Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case

Sound quality sits in the 31st percentile, meaning most earbuds we test are better. There's no real ANC to speak of, and call quality is a mediocre 20.1 out of 100. Only consider these if you find them for around $100 and just want a basic, Apple-branded pair for podcasts.

Let's talk about what you're actually hearing. The sound profile is what we'd call 'safe' but unremarkable, sitting well below average in our rankings. There's no active noise cancellation to speak of here, and its ANC score lands in the 32nd percentile, making it a poor choice for commutes or noisy offices. The built-in mics are passable for a quick call, scoring a 20.1 out of 100 in our call testing, but you'll sound noticeably worse than someone on a pair of modern buds from Sony or Samsung. Battery life is a flat 5 hours from the buds, with the case bumping total playback to 24 hours. That's fine for a workday, but it's nothing special when budget buds are now pushing 8 to 10 hours on a single charge. The Qi-compatible case is a nice touch, but it doesn't make up for the lackluster audio performance.

Stacked against the current heavy hitters, these AirPods get left in the dust. The Sony WF-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra are in a different universe for sound and noise cancellation, though they'll cost you significantly more. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro offer a much more refined audio experience and proper ANC for a similar price to what some vendors are asking for these refurbished AirPods. Even the budget-focused Soundcore P31i will give you better sound and battery life. The only real argument for these AirPods is if you find them for around $100 and absolutely refuse to use anything that didn't come from Cupertino. For everyone else, the Technics EAH-AZ100 is a standout that makes these look like a relic.

Pricing on these is all over the map, with a spread from $100 to $427 across different vendors. At the low end, you're getting a recognizable Apple product with a wireless charging case for a hundred bucks, which isn't a total disaster if you just want basic buds for podcasts. But the moment you creep toward the $200 mark, you're in a danger zone where far superior options like the Soundcore P31i or Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro exist. There's no price listed here, so you'll have to hunt, but don't pay a premium for the Apple logo on a pair of earbuds that are this outclassed.

The Apple AirPods in this refurbished trim are a tough sell in 2025. The numbers don't lie, and they paint a picture of a product that's been lapped by the competition. Our database puts its sound quality in the 31st percentile, which means roughly 7 out of 10 earbuds we test simply sound better. The call quality and battery life are equally mediocre, landing in the 44th and 49th percentiles respectively. You're getting a wireless charging case and that classic stem design, but the core experience hasn't aged well.

Anyone who cares about sound quality or needs noise cancellation should skip these without a second thought. The 31st percentile sound score and 32nd percentile ANC performance are dealbreakers at almost any price. If you take a lot of calls, the 20.1 out of 100 call score will be a constant frustration. And if you're even a casual fitness user, the 12 out of 100 fitness score means these will likely fall out the moment you break a sweat. This is a pair of earbuds for a very specific, undemanding user, and that's about it.

We can't recommend these, even as a refurb. The performance data is just too weak. You're buying a three-year-old design with below-average sound, no real noise cancellation, and call quality that's best described as 'fine in a pinch.' Unless you spot them for under $100 and only need a backup pair for casual listening, your money is better spent on almost any modern competitor. The refurbished 'Excellent' condition might mean they look new, but they'll still sound old.