Angel/Devil: Should I buy Apple Airpods?

The last quarter of 2018 was a watershed moment for Apple’s Airpods. The wireless earbuds went from being a (sorta) niche bit of hardware, to the must-have product. They’re everywhere.

And, as is the case on the internet, so are the memes.

This increased attention isn’t just hearsay, check out the Google Trends spike from the end of last year:

Thing is… are Airpods actually worth it? Should you buy into the hype and grab yourself a pair immediately? Or would you be better simply burning a whole load of your hard earned cash? Well, we got an angel and a devil to weigh in.

Angel: Airpods are a gift from above, they’re the universe’s greatest headphones. How do I know this? Because I have a pair. Actually, I’m wearing them right now.

Devil: Now let me tell you something halo boy – Airpods are straight trash. And what a surprise, you look like you’ve just fallen out of a co-working space. Fool.

Angel: Sorry, I’m struggling to hear you over HOW BREATHTAKINGLY FASHIONABLE I LOOK.

Devil: Bet you own an iPhone too.

Angel: Of course! Who doesn’t? Oh, actually, let me guess, you’re on… Android?

Devil: Fuck yeah I am.

Angel: Then how can I expect you to understand the magic of Apple? You know, that experience of everything being slick and simply working. To use the Airpods, I just I flip open the divine charging case, pull the earbuds out, and they connect to my phone. Lord, pairing them is actually enjoyable. You press a button on the case and a custom notification pops up. It’s beautiful, majestic, nay, breathtaking!

Devil: Riiight. What a feature. How fucking miraculous. Because there are no other wireless earbuds that connect to your phone easily. You heard of the Soundcore Liberty Lite? They sync easily, also have a charging case, and cost under half as much as the bloody Airpods. Ah I almost forgot to say, fuck Apple.

Angel: Wow, that’s a very mature argument. If you want a budget product, that’s absolutely fine, I’m not gonna hate on that. But I like quality. And Airpods are well-made, stylish, and sound fantastic. What more could I possibly want?

Devil: You know what sounds fantastic? Not being out of pocket $160 for over-priced headphones. For that amount of cash, I want my gear to have some bass.

Angel: Bass, of course! How could I forget?! Your idea of a quality listening experience is just a throbbing low end.

Devil: I’d rather that than fucking harpsichord music. And with the RHA TrueConnect, you can get better earbuds for the same sorta price. Hell, you can get better sounding headphones than the Airpods for even cheaper.

Angel: Listen, if your heart’s desire is to listen to muddy music out of poorly designed earbuds, be my guest. I, on the other hand, am going to be out here living my best life with my finely designed audio gear. 

Devil: Your best life? Corny bastard. Does your best life involve your Airpods falling out when you move around?

Angel: Personally, I’ve never had a single issue with that. You’re truly grasping at straws here, aren’t you?

Devil: Fuck, you’re insufferable. I can barely walk around in them, the things fall straight out.

Angel: Have you ever considered, chap, that your ears might be, how do I say this… deficient?

Devil: Yup. “Deficient ears.” That’s exactly what Apple’s customer service team says.

Angel: This sounds like a you problem, but let’s think positively. You’re aware you can get Airpod straps so the earbuds hang around your neck? Or skins that you put on them so they stick better in your ears?

Devil: Wow, how convenient. Especially when you have to take those accessories off when putting the Airpods back in their case.

Angel: You’re the one with the freaky ears my friend. If they don’t fit you, just don’t buy them. Easy.

Devil: Even if they did fit, I wouldn’t. Airpods are pure fucking garbage.

Angel: Friend, the only garbage in the vicinity are your opinions. Airpods are akin to godliness, and just like the big being in the sky, I couldn’t imagine my life without them.

Well, there you have it. Issue, solved. Kinda. Anyway, if you’d like to grab yourself a pair of Airpods, you can grab them from Best Buy (US and Canada) here, or if you’re in the UK, you can pick them up from Currys. You won’t regret it.

But did the discussion cement your dislike of Airpods? Still want some fancy wireless earbuds? Well, you have plenty of great options. For the budget buyer, our pick are the aforementioned Soundcore Liberty Lite. If you’re after a more premium and audiophile experience, then we’d recommend the Master & Dynamic MW07. They’re brilliant.

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