Passable sound and questionable comfort makes it hard to recommend the AirPods, particularly over the cheaper BeatsX, which lack the sensors but make up for it in design and fit.

First of all, let's get this off our chest: the new Apple AirPods look a bit daft. Or, more specifically, they make you look a bit daft when wearing them.

Tiny and light; Pure wirelessness; Weighty; balanced sound; Good fit for most ears; Clever case that carries extra charge

Lack detail and dynamic subtlety; Siri isn't a good substitute for buttons; Attention-grabbing design; and not in a good way

The AirPods are a vast improvement on previous audio products from Apple, but they're far from perfect

Sleek carry case; improved sound and fit compared to previous models

Features are lacking compared to rivals; fiddly to use

If you're looking for truly wireless in ear headphone connectivity, nothing holds a flame to the AirPods – theses are the best you can buy. The total banishment of wires completely exposes the shackled experience of a wired connection, they are effortless to use and beautifully presented – something...

I have used another brand ear Bluetooth almost daily for 3yrs now whether it's listening to podcasts, music or so I don't have to keep my phone in my hand and be able to hear if phone rings or receive a message and can answer reply easy with Bluetooth without having phone in hand but that I would...

They're not cheap and battery life is only passable, but the Apple AirPods offer good audio and the convenience of no wires, Siri support and other handy features.

The Apple AirPods haven't had the smoothest rollout . Finally available at year's end, the $159 cable-free wireless earphones now have plenty of competition. But where some competing models, like the Bragi Dash , are loaded with swipe and gesture controls, the AirPods simply use your voice and Siri...

Clear audio performance; Seamlessly pairs with multiple iOS devices on the same iCloud account; Carrying case doubles as backup battery

Lack of ear canal seal means less bass response and potential ear-to-ear stereo image discrepancies; Limited onboard controls virtually require you to use Siri; In-ear fit could be more secure

Wireless headphones have been ripe for a reboot for years now, but no contenders for the crown have divided opinion quite like Apple's AirPods. Revealed alongside the iPhone 7, the fully-wireless earbuds were intended to salve the pain of losing the headphone jack.

Pairing and connecting process is best-in-class; Solid battery life; Convenience and speed of charging case; Lightweight and comfortable

Reliance on Siri; Third-party music apps lack deep control Apple Music enjoys; No "Find my AirPods" tracking system; Audio quality on par with free EarPods

AirPods are the first completely wireless earphones from Apple, and they're sold as the perfect companion to the new iPhone 7 . In lots of ways, they're the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now, thanks to a rock-solid connection, easy setup and great battery life.

Strong Bluetooth connection; Great battery life; W1 chip is the future of wireless headphones

Sound quality not much better than average; Don't fit in all ear types; Design isn't for everyone

When Apple announced that its new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus , the single biggest feature (or lack thereof) was the removal of the headphone jack. The future, Apple claimed, was wireless, and to that end they announced the AirPods, a pair of fully wireless Bluetooth earbuds that should be what our...