If you’ve been holding out on buying a pair of AirPods, now’s the time to strike, because Apple’s latest earbuds are in the middle of a retail price war as Prime Day and its rival sales kick off.
Amazon and Walmart are duking it out, and that means steep discounts across the board on every major AirPods model, including the best-in-class Apple AirPods Pro 2.
The second-generation AirPods Pro have dropped to $149 (down from $249), offering serious value for some of the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market. That's $20 less than the next best price Amazon had recently, and the lowest price we've ever seen on the best wireless earbuds for iPhone users.
The catch is you can only access the deal right now if you've got a Walmart+ membership, with the offer not open to general buyers until July 8, at 12 a.m. ET through Sunday, July 13.
Walmart+ members were granted early access starting on July 7 at 7 p.m. ET, giving them a head start on the biggest discounts and limited stock items, such as the best-ever deal on Apple AirPods Pro 2.
Walmart+ is currently 50% off, just in time for the sale, bringing it down to just $49 for the full year. But, just to remind you again, you won't need the membership once the sale kicks off properly on July 8, this is just to access the big doorbuster discounts before anyone else.
That being said, Amazon could price-match the AirPods Pro 2 deal once its Prime Day sale kicks off on July 8, so it's still worth keeping an eye out if you prefer to buy there instead of Walmart.
AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: Which Should You Buy?
If you can stretch to the Pro model, it’s worth it. The AirPods Pro 2 offer better sound, more effective noise canceling, and adjustable in-ear tips for a more secure fit and proper audio seal.
Featuring Apple’s H2 chip, a refined driver and amp setup, and in-ear passive isolation, they remain the top pick for iPhone users. You’ll also get useful features like Adaptive Transparency Mode and Conversation Mode, plus a MagSafe case and USB-C charging.
The AirPods 4 with ANC are more comfortable for some due to their open-ear design, but that also means more sound leakage and less isolation, despite sharing the same H2 chip.
With the price gap now just $20, the Pro model easily justifies the jump unless you strongly prefer the open fit.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Senior Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
