Best Black Friday AirPods deals: AirPods 3 and AirPods Max on sale now, AirPods Pro soon – CNET [CNET]

November 21, 2021 Thomas Giboney technology

Deal

Savings

Price

AirPods 3: $165

Save $15

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AirPods 2: $119

Save $10 vs. Apple Store price

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AirPods Pro: $190 now, $159 soon

Save $59 vs. Apple Store price

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Beats Fit Pro: $200

No discounts yet

$200 at Amazon

AirPods Max: $440 (some colors)

Save $109 vs. Apple Store price

Black Friday has ended, a new one has arrived for the AirPods 3, and a wild one is coming for the AirPods Pro. The AirPods 2 were down to an all-time low of $89 at Walmart from November 10 through 14, but now that deal has ended.

Soon, however, Walmart is set to begin a sale on the AirPods Pro for $159. Meanwhile, several retailers already have the AirPods Max on sale for $50 to $70 off — but we’ve already seen better prices there, too.

There are a bunch of models in Apple’s AirPods lineup, so let’s break it down for you quickly so you know which ones you should be looking for deals on.

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. Walmart will offer these starting on Nov. 22 for $159, and other retailers are likely to match.
The second-generation AirPods (aka AirPods 2) are the entry-level models in Apple’s lineup now, and we’ve already seen Walmart drop them down to $89 for Black Friday. This deal ended on Nov. 14, and it’s unclear whether we will see this price return or not.
The Beats Studio Buds are a 2021 model that with a closed design. They are currently discounted down to $130 and are a good alternative to the AirPods 2 if you don’t need an open design.
The AirPods 3 were released in October (alongside new MacBook Pros). The new $179 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). For Black Friday, we’re seeing the first decent discounts of $14.
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. It looks like Black Friday pricing will be at the $479 price from what we’ve seen so far, though Costco currently has them on sale for $440 (but you have to be a member to buy them).

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.