The desirability and functionality of Apple’s AirPods are hard to beat, but there is no doubt that the price tag attached can be enough to make you wince, especially for users who take them out cycling and running.
The general wisdom when it comes to choosing between 2nd and 3rd Generation AirPods is that it is worth the $40 premium for the 3rd Generation version to benefit from a few handy improvements. However, Walmart is currently selling the 2nd Generation AirPods for just $69, which increases the gap between models to $100 and makes the cheaper option well worth considering.
The 2nd Generation AirPods have a 5 hour battery life and can be charged up enough to use for 3 hours with just 15 minutes in their case. In fact, the AirPods and case can provide up to 24 hours of listening time – more than enough for even the longest flight.
Apple products have always been extremely good at integration and intuitive use, and the AirPod 2nd Generation is no exception to this rule. Your iPhone automatically detects them and seamlessly connects via Bluetooth with control of the playback and volume either done on the phone or by using a series of taps on the pods themselves.
Although these base model AirPods have been around for about 5 years, they still support Hey Siri, automatic device switching and a plethora of motion and speech-detecting functions that make them simple to use a a pleasure to listen to.
Optical sensors turn the pods on or off when they are taken out of or put into your ears and there are plenty of audio settings to delve into to set the AirPods up to play your music in the way that you want to hear it.
Furthermore, at $69 you will probably be more inclined to take them with you rather than leave them at home in case they get lost or damaged.
If you still aren’t tempted by these, then take a look at our best cycling headphones guide for some other options.
This year Amazon Prime Day is running from July 16th – 17th. We’ve rounded up all the best Prime Day bike deals we’ve found in our main hub page. With deals spanning components, tech and riding kit, you’re guaranteed to find a bargain.
