This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2020, CNET’s gift picks with expert advice, reviews and recommendations for the latest tech gifts for you and your family.
And just like that, the holidays have come and gone — but if you didn’t get the new Apple AirPods you were hoping for, don’t fret. There are still some deals to be had, so you might consider giving yourself a little treat for the new year. Standard AirPods are no longer at their all-time-low of $99, but you can still snag them for $129. Want them with the wireless charging case? They’re currently $160 — saving you $39 versus the Apple Store. You can also get the AirPods Pro for $199 at Amazon and Walmart (a $50 savings).
Just a couple of weeks ago, the new AirPods Max hit town as Apple’s first full-size, noise-canceling headphones, with a whopping $549 price tag. But don’t expect to see a discount on them anytime soon.
See the current best deals below, but note that pricing and inventory have been fluctuating wildly.
AirPods pricing 2020
| Model | Apple Store price | Best price right now | Best all-time price |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods Pro | $249 | $199 | $169 |
| AirPods | $159 | $129 | $99 |
| AirPods with wireless charging case | $199 | $160 | $140 |
| AirPods Max | $549 | $549 | $549 |
Sarah Tew/CNET
The AirPods Pro were briefly as low as $169 at Walmart and $170 at Amazon for Black Friday. Now they’ve been ping-ponging between $190 and $199, with Amazon and Staples currently back at the latter. That’s $50 below the regular Apple Store price, and shipping is free.
Read our AirPods Pro review.
Walmart came in strong to the early Black Friday sale game by marking down the AirPods to $99 — the lowest price ever. That deal is long gone, but Walmart, Target and Amazon are now all offering them for $129. That’s still $30 cheaper than what you can get at the Apple Store.
Read our AirPods review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Personally, I’d get either the cheaper AirPods or the AirPods Pro. But if you’re really a zealot for wireless charging, know that you can get the standard AirPods with a wireless charging case for $160, which is a $59 savings versus the Apple Store price. That said, it was $140 (the lowest price to date) on Black Friday.
Target has the best deal right now, and you can save an extra 5% if you use your Red Card — and possibly an additional 10% with a Circle coupon available for a limited time. (See the site for details.)
David Carnoy/CNET
The latest and greatest Apple headphones were just announced. These are full-size models, chock full of high-end features like noise cancellation, spatial audio and easy integration with Apple devices. Look for our review soon, but prepare to pay full price: This model is debuting at $549, and won’t see any discounts in the near future (if at all).
Read our AirPods Max hands-on.
This article is frequently updated to reflect current pricing.