Best cheap AirPods deals for November 2021

Tis’ the season for AirPods discounts galore. Last week, Apple finally launched its third generation of AirPods, introducing a new AirPods lineup and dropping the starting price of the second-gen, entry-level AirPods from $159 to $129. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are also just around the corner, meaning many retailers are also starting to discount the AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and even the aforementioned third-gen model.

Even this far ahead of the shopping holiday, there are sizable discounts to be had on the second-gen AirPods as well as the more expensive AirPods Pro and Max, which offer noise cancellation and better sound quality than the standard model.

Here, we’ll run through the best deals available on the entry-level AirPods, the AirPods Pro, the third-gen AirPods, and the AirPods Max.

The best entry-level AirPods (second-gen) deals

Once $159, Apple recently lowered the list price of the second-gen AirPods — now the entry-level model — to $129. Moreover, it only sells the model with a wired charging case, which charges via a standard Lightning cable. What’s great, though, is that this version frequently gets discounted, so you can buy it for even less. Right now, for instance, you can find Apple’s most affordable pair of AirPods for $120 at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.

Although you can’t buy them from Apple, you can still also buy the entry-level AirPods with a wireless charging case elsewhere, which you can charge via a Qi wireless pad or a Lightning cable. Right now, you can get a pair for $150 at Amazon and Walmart instead of their typical $199 list price. However, given the latest AirPods — which we’ll dive into just a minute — cost $30 extra and come with MagSafe support along with other perks, it may not be worth buying this model unless you’re truly strapped for cash.

As previously mentioned, the newest pair of wireless earbuds support Apple’s MagSafe technology. The short stems allow for a more subtle design, while improved sound and features like sweat and water resistance, support for spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and improved battery life render them a nice improvement over the last-gen model. Deals are currently hard to come by on the third-gen model given how recently they launched, however, Amazon is selling them right now for $175. It’s a small discount, but also their lowest price yet.

AirPods (third-generation)

Similar in appearance to their sleeker sibling, the AirPods Pro, the latest entry-level AirPods boast a new charging case and shorter stems. They’re also water-resistant, unlike the 2019 model, and sport better battery life.

We think Apple’s premium true wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro, are the best wireless earbuds that iPhone owners can buy, regardless of the price. They have better sound quality than the models above, offer active noise cancellation, and come with a wireless charging case. The earbuds also support Apple’s spatial audio feature, which adds an immersive surround sound effect to select content, and comes with swappable silicone tips. In addition, they recently received a firmware update that added Conversation Boost, an accessibility feature for those who are hard of hearing.

Additionally, Apple recently launched a new version of the AirPods Pro with a wireless charging case that supports Apple’s MagSafe technology, just like the third-gen AirPods. These start at $249, but you can buy them right now for $190 at Amazon. If you prefer, you can also purchase the older version without MagSafe compatibility — which still supports Qi-compatible wireless chargers — for a discounted $175 at Amazon.

AirPods Pro

Apple’s flagship earbuds improve on the regular AirPods with better sound quality, excellent active noise cancellation, and immersive spatial audio.

The AirPods Max aren’t the iconic in-ear style that has become synonymous with the AirPods name. They’re large and luxurious, wrapped in aluminum, steel, and mesh fabric that remains comfortable during extended listening sessions. They also sport excellent noise cancellation, Apple’s spatial audio feature, and wide, balanced sound, even if they lag behind some of their peers when it comes to bass response. They’re not the best noise-canceling headphones for most people — blame the $550 sticker price — but it’s hard to find a pair of Bluetooth headphones that sound better and feature more intuitive controls.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple’s AirPods Max feature exemplary build quality, sound phenomenal, and keep up with the best at noise cancellation.

Although the AirPods Max have been discounted to $449 at Amazon in the past month, there are currently no sales that deep to speak of. The Max are, however, currently available in all colorways at Amazon and Best Buy for $479, one of their better prices in recent months.