Apple AirPods 1st Generation

The Apple AirPods 1st Generation are an iconic pair of true wireless earbuds that still offer a seamless experience for iPhone users and a surprisingly good mic. However, their battery life is poor and prone to failure, sound quality is just average, and they're useless for fitness. Only worth considering if you find a heavily discounted renewed pair and have very basic needs.

Sound-wise, these are a solid middle-of-the-pack performer. The audio profile is clean and balanced, which makes them great for spoken word content like podcasts and phone calls. They don't have the bass punch or detail retrieval you'd get from a modern pair of Sony or Bose earbuds, but they also don't sound muddy. The microphone quality is a standout, hitting the 84th percentile, which means you'll sound crisp and clear on the other end of a call, better than a lot of newer budget buds.

Connectivity is a mixed bag. When it works, the W1 chip (yes, the old one) still feels like magic with an iPhone. But our data shows it's only in the 55th percentile for connectivity, and user reviews back that up with complaints about dropouts. The real performance killer is battery life. At 5 hours on a single charge, it's in the 26th percentile, which is pretty rough by today's standards. And that's when the batteries are new. On a refurbished pair, you're rolling the dice on whether that 5-hour claim still holds up, and a common gripe is one earbud draining much faster than the other.

Stacked against something like the Sony WF-1000XM6, the original AirPods feel like a relic. The Sony buds offer best-in-class noise cancellation and a much richer, more dynamic sound. The AirPods don't even have ANC, landing in the 32nd percentile for it, which means they offer essentially zero isolation. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are another massive leap forward, with a comfortable, secure fit and a fun, bass-forward sound that makes the AirPods sound thin in comparison.

Even a budget champion like the Soundcore P31i will give you a more secure fit for exercise, longer battery life, and a customizable EQ. The AirPods' fitness score is an abysmal 18.2 out of 100, one of the worst we've seen for any kind of physical activity. The only thing the AirPods truly win at is that seamless Apple ecosystem integration, but for most people, the trade-offs in sound and features just aren't worth it anymore.

Pricing is all over the place for these, with a spread from $112 to $240 across vendors. At the high end, near $240, buying these is a mistake. You can get a brand-new pair of AirPods 4 or a set of Beats Studio Buds+ for that money, both of which are vastly superior in every way. The only time these make sense is at the very bottom of that price range. If you can snag a renewed pair for around $112, you're getting a functional, if flawed, piece of Apple kit for less than a nice dinner out. Just make sure you're buying from a place with a solid return policy, because the 'renewed' quality is a gamble.

The original AirPods are a bit of a legend at this point. They basically kicked off the true wireless earbud craze, and even years later, people are still hunting them down, often as renewed or refurbished units. If you just want something that pairs instantly with your iPhone and sounds decent for podcasts and calls, these still have a certain charm. The one-tap setup and automatic switching between Apple devices is something a lot of newer, cheaper buds still can't nail this smoothly.

But let's be real, you're looking at a product that's been lapped several times by the competition, including Apple's own newer models. The sound is good, not great, landing in the 72nd percentile in our database. The real draw here is the social proof, these things are iconic, sitting in the 99th percentile for brand recognition and popularity. You're buying a piece of tech history that still works, but you need to know exactly what you're getting into, especially with battery life and reliability on older units.

A lot of people searching for these are asking 'are the 1st gen AirPods still worth it?' The answer is a firm 'it depends.' For a pure budget play or as a gift for someone who loses things constantly, a renewed pair in the $112 range can be a smart buy. But if you care about sound quality, battery longevity, or sweat resistance, you'll want to keep reading.

Anyone who plans to use their earbuds for exercise or in noisy environments should look elsewhere immediately. The lack of sweat resistance and any form of noise cancellation makes them a non-starter for the gym or a commute. If you care about music quality, skip these and look at the Soundcore P31i for a budget option or the Sony WF-1000XM6 if you can spend more. And if you just want a reliable pair of earbuds that won't develop charging issues in a few months, a brand-new pair of budget Anker or JLab buds will give you way more peace of mind.

The 1st gen AirPods are a classic, but they're a tough sell for most people in 2024. The only reason to buy them is if you are on an extremely tight budget, you only need them for occasional calls and podcasts, and you absolutely refuse to use anything that doesn't have that instant Apple pairing. Even then, you're accepting a high risk of battery and charging issues, which are the most common complaints from buyers.

For everyone else, we'd say skip these. The technology has moved on so far that even a modest increase in your budget will get you a dramatically better experience. These are a nostalgia purchase or a cheap spare pair, not a daily driver. If you do roll the dice, buy them from a vendor with a no-hassle return policy and test the battery life immediately.