AirPods review: Audio quality

Here's the million-pound question: do the AirPods sound good enough to justify that high price tag? In a word, yes.

The AirPods sound really good - as long as they're in properly. You lose a bit of quality when they come loose, although that's to be expected. While the earphones sounded slightly flat when we first got our hands on them, after using them for a few weeks (long enough for them to be 'broken in') they produced rich, balanced, warm tones and rather impressive levels of bass perfect for a wide range of music. It doesn't quite have the clarity of, say, the Bose QC35's but at £289 compared to £159, you can't really expect it.

The AirPods are also the only Bluetooth headphones we've ever used that haven't 'dropped out' over a wireless connection. While this should be expected with most high-end wireless headphones, even the Bose QC35s drop out every now and again, making it all the more impressive that Apple's tiny wireless in-ears don't. It's a small factor to consider, granted, but being hit with a few seconds of silence at your favourite part of the song you're listening to is a rather frustrating experience - especially when it happens more than once.

Despite all its praises, it's worth mentioning that there is zero noise cancellation. It wasn't mentioned as a feature, granted, but if you were expecting it, be warned: you can almost always hear environmental noise, especially when in noisy environments like on the London Underground.