Hi, I’m Alex Al-Vatar. Today we’re going to talk about Apple EarPods VS AirPods. I want to tell you some reasons why I still use wired headphones over wireless. We’ll compare them based on comfort and sound quality, value for the price, lifespan and different usage scenarios.
Reason 1. Price comparison. AirPods VS EarPods
The first reason I chose the original EarPods was the price. I bought mine for 19 euros when I was in Spain. These AirPods we bought for 170 euro in Germany. As you see, the price difference is huge.
However, on Apple’s official website, EarPods cost $19, and AirPods Gen 4 – $129. Thus, the EarPods are 6 times cheaper. Technically to use EarPods with an iPhone you need a headphone adapter, which costs another 9$, but let’s skip that.
Anyways, why are wireless headphones so expensive? Oh yeah! There is no cable, so let’s talk about that. But Is that really a downgrade?
Reason 2. Cable with 3.5mm headphone jack
When I need to start using my earbuds, fiddling with the cable I must admit is annoying, but not always. In some cases the 3.5mm headphone jack is a reason to choose them.
I use EarPods not only with my iPhone and MacBook, but also with the Zoom audio recorder, Nintendo Switch, sometimes with video cameras, and other devices. Not every device has Bluetooth to connect the AirPods, so I have to rely on a cable.
When I have to connect headphones to some professional equipment, in most cases I need a cable with a jack or mini jack connector. Professionals rarely use Bluetooth connection, because it’s not so reliable and has some latency. That’s one more reason I chose EarPods.
Reason 3. Lifespan & Battery
I hate AirPods because of their lifespan. How long AirPods will last you depends entirely on their battery life. If you use them carefully they will sound great, but you’ll have to buy a new pair in 4-5 years, because the battery will die. Believe me it will! There is no solution to this. You can’t fix or replace the battery. You can’t even trade in your old AirPods to buy new ones at a discount. You can trade in your iPhone, your Apple Watch, iPad, but not AirPods. Recycling only!
After spending 129$ on new AirPods, you should be prepared to throw them away in 4-5 years.
On the other hand, I used EarPods for 8 years before the cable broke, so I had to replace them. It happens, EarPods also aren’t unlimited either, but they last me twice as long, and it’s cheaper to buy a new pair.
I also like EarPods because I don’t have to charge them. Every time I take them with me, my mind is free from that! I know Apple’s AirPods have a battery life of up to 30 hours (using the case). It’s easy to charge them a few times a week, but… I have a phone, laptop, Nintendo Switch, powerbank to charge, and I don’t want to think of charging my earbuds.
Overall, EarPods have a longer lifespan, more devices to connect to, and you don’t have to charge them.
Reason 4. Sound Quality
I think the sound quality is better on the AirPods. The sound is wide, so you can feel the space of the music. Also, the AirPods do a better job of blocking outside noise, so when you put them in your ears, it’s harder to hear anything.
AirPods have spatial audio features. The first makes sound spatial, but it’s fixed. The second tracks your head relative to your device, so you hear the sound as if it’s coming from the stage, but when you move your head the sound changes.
These are interesting features for listening to music or watching movies. For me, I want the sound to be deep, clear and true to the source. It’s more important for me to hear all the frequencies.
However, AirPods have more sonic features and the sound quality is slightly better, but the EarPods still sound good, especially for their price.
Reason 5. Tiny microphone with physical volume buttons
It’s nearly impossible to have a conversation with someone using AirPods in a noisy environment. That happened to me so often during phone calls. I had to ask my friends to switch from their AirPods to their iPhones, so I could hear them clearly.
With EarPods, that never happens. The tiny microphone they have is positioned just right, so you can hear everything that’s being said. If there is a problem and someone can’t hear me, I can move the microphone even closer to my mouth.
Having a microphone that I can place anywhere I need to capture the best sound is vital. Many times I didn’t have professional equipment nearby me to make some recordings, so I used the microphone from the EarPods to create my first YouTube videos, and to even record a few demo songs.
Overall, when you buy EarPods, you not only get earbuds, but also a tiny microphone, and I like the physical volume buttons they have.
Reason 6. I-lost-my-earbud problem
The last reason I think EarPods are better than AirPods, is in case you think you might lose one of the earbuds. A few of my friends regularly lose one of it, because they forget to put their AirPods into the case. They put the earbud on the table or somewhere else and then they can’t find it. It’s sad, because they spent almost 200$ on a great pair of wireless earbuds to enjoy the sound, but then they lost one of them and it doesn’t work well.
With EarPods, that never happens! Cables you don’t like, keep earbuds together, so you don’t lose them.
However, if you are going to use AirPods you have to be strong to bring a new habit into your life: “always put your earbuds in the case”, otherwise they’re easy to lose.
EarPods or AirPods? Final thoughts
Let’s sum up everything that’s been said about these two models. AirPods are cable-free, easier to use with other Apple devices, they have better sound quality and more features. EarPods on the other hand, are cheap and sound good for the price, can be connected to any analog equipment via a 3.5mm jack, they have longer lifespan and you don’t need to charge them.
It’s up to you to decide which one you prefer, but if I have to choose only one pair, I would definitely go with the wired EarPods. That’s my choice and I’ll probably always go with the wired headphones, because wired headphones sound better than wireless for the same price, in most cases.
Instead of buying 129$ AirPods I’d rather buy some professional studio headphones for the same price like Sennheiser, Beyerdynamics, Audio-Technica or Yamaha. That just makes more sense to me. However, when it comes to in-ear headphones, both EarPods and AirPods are my favorites and I don’t even think about other brands.
But if you want something wireless but cheap, I recommend you look at some Chinese headphones like my NIA XP1. I got them for 20$, they also work with Bluetooth and they sound better then some 100$ wireless headphones.
What do you think about this comparison? Which EarPods or AirPods do you prefer? Write your opinion down below my YouTube video I’ve for this article. And don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!)
