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As someone both deep in the Apple ecosystem and a music lover, I know a thing or two about AirPods. I've tested every single pair of AirPods — so the AirPods 4, AirPods 4 ANC, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods Max 2. I know which ones are worth the high Apple price tag, and which don't pull their weight.It just so happens that all of these AirPods are discounted right now thanks to Prime Day. You can save a huge $150 off the brand-new AirPods Max 2 — the over-ears' first-ever discount, by the way — and you can save $60 on the AirPods Pro 3.But which of these models is actually the best earbuds money can buy? Are the AirPods Max 2 actually the best headphones nowadays? I'll tell you exactly which pairs you should buy and which you should skip — and I'll even throw in some cheaper alternatives.The AirPods I'd recommendI have a pair of the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods Max 2, and while you can't get the Pro 2 anymore, they're the earbuds that started my love affair with Apple's audio gear.The AirPods Max 2 are my personal favorite over-ear headphones in the world. The sound quality is just unbeatable at this price point, they look great thanks to the anodized aluminum ear cups, and the button controls are straightforward. No messing around with egregious touch controls (like Bose, or Sony...) and no unwanted interruptions due to an errant finger. The battery life could be better, but this is something I can forgive.The AirPods Pro 3 are the best iPhone earbuds you can get — the sound quality is rich, bassy, but detailed and vibrant. The silicone ear tip and algorithm help block out literally 99% of ambient noise, and the 8-hour battery life is a great improvement on the previous model.I recommend both of these AirPods with every fiber of my being.The AirPods I wouldn't recommend (yet!)If you want entry-level AirPods, I would honestly wait until a bigger sale. The AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 ANC are good, but you can get better earbuds for cheaper — even when they're discounted.If you need earbuds right now, I'd recommend grabbing the super-budget CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2, which have a Dirac-tuned EQ that fakes immersive 360° audio (and boy, does it work). These earbuds are just $37 at Amazon right now, which is just unfathomably cheap.Then, if you really want AirPods later and they're majorly discounted, you can always grab them at $69-$99 instead.We're tracking all the best Prime Day headphones dealsThe Tom's Guide Savings Squad is busy finding the best products for less this Prime Day! Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get all the latest. Alternatively, you can read our content on the Tom's Guide app available now for iOS and Android.
