I like a deal. Truly, deep in my soul I love saving money. So I bought a pair of AirPods during Black Friday 2020 because they cost $99. I thought my life would change – spoiler alert: it didn’t. They were uncomfortable, terrible at noise cancellation, and kept cutting out. Today they cost $89 at Walmart, but I beg you: don’t buy them. Instead, spend the extra $65 on the AirPods Pro 2: they look identical, but offer a world of difference.

At just a hair under $154, the AirPods Pro 2 are the lowest price I’ve ever seen on both Amazon and Walmart. While that $89 price may look a lot more attractive for a pair of AirPods, there’s a huge difference between these two sets.

Apple

Cheap AirPods are tempting, but ultimately the AirPods Pro 2 are worth the splurge. They are more powerful, fit better and can also double as hearing aids.

$154 at Amazon

AirPods vs AirPods Pro 2: What’s the difference?

Although they look similar, there are huge differences between the standard AirPods and the AirPods Pro 2. Both are wireless headphones that fit in your ears and come with a wireless charging case, but that’s about where the similarities end.

The AirPods Pro 2 are much more powerful – and more expensive. They feature significantly more technology than the standard pair, with the ability to act as a hearing aid, active noise cancellation and conversation awareness. They also fit better and, honestly, just sound much better.

In September 2024, the FDA approved the AirPods Pro 2 for use as hearing aids, a huge development for these powerful little buds. You can download a hearing test from the app store to tailor your AirPods to your hearing needs. So even though the AirPods Pro 2 are $65 more expensive these days, they may save you from buying a whole new set of hearing aids.

Bottom line: buy the AirPods Pro 2

After using both pairs of AirPods for work calls, listening to music, and watching TV, I can definitively say that the cheaper AirPods just aren’t worth the price. If you want a cheap pair of wireless headphones, opt for the Baseus Active Noise Canceling Wireless Earbuds, which cost less than $20 today. Our tech editor Rick Broida said these headphones offered surprisingly balanced sound and amazing battery life for their price.

Apple

Cheap AirPods are tempting, but ultimately the AirPods Pro 2 are worth the splurge. They are more powerful, fit better and can also double as hearing aids.

$154 at Amazon

Other great Black Friday Apple deals

There are always Black Friday Apple deals around this time of year, including discounted MacBooks and discounted iPhones. Here are some of the best Apple deals we’ve found so far.

If you are looking for shopping advice, please contact us at [email protected] and our Shopping Editors will contact you!