Apple's AirPods 5 are now available for preorder at multiple retailers ahead of their September 18th launch. The company is bringing active noise cancellation to its lower-priced earbuds for the first time. The release date puts the AirPods 5 on shelves alongside several other Apple products, including the Apple Watch Series 12, the Apple Watch Ultra 4, and the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
The lineup includes two versions, matching the structure of the previous generation. The standard model is priced at $129 and adds active noise cancellation, a feature that had previously been limited to the more expensive $179 AirPods 4 with ANC. Preorders for the standard version are open at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Apple.
The upgraded model costs $149 and includes a wireless charging case, longer battery life, and touch controls on the earbud stem. Those touch controls allow users to adjust the volume without taking out their phone. This version is also available for preorder at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Apple.
The pricing shift means shoppers no longer have to move up to the $179 tier to get noise cancellation in Apple's earbuds. The AirPods 4 with ANC previously occupied that higher price point. With the AirPods 5, that capability now appears in the $129 model.
The September 18th launch date is shared with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, as well as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. That clusters the AirPods 5 release with a broader set of Apple hardware announcements. The iPhone Duo also featured in Apple's 2026 event coverage.
A review of the AirPods 5 is in progress. Buyers who want to secure a pair before those impressions are published can use the preorder links at the four retailers named above.
For US consumers, all four preorder outlets - Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Apple - are domestic retailers, and the $129 and $149 price points apply to the standard and upgraded models respectively. Both versions carry the same September 18th release date. Preorders are live now, more than a week before the earbuds reach shelves.
More gadget news from TechManNews.
