I've been a contributing editor for PCMag since 2011. Before that, I was PCMag's lead audio analyst from 2006 to 2011. Even though I'm a freelancer now, PCMag has been my home for well over a decade, ...
The Noise Control section is next ... are capable of what no other open earbuds have yet to attempt: high-quality active noise cancellation. They also deliver excellent audio performance.
I'm very impressed with the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation after my testing ... shake of your head and press the stems for easy control, other than for adjusting the volume.
We put the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation to the test ... which is a feature exclusive to the AirPods Pro 2, which have touch control rather than just a force sensor.
(You can also swap between modes on your iPhone via the Control Center ... The AirPods 4 lasted 5 hours and 12 minutes — with active noise cancellation on. Of course, with the charging case ...