Don't buy AirPods 2 for $89! Wait for these Sony or Nothing Black Friday earbuds deals instead

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I can't promise deals, but you can still do better than Apple's 2019 buds

Sony WF-C700N and Nothing Ear (a) on yellow background, with TR branding
(Image credit: Sony, Nothing)

I get it: you want to find a few choice early Black Friday deals and avoid the stress of the big weekend itself. You also quite fancy a pair of those AirPods you've seen hanging out of people's ears everywhere you look – and whoa! At Walmart right now, you can get a pair with the charging case for just $89; a $40 saving on their $129 'regular' price.

The thing is, I'm TechRadar's Audio Editor, and unless it has to be Apple and it absolutely has to be AirPods, I wouldn't. This isn't the cheapest they've been – and even then, they're hardly the newest earbuds on the block (having been superseded twice… or four times if you count the Pro versions). While newness isn't the be-all and end-all when it comes to audio, I think your $89 could be far better spent on something newer in the run-up to Black Friday. What would I nudge you towards? Either of these more fully-featured and sonically superior offerings from Nothing or Sony…

Both of these cheap AirPods alternatives feature in our best budget wireless earbuds lineup. Both are also five-star offerings (versus the 3.5 stars the AirPods gained under intense review) and during recent sales events their humble price tags have actually been slashed even further – and I'll even tell you the discounts to look out for. Don't thank me now…

Today's best Black Friday earbuds deals

The AirPods deal I don't think you should buy

Apple AirPods (2nd Generation): was $129 $89.99 at Walmart

Apple AirPods (2nd Generation): was $129 now $89.99 at Walmart
This is actually a fairly typical price for these earbuds these days, so we wouldn't say it's much of a deal really – but if you want the cheapest AirPods available, here you go. They've actually been on sale for as little as $69.99 before now too, so while a sub-$90 fee may be tempting, it's not the cheapest they've been. They don't have the more advanced features of newer models, but they do feature fast pairing, auto-switching between Apple devices, and Find My support.

View Deal

…and what you should wait for instead

So what do I suggest you snap up if you don't grab a set of inexpensive AirPods? Let me direct you to the Sony WF-C700N or Nothing Ear (a). Which is best? Well, I've even written a versus comparing the Nothing and Sony options, so you can choose for yourself.

Now, I can't promise you unequivocally that these deals will land again in the run-up to Black Friday, or even over the big weekend itself, but I can show you what has happened before – and will probably happen again if you're prepared to exercise a little patience. I'm not a betting woman, but if I were, I'd wager these deals will land again soon…

So, the lowest price on the April 2024-release Nothing Ear (a) we've seen is $79 (down from $109), which happened in September 2024. And the Sony WF-C700N? The lowest asking fee we've seen on these April 2023-release earbuds is $78 (down from $119).

Both feature noise cancellation and a plethora of perks they've no business offering at the level – and both are cheaper than those $89 AirPods listed above that don't have noise cancellation. See what I mean?

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Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds: list price $109; lowest we've seen: $79 at Amazon
★★★★★ rating! The latest Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds offer exceptional bass along with powerful active noise cancellation, so they’re immediately off to a good start. Their talented 11mm drivers are bigger than the norm and there’s 42.5 hours of battery life via the charging case, multi-point connectivity, and even ChatGPT support via the pinch stems if you're using a Nothing phone. The above price is their lowest-seen fee and if you see them selling for anything under $85, I wouldn't hang around… 

Sony WF-C700N: $78 at Amazonrating!

Sony WF-C700N: list price $119; lowest we've seen: $78 at Amazon
★★★★★ rating! The WF-C700N tore up the rule book on what is achievable for this money when they landed in April 2023. Are they still among the best noise-nixing earbuds around? Certainly – and our five-star Sony WF-C700N review is irrefutable proof. As long as the lack of higher-res audio support or auto-pause when you remove them doesn't bug you (and at this level that would be a tad churlish) they're an awesome buy – if you see them at this lowest-seen price, they're a steal.

More Black Friday deals to consider

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Becky Scarrott
Becky Scarrott
Audio Editor

Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.