Every AirPods Scored 0 for Ten Years. The Newest Scores 2.
A pair of earbuds is a battery with a speaker attached.
iFixit gave every AirPods generation a 0 out of 10 for repairability for ten years. The new AirPods 5, reviewed September 29, 2026, earn 2 out of 10. That's the best yet.
Here's what that 2 means. The earbud batteries are removable. The case battery isn't, at least not without destroying the case. And Apple offers no parts or repair manuals.
In 2022, iFixit wrote that replacing the AirPods Pro 2 battery is for all intents and purposes impossible. It also noted a 2 to 3 year lifespan that Apple seems to plan for. That's iFixit's description, not an Apple statement.
The sound can last ten years. The battery decides when the pair dies.
Here's what Apple's own pages say:
- Its warranty doesn't cover batteries that wear down from normal use.
- Its service page says it replaces the battery at no extra charge if capacity drops below 80 percent. The page was truncated, and it applies to covered devices. Confirm which one applies to you.
- AppleCare+ for AirPods Pro 3 is $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year. That's 10 percent of the $199 Amazon price per year, or 30.1 percent over three years.
- AppleCare One, for up to three products, is $19.99 a month.
And two older episodes show what can happen:
- October 2022: iFixit reported that about a week after AirPods Pro 2 launched, some brand-new owners got a notice to replace their batteries soon.
- A defect program: Apple ran a free service program for AirPods Pro made before October 2020 with crackling, static or weak noise cancelling. It lasted three years from first retail sale.
We couldn't load Apple's repair price estimator, so we can't tell you what a replacement costs.
One caution. Renewed AirPods Pro 3 at $199.99 cost 99 cents more than the $199 new listing on the same Amazon page. A sealed battery on a used pair has unknown wear.
Battery Claims Against the Lab
The box says hours. The lab says hours. They don't always match.
| Product | Claim | Lab result |
|---|---|---|
| AirPods Pro 3 with noise cancelling | Up to 8 hours, at 50 percent volume, on preproduction units tested in July and August 2025 | RTINGS measured 9 hours at 85 dB SPL |
| Soundcore Space 2 | 50 hours | RTINGS measured 42 hours, which is 84 percent of the claim |
Two different tests, two different volumes. That's why you can't compare a claim to a measurement without asking.
And watch what counts. RTINGS says case charges are reported by the manufacturer and not validated by it. So a total playtime number that includes the case isn't one long session.
RTINGS treats more than 10 hours of continuous playback as a good value. It tests at 85 dB SPL, which is loud. At lower volume you'd likely get more hours, but that's our guess.
Fires are rare. But they happen:
| Recall | What happened |
|---|---|
| DEWALT Jobsite Pro Wireless Earphones (Dec 1, 2021) | About 301,800 units. 61 overheating reports, five fires and four minor burns |
| Audio-Technica ATH-CK3TW charging cases (Apr 14, 2021) | About 7,450 units. Four overheating incidents abroad |
| Happy Plugs Wireless II (Aug 27, 2019) | About 6,900 U.S. units. A charging cable that overheated |
The remedy in each was to stop using it and get a free replacement.
What $30, $100, $200 and $450 Buy
We read prices on Amazon, Best Buy and Apple's own page on October 19 and 20, 2026.
| Tier | Price seen | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| Entry earbuds | About $13 to $35 | Basic true-wireless earbuds, some claiming noise cancelling. Soundcore P30i $27.99, P31i $34.99 |
| Budget over-ear with noise cancelling | About $106 | Soundcore Space 2 at $106.49, with Bluetooth 6.1 and LDAC |
| Mainstream earbuds | About $129 to $200 | AirPods 4 at $129. AirPods Pro 3 at $199 on Amazon against Apple's $249 |
| Flagship earbuds | About $300 to $337 | Sony WF-1000XM6 $328 to $336.99. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds $299 to $304 |
| Flagship over-ear | About $360 to $550 | Sony WH-1000XM6 at $458 at Best Buy. Bose QuietComfort Headphones, 2nd generation, $359 to $363. AirPods Max at $549 on Apple's comparison |
| Last-generation flagship | About $160 to $230 | Sony WH-1000XM5 at $228, with a list of $399.99. Renewed at $159.99 |
Financing: Apple shows $41.50 a month for 6 months on $249. Best Buy shows $38.17 a month for 12 months on the $458 Sony, and a lease-to-own option through Progressive Leasing. The lease total wasn't shown.
