Airpods 1 vs. airpods 2

With two generations on the table, and some updates and improvements, Apple's wireless headphones, the AirPods, have become the most popular, and a success for the company. But what has improved in the new AirPods compared to the previous model? What has remained the same? If you haven't made up your mind yet, read on to find out.

Price of the new AirPods 2 vs. AirPods 1

The new AirPods start at the same price as the previous generation, € 179.00 However, now you have the option of purchasing the headphones with a wireless charging case for € 229.00.

And although Apple no longer offers the original first-class AirPods (these versions have now been improved, as we will see later) you can still find them through third parties at a lower price such as € 149.00.

Design

When it comes to design, almost nothing has changed. The new AirPods have the same look, dimensions and weight, and are still only available in white. The only novelty is an LED on the front of the wireless charging case. The only thing this light does is indicate the charging status of the AirPods when we place them in a wireless charging base. In the standard charging case, which came with the original AirPods, the LED was inside the case, between the two AirPods.

Processor in new AirPods vs. "Original" AirPods

Apple's second generation AirPods use a new H1 chip (also present in the new fully wireless Powerbeats Pro) while the original AirPods work with the W1 chip.

Both chips are responsible for the headset's one-touch pairing process, but Apple claims that the H1 allows the new AirPods to connect to calls up to 1.5 times faster and generally provide the user with a connection. More stable wireless with devices like iPhones and iPads. Plus, it's up to twice as fast to switch between active devices.

And last but not least, the H1 chip offers up to 30 percent lower latency, which means that the user should experience fewer lags between what they see on the screen and the audio that reaches their ears when they watch a movie or play a game.

Use Siri with new AirPods vs. Previous AirPods

One of the main characteristics of the new AirPods is the ability to invoke Siri only with the voice when you wear them, thanks to the new H1 chip that we were talking about before.

With the first generation AirPods it is necessary to double touch the earpiece that we have configured for it before being able to speak with the personal assistant, but the new models allow you to simply say "Hey, Siri" so that it recognizes your query or your order. This function can be especially useful if you are busy and want to make a call, change songs or any other action, for example, while cooking.

Battery duration

The new AirPods offer the same overall battery life as the original AirPods, which are 5 hours on a single charge and more than 24 hours of additional battery capacity in the charging case. According to Apple, second-generation AirPods offer 50% more talk time due to the H1 chip.

In other words, the new AirPods offer up to three more hours of talk time per charge, compared to two hours for the previous generation. So this is something you should seriously consider if you are going to use them to make and receive many calls.

In conclusion

Apple's second-generation AirPods are not an overwhelming improvement over their predecessors. In fact, the breakthroughs could come in 2020, when it is hoped that an AirPods 3 could include options such as noise cancellation, much greater resistance to water, and even health control features such as heart rate monitoring.

Features like “Hey, Siri” hands-free activation and wireless charging are welcome, but depending on how you use it. In my case, I don't use Siri, so it's not a justification for the change. If I add to this that it is enough for me to charge them every 4 or 5 days, neither the wireless charging case, nor even its purchase separately, encourage me to abandon my current AirPods.