Difference Between AirPods 1 and AirPods 2

When it comes to how you listen to your favorite music, the AirPods by Apple is nothing less than a gamechanger. It has just been a little over two years since the AirPods made its debut and it’s already making the headlines as one of the expensive wireless earphones out there and a true wireless earbuds on the market. In 2019, Apple announced the second generation of AirPods known as the AirPods 2. Although AirPods are almost similar to most of the Bluetooth headphones in the market, they have grown immensely popular since their launch. Now that AirPods are in their second generation, people start wondering what’s new with the AirPods 2 although it doesn’t look any different than the original AirPods. Here’s a breakdown of the specs of the new AirPods and the first-generation AirPods and let’s see how the former differ from the latter.

What is AirPods 1?

AirPods 1 is the first-generation AirPods by Apple which was launched in 2016. The first-gen AirPods incorporates its own custom designed W1 chip which helps with battery life and delivers seamless pairing with devices. It boasts the signature EarPod design but with protruding stems that stick out of the ear to deliver a true wireless listening experience. At 0.14 oz, it is exceptionally lightweight and slips easily into your pockets. You can call Siri up by a simple double tap on either of the pods.

What is AirPods 2?

AirPods 2 is the next generation of AirPods launched in 2019. The new AirPods is a gamechanger, thanks to the new proprietary and improved H1 chip which delivers unsurpassed performance compared to its predecessor. It is a true upgrade in many ways. The new H1 chip provides faster connectivity, lower latency, Siri support, faster switching between devices and more. You can summon Siri by simply saying “Hey Siri”, a great upgrade over its predecessor, courtesy of the H1 chipset.

Difference between AirPods 1 and AirPods 2

Design of AirPods 1 and AirPods 2

– The difference between the second-generation AirPods and the original AirPods is nominal and in terms of design, they are almost identical on the outside, with the same color and style, same dimensions and same weight and both of them are only available in white. So, aesthetically speaking, both the AirPods are not so different after all – a classic EarPod design with stem-like protrusions sticking out of the ear with no cables in the way and no replaceable eartips. The speaker location on the ear pieces is also the same. So, it’s hard to identify one from the other from the outside.

Processor

– One of the major differences between the two AirPods is the processor. The second-generation AirPods is powered by a proprietary new and upgraded H1 chipset which delivers a faster and more stable wireless connection to the devices like iPads and iPhones. It is also believed to connect to calls up to 1.5 times faster than its predecessor. The original AirPods, on the other hand, use the W1 chip. The new H1 chip provides faster connectivity, lower latency, Siri support, faster switching between devices and more.

Siri

– One of the major updates and noticeable features of the new AirPods is the ability to summon Siri handsfree. The original AirPods require you to double tap on the pod (either left or right) so that you could talk to the Siri, but with the new AirPods, you can summon Siri by your voice by simply saying “Hey Siri”, courtesy of the H1 chip. This is a great feature and comes in handy when your hands are busy and you wish to make a call or want to adjust the volume or control the music.

Charging Case

– Probably the best thing about the new AirPods is the new wireless Charging Case which is a worthwhile upgrade considering you get to charge your AirPods the same way you charge your iPhone wirelessly by simply setting it down on a wireless charging pad. The new AirPods comes with a wireless Charging Case, which costs you an additional $40 on top of the cost of the AirPods. It works similarly – you just have to put your AirPods down on the charging pad and you’re good to go. However, the new Wireless Charging Case is compatible with both the new and the original AirPods.

AirPods 1 vs. AirPods 2: Comparison Chart

Summary of AirPods 1 vs. AirPods 2

In a nutshell, both the new AirPods and the original AirPods are not so different in design and aesthetics, so you won’t be able to tell a difference simply by looking at the two from the outside and honestly, there isn’t any either. However, there are significant upgrades to the new AirPods that will make your purchase worthwhile. The main upgrade to the new AirPods is the new proprietary H1 chipset which delivers unparalleled performance compared to the original AirPods which feature the W1 chip. The H1 chip delivers a faster and more stable wireless connection to the devices like iPads and iPhones, and delivers up to 30% lower gaming latency compared to the first-gen AirPods making it ideal for gamers. Well, there are other significant upgrades that make the original AirPods a definite bang for your bucks.

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