Along with the shiny new iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the pretty amazing iPhone Duo foldable, Apple also dropped a new AirPods.
The new AirPods 5 bring punchier sound, vastly improved noise cancellation, and a few clever tricks, all while sporting a surprisingly friendly price tag.
You can pick them up in two flavours: a base version with a standard USB-C case, or a stepped-up edition featuring wireless charging and handy stem-touch controls. Crucially, active noise cancellation is standard across both models this time around. Apple is even claiming these offer the absolute best open-ear ANC you can buy. Previously, you have to pay RM829 for AirPods 4 with ANC.
Under the hood, the noise cancellation is supposedly up to 50% better at blocking out the noisy real world compared to the last generation. Transparency mode has also had a proper tune-up, making ambient chatter and outside sounds bleed through far more naturally.
Audio quality gets a boost thanks to a redesigned acoustic layout and updated Adaptive EQ, while the refreshed shape promises a cozier fit for more ear shapes and sharper personalized spatial audio.
On the smart side of things, pairing these with an Apple Intelligence-ready device unlocks hands-free Siri AI, letting you pull up details from your texts, emails, or photos on the fly. Gesture controls have had a fun update too, letting you nod or shake your head to answer Siri. If you shell out for the wireless charging version, you also get stem swiping for volume adjustments, which is a first for the standard AirPods lineup.
Battery life sees a subtle bump, pushing up to 5 hours of playback with ANC turned on, which is an extra hour over the old ones. The wireless case pumps the overall listening time up to 22 hours.
Durability gets a serious upgrade as well, jumping to an IP57 rating, meaning they can actually survive a brief dip in water rather than just a quick splash of rain.
Pricing and Availability
If you are keen to grab a pair, pre-orders open on Friday 11 September, starting at RM599 for the standard model and RM699 for the wireless charging variant. Full retail availability kicks off a week later on Friday 18 September.