mic will sound thin. They are also limited in high-frequency extension, resulting in a speech that lacks presence and brilliance. However, this is a limitation of the Bluetooth protocol and doesn't affect speech intelligibility significantly. Also, the region between LFE and HFE is captured decently. The Jabra Evolve 65t Truly Wireless come with a dedicated USB transmitter that helps deliver a slightly better mic performance than the AirPods, although the price difference will not be worth it for all but the dedicated user who wants a good mic in a truly wireless design.
The Apple AirPods 1's microphone has mediocre noise handling capabilities. In our noise handling test, they achieved a speech-to-noise ratio value of 15dB, which is below-average. This means that they will struggle in transmitting a clear and noise-free speech even in moderately loud environments.
These Apple AirPods 1 have a unique battery life. By themselves, they will last about 4.8 hours, when fully charged, which is decent for wireless in-ear headphones, but not much for an average user throughout the day. However, they come with a charging case that gives you up to 5 charges, each one taking about 20% of the case's battery life when both Apple AirPods 1 are charging. They also only take about 28 mins to charge, but the fifth charge will bring the earbuds to 71-75% and will leave 5% of power in the case). Overall, this gives them 27 hours of battery life when both the case and the earbuds are fully charged.
iOS has a built-in interface for the Apple AirPods 1. It's not an app, but it displays the battery status of the earbuds and the case, which is not available on Android. The interface pops up once the earbuds are synced with an Apple device and will reappear whenever you open the case. It doesn't do much else but shows the integration into the Apple environment, making them less than ideal to use on other non-iOS devices. For Android users, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless may be a better option thanks to their EQ presets and controls available in the Samsung Wear app.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen only connect to other devices via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, they can only pair with one device simultaneously but do keep multiple iOS devices in memory for easy pairing when you open the case.
Like most Bluetooth headsets, the latency is not ideal for watching movies and videos, but it is lower than the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air Truly Wireless or the Sony WF-SP700N Truly Wireless. They perform admirably well for a non-Aptx low latency device, which should be fine for music but they won't be the most responsive headphones when gaming on your phone or watching a lot of video content. Also, we have yet to test for AAC, but that is more an audio quality codec than a low latency one.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen do not have an audio cable. If you want the same design with a wired option, then consider the Apple EarPods.
The Apple AirPods 1st Gen have a charging case that provides up to 5 additional charges when the earbuds are docked. However, it has no inputs or outputs and is only used to charge or pair the headphones.