Now the reference prices. On Amazon's results page on those days we saw:
- An earbud at $23.98 with a reference price of $299.99
- An earbud at $19.99 with a list of $10.00
- A Renewed AirPods 4 at $104.37 with a $695.80 reference
The FTC's guide says an advertised higher price must be based upon fact, and not be fictitious or misleading. We're reporting what the page showed. We're not alleging that any seller broke a rule.
So how do you save?
- Last-generation flagship. The Sony XM5 at $228 against $458 for the XM6 is $230 less, or 50.2 percent.
- Open-box or refurbished. The low end for the XM6 at Best Buy is $379.99, which is $78.01 or 17.0 percent under $458. Amazon Renewed gives 90 days to return items in Acceptable to Excellent condition, and 365 for Premium.
- A promo. AirPods Pro 3 at $199 is 20.1 percent under Apple's $249. That's one day's snapshot, not a trend.
Codecs, Noise Cancelling and Bluetooth Numbers
A spec sheet can be a list of things that don't matter.
| On the box | What it means |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth 5.3, 5.4, 6.0, 6.1 | Versions are backward compatible. RTINGS found most products already reach the 102-meter maximum of its range test. Only 38 of 130 fell below it |
| Hi-Res or LDAC | LDAC reaches up to 990 kilobits per second and falls back to 330 or 660 in poor links. Both devices must support it or you get SBC |
| LE Audio or LC3 | The Bluetooth SIG says LC3 can match SBC quality at a 50 percent lower bit rate. The benefit needs both devices |
| Auracast | Broadcast audio to many receivers. Matters only if you use it |
| Noise cancelling in decibels | It depends on frequency. The best cut bass-range noise by over 15 decibels. Treble noise like keyboards is harder |
| IP57 | AirPods Pro 3 are listed as the first AirPods with IP57 dust, sweat and water resistance |
| Spatial audio | Often needs the same brand's phone |
So check these:
- Codec match. If the codecs don't match, the link falls back to SBC. Worry if the box promises Hi-Res and your phone doesn't support LDAC or aptX Adaptive.
- Measured noise cancelling. Not a single up to 45 dB number.
- Multipoint. RTINGS counts 2 devices as the good value.
- Brand lock-in. RTINGS says AirPods Pro 3 lock most customization, live translate and the heart-rate monitor behind iOS. Samsung's Hi-Res codec only works with compatible devices from the brand. If you might switch phones, that matters.
- Microphone. RTINGS says Bluetooth voice is limited to about 3.5 kilohertz, so calls tend to test worse than boom mics.
- Fit. AirPods Pro 3 ships with five tip sizes, XXS to L. A poor seal ruins noise cancelling and makes you raise the volume.
How Loud Is Too Loud
The sound that damages hearing doesn't hurt when it starts.
NIOSH sets 85 A-weighted decibels as the limit for 8 hours. Every 3 decibels higher cuts the safe time in half:
| Level | Safe time, using NIOSH's 3-decibel rule |
|---|---|
| 85 dBA | 8 hours |
| 88 dBA | About 4 hours |
| 94 dBA | About 1 hour |
| 100 dBA | About 15 minutes |
The WHO and ITU safe listening standard sets 80 decibels for 40 hours a week for adults. And the WHO's March 2026 fact sheet says over 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss from unsafe listening.
So what helps? Noise cancelling lets you keep the volume down. A volume limiter caps the peaks. RTINGS lists a limiter as a feature on AirPods Pro 3. Set it so peaks stay near 85 or lower.
But noise cancelling isn't a hearing-protection rating in any source we opened.
Apple does list a Hearing Protection feature on AirPods Pro 3. In its words it helps prevent exposure to loud environmental noise. It also lists a Hearing Aid feature for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. Those are features on one model. They're not a general claim about headphones.
If you're shopping for hearing help, read the over-the-counter hearing aids guide.
