Best cheap AirPods deals and sales for November 2023

If you know where to look, there are often some great discounts available on Apple’s ever-popular AirPods. Since Apple launched the third-gen AirPods toward the end of 2021, we’ve seen the starting price of the second-gen, entry-level model slowly dip to around $100. And now that the second-gen AirPods Pro has been on the market for a year, we’re also seeing their price fall more often, too.

With Black Friday quickly approaching, we’re starting to see a number of great deals trickle in — including those on the new AirPods Pro with USB-C. We’ll likely see even steeper discounts as we get closer to the main event, too, which is why we’ve started tracking the best early Black Friday deals. In the meantime, however, here are the best deals available on the entry-level AirPods, the AirPods Pro, the third-gen AirPods, and the AirPods Max.

In 2021, Apple lowered the list price of the second-gen AirPods — now the entry-level model — from $159 to $129. It now only sells the model with a wired charging case, however, which charges via a standard Lightning cable. Despite their age, we found that the easy-to-use, second-gen AirPods still offer great wireless performance and reliable battery life, making them a great pick if you can live without a wireless charging case.

Last week, Apple’s most affordable pair of earbuds dropped all the way down to an all-time low of $69 ($60 off) at Walmart as part of its early Black Friday sale. The buds are currently out of stock, however. It’s possible Walmart may restock and other retailers may match this deal as we approach Black Friday, so it could be worth waiting.

However, if you can’t wait, the best discount currently available is at Verizon where they’re $99.99 while the model with the wireless charging case is at Adorama for $119.99 ($30 off).

Read our AirPods (second-gen) review.

With support for the company’s MagSafe technology and an asking price of $179, Apple’s third-gen AirPods are often considered the middle child in Apple’s current AirPods lineup. The shorter stems make for a more subtle design, too, while improved sound and features like sweat and water resistance, support for spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and improved battery life render them a nice improvement over the last-gen model.

Last year, Apple quietly introduced a new, slightly cheaper option for the third-gen AirPods that comes with a Lightning-only charging case, which are currently on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $159.99 ($10 off). You can also buy the wireless earbuds with a MagSafe charging case at Costco (if you’re a member) for $159.99 ($20 off) through November 16th. Non-members can also get a discount but will have to pay a 5 percent surcharge, which increases the price to $167.99. Alternatively, non-members can buy the earbuds for $169.95 at B&H Photo.

Read our AirPods (third-gen) review.

Apple announced the second-gen AirPods Pro during its “Far Out” event last year, a pair of earbuds that feature a similar build to the first-gen model but offer better noise cancellation. They also sport swipe-based controls, come with Apple’s new H2 chip, and feature an extra-small pair of swappable silicone ear tips for smaller ears.

During this year’s “Wonderlust” event Apple also announced an updated version of the AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case. The buds also feature an upgraded IP54 rating for water and sweat resistance as well as support for lossless audio when used with Apple’s forthcoming Vision Pro headset.

Right now, you can buy the updated AirPods Pro for $199.99 ($50 off) at Amazon. The second-gen model from last year without USB-C support is also on sale for $10 more at Walmart and Verizon.

Read our review of the AirPods Pro (second-gen) and our hands-on impression of the updated version.

The AirPods Max aren’t the iconic in-ears that have become synonymous with the AirPods name. They’re large and luxurious, comprised of aluminum, steel, and mesh fabric that remains comfortable during extended listening sessions. They also sport excellent noise cancellation, Apple’s spatial audio feature, and expansive, balanced sound, even if they lag behind some of their peers when it comes to bass response. They’re not the best noise-canceling headphones for most people — blame the $550 sticker price — but it’s hard to find a pair of Bluetooth headphones that sound better and feature more intuitive controls.

Although Woot and other retailers have discounted the AirPods Max to as low as $409 in the past, prices have since increased across the board. That said, you can buy the AirPods Max for $479.99 from Amazon and Best Buy. If you live near a Micro Center, you can also buy a pair in-store for $474.99.

Read our AirPods Max review.