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Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Review: Open-Ear Acoustic Seals Tested

Testing Apple's first open-ear earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation: acoustic leak compensation, H2 chip processing, and wireless Qi charging case convenience.

Marcus Vance
Marcus Vance
Senior Hardware & Benchmark Editor
Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Review: Open-Ear Acoustic Seals Tested
Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Review: Open-Ear Acoustic Seals Tested — Editorial Visual / Silicon Dispatch US
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Testing Apple's first open-ear earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation: acoustic leak compensation, H2 chip processing, and wireless Qi charging case convenience.

Hardware Lab Score: 9.1/10: Apple performs an acoustic engineering miracle with AirPods 4 with ANC, delivering effective low-frequency noise cancellation in an open-ear design that requires no silicone ear tips.

H2 Chip Computational Audio

Microphones sample external sound 48,000 times per second, executing advanced anti-noise algorithms that cancel low-frequency aircraft rumble and HVAC hum despite the lack of an acoustic seal.

Ultra-Compact Case with Speaker

The redesigned USB-C case is 10% smaller than previous models yet features an integrated speaker for Find My precision locating and built-in Apple Watch magnetic charging.

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