Home Gadgets Airpods 1st Gen vs. 2nd Gen | Detailed Comparision

Airpods 1st Gen vs. 2nd Gen | Detailed Comparision

January 31, 2024

This article is for you if you want a detailed comparison of AirPods 1st gen vs. 2nd gen. Apple AirPods 1 has become immensely popular over the years since its launch, owing to the sheer ease of usage it provides and the trademark sound quality of Apple. However, with the arrival of the 2nd Gen Airpods, most people face a dilemma over choosing one. Regarding specifications and features of AirPods 1st gen vs. 2nd gen, Apple has come up with something new.

The 2nd generation Airpods have a faster and more stable wireless connection due to their new H1 chip, which enhances Bluetooth pairing efficiency compared to their predecessors’ W1 chip.

One significant difference between AirPods 1 and 2 is using the advanced H1 chip, which can deliver unmatched performance. There are some little improvements in battery life as well. Apple has also developed the “Hey Siri” voice command and wireless charging feature in the 2nd Gen Airpods. If you want a detailed comparison of Airpods 1st Gen vs. 2nd Gen, this article is for you.

Table of Contents

What is Airpods 1st Gen?

Apple introduced AirPods 1st Gen in 2016. It uses the custom-designed W1 chip, which enhances battery life and offers a hassle-free pairing with other devices.

Airpods 1 has the signature EarPod design with added protruding stems that stick out of the ear to provide an actual wireless listening experience. It is incredibly lightweight, weighing just about 0.14 oz, and easy to carry in your pockets. You can command Siri with a simple double tap on either pod.

What is Airpods 2nd Gen?

Apple introduced AirPods 2nd Gen in 2019. With the new and improved H1 chip, these AirPods provide matchless performance compared to their prototype.

It is an advanced version of the AirPods 1 in many ways. The H1 chip equips faster connectivity, lower latency, and the ability to switch faster from one device to another. Unlike AirPods 1st Gen, with Airpods 2, you can call Siri by simply saying, “Hey Siri.”

What is the difference between Airpods 1 and 2?

One significant change in the 2nd Gen AirPods is the new updated H1 chip it operates on. The new features also include Siri voice command and wireless charging.

Apple AirPods 1 vs. Aipods 2- Design

The difference between the design of second-generation AirPods and the original AirPods is insignificant. They look almost similar on the surface, with the same color, style, measurements, and weight. Both the AirPods are available only in white color.

So, as far as the design is considered, both the AirPods have a classic EarPod design with stem-like protrusions clinging out of the ear with no cables attached and no provision of replaceable ear tips. The speaker position on the pods is also identical. So, it’s challenging to identify which is what by just looking at them.

The 2nd Gen Airpods also have Audio Sharing, Thanks to iOS 13. This feature lets the second AirPods link to the same iOS device connected to the first pair. When you tap the two iPhones together, the second pair of AirPods receives the same audio as the first. Sadly, this feature is not present in the 1st Gen AirPods.

Apple AirPods 1st Gen vs. 2nd Gen- Processor

One significant distinction that sets apart the 2nd Gen AirPod from the 1st Gen is the processor. The second-generation AirPods operates on the new and advanced H1 chip, which offers a faster and steadier wireless connection to your iPads and iPhones. Apple also claims that the 2nd Gen Airpods connect to calls up to 1.5 times faster than Airpods 1.

Whereas Airpods 1st Gen works with the W1 chip. The H1 chip equips faster connectivity, lower latency, and the ability to switch faster from one device to another.

The sound difference between Airpods 1 and 2

The most notable difference between the Airpods 1 and 2 is their sound; the 2nd Gen Airpods are loud. A louder volume enables you to hear more clearly and dive into details. This is a good upgrade since the absence of ear tips lets the outside noise intervene with your listening.

The sound quality of both the AirPods is typically Apple, with a natural, unbiased sonic balance and no artificially-enhanced bass. There’s little to no interference with the original features of the music you are listening to.

AirPods 2nd Gen elevates the sound with added subtlety and refinement. Dynamic shifts at low levels are finer and more delicate, whereas loud and quiet are more stark and dramatic in their differences. In addition to more detail in the delivery, the presentation has more openness. Furthermore, the timing has been improved, indicating that the organization has improved slightly.

These may appear as minor improvements, but the added results are worthwhile and render the 2nd Gen AirPods with excellent sound quality.

Generation 1 AirPods vs. Generation 2- Battery Life

AirPods 2deliversr almost the same overall battery life as AirPods 1. Much like the 1st Gen Airpods, it can go on for 5 hours on a single charge and has 24 hours of extra battery capacity in the charging case. As claimed by Apple, the presence of the H1 chip allows the 2nd Gen AirPods to provide 50 percent more talk time.

Simply stating, on one full charge, you can talk on your AirPods 2 for up to three hours, which is 1 hour more than what Airpods 1 offers. However, you may not observe a considerable effect while using either model daily to take calls.

Operating Siri on Airpods 1st Gen vs. 2nd Gen

One of the significant upgrades and prominent features of the new AirPods 2nd Gen is the power to call Siri hands-free. This is due to the H1 chip used by the 2nd Gen AirPods.

With AirPods 1st Gen, you must double tap on either pod to command Siri, but with the new AirPods 2, you can call Siri just by saying, “Hey Siri.” This is a welcome feature and practical when your hands are not free and you expect to make a call, modify the volume, or change the music.

Charging Case- Airpods 1st Gen vs. 2nd Gen

The AirPods 2nd Gen comes with the new wireless Charging Case, a helpful upgrade since it permits you to charge your AirPods by keeping it on a wireless charging pad, much like you charge your iPhone wirelessly.

The new Wireless Charging Case works fine for Airpods 1st Gen and 2nd Gen. The case also has a Lightning port, so you can still charge it with a lightning cable. The wireless charging case will cost you an additional $40 on top of the AirPods.

FAQs

How to pair AirPods 1 with AirPods 2?

As Airpods 1 and Airpods 2 operate on different processors, it is impossible to pair an AirPods 1 earbud with an AirPods 2.

What is the primary difference between AirPods 1st Gen and 2nd Gen?

The most noteworthy difference between the two AirPods is their processor. The 2nd gen AirPods is powered by an advanced H1 chip which provides a faster and steadier wireless connection as compared to the AirPods 1, which uses a W1 chipset.

Can I charge AirPods 2 in an AirPods 1 charging case?

Yes, you can charge your 2nd Gen AirPods using the charging case of AirPods 1; however, the AirPods 1 charging case doesn’t have a wireless charging feature.

How to connect two separate AirPods to a single iPhone?

Start pairing one set of AirPods to your iOS device, then proceed to the Control Panel and tap on the AirPlay option > Share Audio. Keep the second set of AirPods inside the case with the lid open, close to our iOS device. As the AirPods show up on your device’s share screen, select it to start sharing audio.

Conclusion

When we compare AirPods 1st gen vs 2nd gen, the latter does not offer a mind-blowing upgrade over the former. AirPods 2 is mostly identical to its predecessor apart from the advanced H1 chip it incorporates, which provides a smoother performance.

Although voice commands to Siri and wireless charging are interesting new features, you only need to upgrade if you are okay with calling Siri by double tapping your AirPods 1. You can buy the wireless charging case instead to charge your AirPods without a cable. However, if you do not own the 1st Gen Airpods, you can directly go for the 2nd Gen.