Best AirPods deals before Black Friday: $89 AirPods at Walmart now, AirPods Pro drop back to $190 – CNET [CNET]

November 11, 2021 Thomas Giboney technology

Deal

Savings

Price

AirPods 2: $90 at Costco, $89 at Walmart soon

Save $40 vs. Apple Store price

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AirPods 3: $175

Save $5 vs. Apple Store price

$175 at Amazon

AirPods Pro: $190

Save $59 vs. Apple Store price

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Beats Fit Pro: $200

No discounts yet

$200 at Amazon

AirPods Max: $479

Save $70 vs. Apple Store price

Black Friday. Here’s what’s new and notable in the world of AirPods.

The second-generation AirPods (aka AirPods 2) are the big sale item in the line this year. They’re currently $129 at the Apple Store, but Walmart is teasing them at $89 (starting later on Nov. 10), and Costco is already selling them for $90 (membership required). Other retailers may match this price, but many of them are already showing as out of stock.
The AirPods 3 were released in October (alongside new MacBook Pros). The new $200 true-wireless headphones include a case that’s compatible with MagSafe and wireless charging, and they offer better sound quality than the older AirPods 2 (see above).
The AirPods Pro ($249 list, often on sale for $190 or less) are still around, but they now include that same MagSafe-compatible case (if you buy the right one). The Pro models offer full noise isolation (via ear tips) and active noise cancellation, neither of which are available in the standard AirPods models.
The Beats Fit Pro were unveiled just a few days after the AirPods 3 were released. Like the AirPods Pro, the $200 Fit Pro offer an isolating design, active noise cancellation and water resistance. But they also add a stabilizing fin built into the design, making them better for active use for some.
The AirPods Max, Apple’s high-end full-size headphones that were released late in 2020, are still in the line, but are often on sale at closer to $449, versus the official Apple Store price of $549.

Long story short, Apple now has three sets of true wireless headphones competing in the $180 to $200 range, plus an older entry-level AirPods model that will be selling for as low as $89 ahead of Black Friday. Except for those baseline AirPods, all of the other ones listed above are compatible with Apple’s new spatial audio features, but none of them will deliver the maximum quality of Apple’s upcoming lossless audio format, which is too rich for the current Bluetooth wireless standard to handle.