Cyber Monday Apple headphones deal sends AirPods to best-ever price at Amazon, with EarPods under $16
A staggering 38% off AirPods Pro 2, plus today's top deals on AirPods Max and more on the final day of the Black Friday weekend sale
If you've spent time here at Cyclingnews in the past month, you'll probably notice that we've been monitoring the sales closely.
In our eternal bid to share the best Black Friday bike deals with our readers, we unearthed a deal on the ever-popular Apple AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds last week.
That's not uncommon on Black Friday weekend, there's almost always a discount of sorts, but this was more than just any deal. In both the USA and the UK, Amazon cut them down to the lowest price they've ever been, with 22% off in the UK and a staggering 38% off for USA shoppers.
- USA: AirPods Pro 2
$249.00$154.00 at Walmart - UK: AirPods Pro 2
£249.00£179.00 at Amazon.co.uk
How do we know? Well, coupled with our constant price monitoring, the popular price tracking tool with a wild name, Camelcamelcamel, is how.
The graph below shows the AirPods Pro 2's price since May this year, showing that it's spent most of its time hovering between $175 and $200. It has bumped back to its retail price of $249 on a few occasions, and it dropped down to below $175 for a brief moment in July, presumably around Amazon Prime Day.
But in recent days, the graph shows it plummeting to the low price of $153.99.
Fast forward to today, Cyber Monday, and the great deal still remains available.
Oddly though, despite Amazon originally having them at $153.99 on Friday, both it and Walmart increased the price... by a whole cent... to a round price of $154.00 on Saturday. I think we can all agree this is still an excellent deal. What's a cent between friends?
Also strange is that the deal at Amazon USA was removed over the weekend and it has now returned. Whether that was pricing strategy from Bezos's team or the product simply sold out, we'll never know. If it happens again, know that Walmart currently has the same price too.
Regardless, at this price I'd be surprised if this price hangs around after Cyber Monday is done, so while I hate telling readers to 'act fast' when parting with hundreds of their hard-earned dollars / pounds, I genuinely recommend buying them today instead of waiting.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation): 22 - 38% off
USA: $249.00 $154.00 at Amazon
This deal is also available at Walmart.
This deal is also available at John Lewis, Argos and Currys.
But that's not all. As usual, there are deals across the entire Apple headphones range, right from the entry-level EarPods to the mega-money AirPods Max.
We've trawled the sales to find the very best prices available at the time of publishing for each of the popular audio aids and we'll keep it updated through the rest of this weekend and into Cyber Monday.
This really is the only Black Friday Apple AirPods roundup you need.
Cyber Monday Apple headphones deals: Best prices checked
Recent updates
Deals updated at 08:45 GMT | 03:45 EST | 00:45 PT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation): 22 - 38% off
USA: $249.00 $154.00 at Amazon
The best wireless earbuds in Apple's range, the AirPods Pro 2 are by far the best buy in the brand's range right now.
This deal is also available at Walmart.
UK: £249.00 £179.00 at Amazon
Despite not having such a big discount, the deal in the UK is another best-ever price.
This deal is also available at John Lewis, Argos and Currys.
Apple AirPods 4 (with Noise Cancellation): 8-10% off
USA: $179.00 $164.99 at Amazon
The newest AirPods in Apple's range, the AirPods 4 launched in September. Given the massive discount on the Pro 2 above though, we'd avoid buying this while you can get those for less.
UK: £179 £161.10 at Amazon
For UK readers, the AirPods 4 offer a slightly lower pricepoint than the discounted Pro 2, but if you can squeeze the extra funds, we'd suggest doing so. The noise cancelling works better with their closed ear canal, and the sound quality is marginally better in our opinion.
This deal is also available at O2, with interest-free finance over 36 months, and John Lewis.
Apple AirPods 4 (w/o Noise Cancellation): 10% off
USA: $129.99 $119.00 at Amazon
The AirPods 4 also come without noise cancellation, and given they're currently the same price as the older Gen 3 AirPods, these are the ones to buy if this is your budget.
This deal is also available at BestBuy and Target.
UK: £129.00 £116.10 at John Lewis
In the UK, the AirPods 4 are slightly more expensive than you can buy the AirPods 3. For that £16 upcharge you get slightly better sound quality, marginally better comfort, and USB-C charging.
This deal is also available at Very.
Apple AirPods 3 (Lightning charging cable): 41% off
USA: $169.99 $119.99 at Target
These are currently the same price as the newer AirPods 4 above, so there's no real reason to consider them.
UK: £169.00 £99.00 at Currys - SOLD OUT
Currys has now sold out and as far as I can find, there's nobody else selling it at the same price. The cheapest I can currently find is Amazon selling them at £118.65, but given that's more than the newer AirPods 4, you might as well just buy those.
Apple AirPods 3 (Magsafe charging case): 27% off
USA: $99.00 at Costco *
To get this price, you need to be a member at Costco, which will cost you $65 for a 12-month membership (you'll get a $45 voucher to spend too). Therefore, it's probably not worth it unless you can take advantage of other Costco member benefits.
UK: £179.00 £129.00 at Currys SOLD OUT
Another case of Currys selling out its stock, the cheapest I can now find the AirPods 3 with Magsafe is Argos at £139, but my advice remains the same. Unless Magsafe is a real dealbreaker, you should just buy the AirPods 4.
Apple AirPods 2
USA: $129.00 $89.00 at Walmart
The AirPods 2 can still be found, despite being two generations old now. In my opinion they are the most comfy around, but they don't get USB-C or MagSafe charging, nor do they get Noise Cancellation, and the sound quality has been improved upon.