Returns, Hygiene Rules and Fakes
| Seller | Window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 14 days | Free returns. Engraved AirPods can only be returned, not exchanged in store |
| Best Buy | 15 days. 60 days for My Best Buy Plus and Total members | No restocking fee listed for headphones |
| Amazon | 30 days. 15 for new Apple-brand items. 90 for Renewed, 365 for Premium | Hygiene seals and liners must be intact. A damage fee of up to 50 percent for obvious signs of use |
| Target | 30 days. Apple and Beats 14 days | Circle Card adds 30 days |
| Walmart | 30 days for consumer electronics | |
| Costco | 90 days for electronics | Headphones aren't named on its list |
Apple's limited warranty covers the device and included accessories for one year. Accidental damage and normal battery wear aren't covered. AppleCare+ covers unlimited accidental damage repairs and Express Replacement. We didn't capture other brands' warranties.
On fakes, we couldn't open a named, dated counterfeit-AirPods case from a court, customs or the Justice Department. So we won't claim volumes.
What we can document: Apple provides a serial-number lookup at checkcoverage.apple.com. Check it the day the pair arrives. An Apple Community thread from June 2022 shows buyers reporting fakes that carried serial numbers. That's an anecdote.
The FTC's reviews rule has been in effect since October 21, 2024. Its enforcement so far hasn't involved headphones.
And under federal warranty law, a warranty generally can't require a particular company's parts or service to keep coverage.
When to Buy Headphones
New generations as of October 2026:
- AirPods 5, with an iFixit teardown on September 29. Apple's page lists them at $149.
- AirPods Pro 3, with an RTINGS review updated October 5.
- Sony's WH-1000XM6 and WF-1000XM6.
- Samsung's Galaxy Buds4 Pro.
- AirPods Max 2.
- Bose's QuietComfort Headphones, 2nd generation.
Those are one-day prices, not a trend. Black Friday is November 27. We found no headphone price history.
We couldn't verify how the 2026 tariff changes touch headphones. The Supreme Court struck down the emergency tariffs on February 20, and Section 301 tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent began July 24.
Our advice, plainly: if you're not tied to the newest model, last year's flagship at half the price is the move.
Who Should Buy Now, Wait, or Walk Away
Six rules. Each one comes from the numbers above.
-
Buy now if you want noise cancelling for flights and last year's flagship is half price
The Sony XM5 at $228 against $458 for the XM6. Accept a one-year warranty.
-
Wait if you want the latest AirPods
The AirPods 5 just shipped, and the Pro 3 is already about 20 percent under list on Amazon.
-
Walk away from a premium sealed-battery earbud if you want it past 3 years
iFixit's reading of Apple's plan is 2 to 3 years.
-
Walk away from 80-hour or 100-hour claims that count the case
Check the single-charge hours.
-
Skip brand-locked features if you may switch phones
Confirm which ones need iOS or a brand's phone.
-
If you listen above 85 decibels for hours, fix the volume first
A volume limiter and a good fit help.
How We Checked It
We read RTINGS's lab pages and Apple's pages. We read iFixit's reviews and the NIOSH and WHO guidance. We read CPSC's recall data and the retailers' pages. We checked them on October 19 and 20, 2026. Sony's own site blocked our checks.
The pages we used:
- RTINGS on how loud is too loud
- RTINGS on noise isolation and cancelling
- RTINGS on battery life
- RTINGS on Bluetooth connectivity
- RTINGS' AirPods Pro 3 review
- iFixit on AirPods 5
- Apple's AirPods Pro 3 page
- Apple's AirPods service page
- NIOSH on noise
- The WHO on deafness and hearing loss
- The WHO and ITU on safe listening
- Best Buy's return policy
- The FTC's pricing guide, 16 CFR 233.2
What we couldn't confirm:
- A named counterfeit-AirPods case
- Which of Apple's battery statements applies to you
- Apple's battery and replacement prices, because its estimator wouldn't load
- Lifespans for non-Apple earbuds
- Whether the Amazon reference prices reflect a seller's own claim
- How the 2026 tariffs affect headphones
This guide is one of 25 in our series on what people research before they buy. For the basics that apply to every gadget, see the consumer electronics guide.