AirPods 5 Earn Slightly Better Repair Score in Teardown Analysis

Apple’s entry-level AirPods 5 introduce Active Noise Cancellation at a starting price of $129, while teardown analysts report a slight improvement in repairability. The earbuds feature pronged batteries that lift their repair score from zero to two out of ten, though the accompanying charging case remains unrepairable.

AirPods 5 Pricing, Acoustic Upgrades, and New Options

Apple introduced the AirPods 5 alongside new iPhone hardware, bringing Active Noise Cancellation to its entry-level wireless earbuds at a starting price of $129.

According to the reporting, the AirPods 5 remove up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 equipped with Active Noise Cancellation. The units also incorporate a redesigned acoustic architecture, updated Adaptive EQ, and an improved Transparency mode.

Inside the Teardown: How Pronged Batteries Lifted the Score

Beyond the acoustic upgrades, hardware analysts took apart the latest entry-level earbuds to examine internal changes. Every previous generation of Apple’s wireless earbuds tested by the repair site earned a repairability score of zero out of ten due to destructive construction methods that resisted any fix.

We’ve bled for AirPods.

the team stated, via Theregister

The AirPods 5 broke that streak by earning a score of two out of ten. Skilled technicians and determined DIYers can access the interior using a clamp and a hair dryer on its lowest setting to heat the adhesive. Once opened, the earbuds reveal pronged batteries rather than soldered leads. Using a nifty pair of tongs, the battery is intuitive to unplug and can be popped out cleanly once adhesive strips are removed.

Component Oddities and Left-Right Asymmetry

Despite the modest progress, the internal design introduces strict limitations for anyone attempting a component swap. The left and right earbuds utilize physically distinct batteries that cannot be interchanged between sides.

“Looking closely, we could see the polarity on the batteries was reversed. The prongs were welded slightly off-center too. These batteries are physically ever so slightly different from left to right.”

the team reported, via Theregister

Deeper inside the casing, technicians found the capacitive touch layer included on the wireless charging case variant, followed by the H2 system-in-package that manages features like active noise cancellation. Yet replacement batteries are not yet commercially available, and Apple has not published official repair manuals for the hardware.

Why the Companion Charging Case Remains a Disaster

While the individual earbuds show incremental changes, the companion charging case remains entirely hostile to maintenance. Teardown teams reported that the case resisted every attempt to open it without destroying the outer shell.

“There was prying, cursing, cutting, more cursing, and an accidental stab wound. We’ve bled for AirPods. Again.”

the team stated, via Theregister

Extracting the internal battery and hardware required destroying the case entirely, making safe reassembly impossible. Analysts noted that alternative manufacturers demonstrate that battery replacement can be prioritized in both earbuds and their charging capsules alike. Because the case cannot be opened intact and replacement parts remain absent, the AirPods 5 remain far from genuinely repairable, even if the earbuds themselves are not as disappointing as they could have been.

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