UK: £109.00 at Argos
Currys were selling these at a cheaper price of £99.00, but has since sold out. If you want the absolute cheapest wireless AirPods, then this is the current best price, but given you can get the AirPods 4 for £116.10, I would suggest doing so.
Apple AirPods Max: 14-28% off
This isn't quite the best price ever, as we spotted them as cheap as $395 a few weeks back, but getting them as cheap as this is a rarity.
This deal is also available at Best Buy and Amazon.
This is the best price we've ever seen on this extremely popular high-end pair of headphones, but they're now sold out in all but the pink colourway. If you want another colour, then the best price is £449.00 at Amazon.
With that said though, it's worth highlighting the deal on the very-well-reviewed Sony WH-1000XM5, which is 35% off down to £245.
Apple EarPods headphones from $15.96 / £13.97
The EarPods are Apple's wired headphones, and they can be bought with a choice of connector, including a standard 3.5mm audio jack, Apple's proprietary Lightning connector, and the newer USB-C style.
The current best prices are found at Amazon, outlined below.
Which Apple headphones should I buy?
All of the above pricing information is great if you're already aware which ones you need, you're well versed in the differences, or if you've been eyeing up the AirPods deals for months waiting for the Black Friday sales.
But if you're new to the AirPods range, or you're shopping for a friend, the advice below should help to choose.
AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods (4th Generation with ANC)
The AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC both offer Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), but the Pro 2 provides a more advanced and immersive experience. The AirPods Pro 2 feature an in-ear design with silicone tips, offering superior noise isolation, marginally better sound quality, and additional features like Adaptive Transparency and Personalized Spatial Audio. The ANC is more effective in the Pro 2, thanks to its deeper integration with the H2 chip and a better overall fit.
On the other hand, the AirPods 4 with ANC have an open-fit design, which limits the effectiveness of ANC compared to the Pro 2’s in-ear seal. The AirPods 4 with ANC are more affordable (around $179 at retail) compared to the Pro 2 ($249 at retail) but lack some of the premium features. Given the prices right now are much closer to each other, it's our opinion that the AirPods Pro 2 are the better buy.
AirPods (4th Generation without ANC) vs AirPods (3rd Generation)
The AirPods 4th Gen and AirPods 3rd Gen are similar in design, featuring the classic open-fit style, but the 4th Gen has a more compact design and a smaller case. In terms of sound, the 4th Gen benefits from the H2 chip, offering improved audio quality, better bass, and longer battery life—up to 6 hours of listening time with 30 hours total using the case. The AirPods 3rd Gen still deliver excellent sound with spatial audio and adaptive EQ, but their case provides 24 hours of total use.
While both models support spatial audio, the AirPods 4th Gen have better performance thanks to the H2 chip, offering more efficient power and improved connectivity too. They also have a slightly more intuitive tap interface compared to the press controls of the 3rd Gen, which allow for volume adjustments. At retail, the $179 AirPods 4th Gen are a step up from the $169 3rd Gen, offering a few key upgrades in battery, sound, and performance.
AirPods (3rd Generation) vs AirPods (2nd Generation)
The AirPods 3rd Gen offer several upgrades over the AirPods 2nd Gen. They have a more ergonomic design with a shorter stem, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and adaptive EQ for richer sound. They also feature volume control directly on the stem, IPX4 water resistance, and improved battery life, offering up to 6 hours of listening time and 30 hours with the case.
In contrast, the AirPods 2nd Gen have a more basic design with a longer stem, lack water resistance, and don’t support spatial audio or adaptive EQ. They offer up to 5 hours of listening time and 24 hours with the case, and while they still deliver solid sound, they lack the advanced features of the 3rd Gen.
AirPods Max vs Sony WH-1000XM5
The AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM5 are both premium noise-cancelling headphones, but they cater to different needs. The AirPods Max feature a premium build with aluminium ear cups and a stainless steel headband, offering excellent sound quality and spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, making them a great option for Apple users who want seamless integration and top-tier audio. They provide up to 20 hours of battery life with ANC, but are more expensive at the retail price.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 offer a lighter, more comfortable design, with superb noise cancellation and up to 30 hours of battery life. They have a balanced sound profile with customizable EQ settings and support for LDAC for high-resolution audio. The WH-1000XM5 are more affordable and offer features like multipoint connectivity and adaptive sound control. They’re a great choice for those looking for high-quality, customizable audio and longer battery life, especially for non-Apple users.
If headphones aren't for you then the Cyclingnews tech team has hunted down all the best deals we've found so far including Cyber Monday cycling clothing deals and choices of Cyber Monday bike helmet deals – featuring products from tried and tested brands like Rapha, Castelli, Specialized and loads more...
Make sure you also check out all of Black Friday's hottest bargains by heading over to our roundup of the best Cyber Monday bike deals. Here you can find a list of all the deals we think you need to know about.
Check out our other Cyber Monday deals
- Cyber Monday bike deals - All the best deals in one place
- Cyber Monday Garmin - Smartwatches and bike computers
- Cyber Monday Wahoo - Bike computers and indoor trainers
- Cyber Monday Rapha - 25% off sitewide
- Cyber Monday cycling clothing - All soft goods, all good deals
- Cyber Monday kids bikes: That's Christmas sorted
- Cyber Monday cycling shoes: Fantastic footwear for less
- Cyber Monday headphones: Turning up the deals!
- Cyber Monday turbo trainers: Smart trainers for smart money
- Cyber Monday bike helmets: More safety, less money
- Cyber Monday electric bikes: Ebikes for all budgets
- Cyber Monday Friday: Deals on the popular clothing brand
- Cyber Monday gravel bikes: Drop-bar off-road bargains
- Cyber Monday GoPro: Action camera deals
Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
