If you’ve been waiting for a discount on a pair of one of the best earbuds money can buy (and possibly the best earbuds for iOS users), you should know that the 2021 Prime Day AirPods deals are officially over. If you didn’t snatch them up, you may never see these prices again, and you’ll have to wait for the next event. Luckily there are still a few deals left to be had, but you need to act fast. If you didn’t know, Amazon’s big sale was delayed until October in 2020 due to last year’s supply chain struggles, but it’s back in its normal time slot this year, bringing shoppers all sorts of summer Prime Day deals on everything from clothing and accessories to home appliances and brand-name electronics.
Prime Day is a particularly good chance to score stuff that doesn’t go on sale a lot, such as Apple devices, at the deepest discounts you’ll see until Black Friday. It’s a short sale, and the deals don’t last long, though, so to give you a head start, we’ve rounded up all the best Prime Day AirPods sales from multiple retailers (not just Amazon) right here on one page. And if you don’t see what you want here, be sure to check out the Walmart Deals for Days sale for some additional bargains.
Best Prime Day AirPods Deals Still Available
Should You Buy New AirPods in a Last-Minute Prime Day Sale?
Unless you feel like waiting until Black Friday, then yes, you should definitely jump on these Prime Day AirPods deals if you’re in the market for a pair of Apple earbuds or headphones. You’re not going to see prices this good until the late-year holiday sales (Labor Day at the absolute earliest), so we don’t recommend waiting until those events come along if you want some new head-fi now. That’s especially true if you’re eyeballing the pricier models like the AirPods Pro or even the new AirPods Max, as they’ll naturally get the biggest discounts. The standard AirPods have seen regular discounts all year so far, but these Prime Day AirPods sales are likely to knock them down to the lowest prices we’ve seen.
If you shopped last year’s Prime Day event then you remember that it was delayed until October (just six weeks before Black Friday, in fact) and that holiday shopping season was incredibly hectic due to the surge of online shopping. Inventory and supply chain problems led to many shipping delays, and we’re not sure that this year will be much better — meaning that not only will you be competing with more shoppers for Black Friday since those deals aren’t limited to Prime members, but the increase in demand will make it less likely that you’ll score that perfect deal before it’s gone. Our advice? Shop these Prime Day AirPods deals now and don’t drag your feet.
Don’t have a Prime membership? Don’t give up hope. More and more retailers are running their own concurrent sales that are available to all to compete with Prime Day. Best Buy often has the same deals as Amazon, to name just one example of an online outlet you should keep your eye on while shopping for Prime Day AirPods deals. Another option, if it’s available to you, is to take advantage of a free Prime Day trial. This will let you shop all of Amazon’s official member-exclusive Lightning Deals and you can simply cancel the trial before it expires if you decide it’s not worth the subscription fee. Just note that these Lighting Deals go fast, the remaining Prime Day deals are disappearing even faster, so move quickly if you see a bargain that sings to you.
How To Choose a Pair of AirPods After Prime Day
There are now three models in the AirPods lineup: the original AirPods, the higher-end AirPods Pro, and the over-ear AirPods Max. The original AirPods, currently in their second generation, are still the most popular and are probably what you think of when you think of these earbuds; they feature a simple in-ear design with no silicone tips, a sleek and pocket-friendly charging case, simple setup and operation, and clean Bluetooth connectivity. You also have the option of either the standard wired charging case, meaning you need to plug the case in to juice it up, or the wireless charging case that you can juice up with a charging pad. That will boil down to your preference, although you’ll pay an extra premium for the wireless charging case.
The tech team at our brother site, Digital Trends, noted in its Apple AirPods 2 review that these classic earbuds are great and remain the best option for most Apple users, but that their generic sound profile may not suit audiophiles. At their normal pricing, the original AirPods with wired charging case retail for $159, while a pair with the wireless charging case upgrade would usually set you back $199. However, Prime Day AirPods deals are your chance to snag a pair for considerably less (maybe giving you an excuse to spring for the wireless charging case if you think it’s something you’d like but can’t justify paying $200 for).
If you’re looking for a bit of an upgrade — namely, superior sound quality and enhanced long-term comfort — then the AirPods Pro should scratch that itch. Along with three sizes of silicone rubber ear tips to help you get a customized fit (a boon to anybody whose ears don’t quite work with the all-plastic original AirPods), the AirPods Pro pack an improved speaker driver and active noise cancellation. That ANC works incredibly well for a pair of in-ear headphones as stated in Digital Trends’ Apple AirPods Pro review, and as an added bonus, these earbuds come standard with a wireless charging case. It’s no surprise that the Pro model is more expensive than the standard AirPods with a $249 MSRP, but Prime Day AirPods deals provide the perfect opportunity to snag a pair for less than two Benjamins.
The AirPods Max are the newest addition to the stable and frankly, they’re so far apart from the earbuds that you have to wonder why Apple even slapped the AirPods moniker on them. The AirPods Max aren’t little pods at all but are instead proper full-sized over-ear headphones built for serious audio and Apple enthusiasts. They are wireless, though, so they’re still freeing you from the tyranny of cables (except when they need to be charged), and come with industry-leading active noise cancellation that lets you enjoy your entertainment in privacy without disturbing — or being disturbed by — others.
DT’s Apple AirPods Max review noted that these over-ear cans combine world-class build and sound quality, so while they’re a little heavy, they’re worth the premium if you place a high value on great audio and superb design. They’re the most expensive model in the AirPods lineup as you might expect with a retail price of $549, but this is the first Prime Day sale since these were released last December. That means that these Prime Day AirPods sales this year could be your best chance to score a worthy discount on one before Black Friday. Definitely keep the AirPods Max on your radar if you’re after the biggest discounts to be found among these Prime Day AirPods deals.
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