Final 12 months, I misplaced my previous AirPods in my condominium and relied on my old-school Lightning EarPods for months earlier than upgrading to an iPhone 16. Truthfully, except for lacking wi-fi connectivity, I hadn’t seen a lot distinction. That’s why I nonetheless assume they’re a superb funding in 2025, and why I’m contemplating choosing up the newer USB-C EarPods now that they’re on sale for $15.99 ($3 off) at Amazon and Walmart. That’s the perfect value we’ve seen and a sensible purchase should you’ve misplaced your entry-level pair or just miss the simplicity of wired earbuds.
Launched in 2023, the USB-C EarPods are designed to work with Apple’s newest iPhones, which have ditched the Lightning port in favor of USB-C. Other than that, although, they’re just about an identical to the Lightning EarPods that after got here bundled with the iPhone (they even embody inline controls for quantity and playback). They might lack just about all the bells and whistles discovered on Apple’s newest AirPods, however many people at The Verge nonetheless swear by their mic high quality, which, surprisingly, outperforms a few pricier wi-fi choices — together with older AirPods fashions. They ship impressively clear sound, too, which is why a few of my colleagues nonetheless attain for them throughout calls.
For me, although, what I really like most is how low-maintenance they’re. I by no means needed to fear about undesirable lag or battery life on lengthy commutes — I simply plugged them in and I used to be good to go. Better of all, they’re dirt-cheap to switch while you lose them, which, given my observe document, I most definitely will.
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