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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Airpods Pro are notable for their active noise cancelling, optimizing performance for Apple devices, and the inclusion of a wireless charging case, which justifies their higher cost compared to the Moondrop Nekocake. They offer a better experience for air travel and portability as well as higher comfort and build quality. However, if budget is a concern, the Nekocake still presents good build quality and sound, but lacks active noise cancelling and wireless charging. Both have comparable overall sound quality and are suited for general music listening, but neither are specifically tailored for gaming or TV due to latency issues. The Nekocake has customizable audio controls which can be an advantage if personalization is important to you. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Airpods Pro
Good for phone calls
Excellent for air travel
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Moondrop Nekocake
The Moondrop Nekocake has no clear advantages over the Apple Airpods Pro.
Key differences
Music
6.8/10
5.7/10
The Apple Airpods Pro is only fair for music, while the Moondrop Nekocake is poor.
Gaming
5.1/10
4.6/10
The Apple Airpods Pro and Moondrop Nekocake are both poor for gaming, though the Apple Airpods Pro is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
7.4/10
6.1/10
The Apple Airpods Pro is good for phone calls, while the Moondrop Nekocake is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.3/10
7.7/10
The Apple Airpods Pro is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Moondrop Nekocake is good.
TV and Video
5.7/10
5.0/10
The Apple Airpods Pro and Moondrop Nekocake are both poor for TV and video, though the Apple Airpods Pro is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
9.1/10
7.0/10
The Apple Airpods Pro is excellent for noise reduction, while the Moondrop Nekocake is good.
Battery
5.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple Airpods Pro has 5 hours of battery life. The Moondrop Nekocake has 3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$260
$39
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Apple Airpods Pro has a price of $260 and the Moondrop Nekocake costs $39.
Build Quality
9.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple Airpods Pro has excellent build quality, while the Moondrop Nekocake has very good build quality.
"For just $50 USD more than the original model with the wireless charging case, this is definitely the pair of buds to get. The AirPods Pro (1st generation) sounds better than the originals and has a way better fit and active noise canceling to boot. If you have an iOS device, just get this."
"What sets the Nekocake apart from its competition at this price point is the Moondrop Link app that allows the user to change the tonal balance of the Nekocake. This makes sure that it’s versatile enough to suit different sonic preferences while allowing some customization of controls."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Pro or the Moondrop Nekocake
About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About Moondrop
Moondrop is a Chinese brand of smart audio equipment, portable audio players, earbuds and headphones started in 2015. During the last few years they have become one of the major players in what is lovingly referred to as the Chi-fi market, the bulk of Chinese companies that have managed to actually compete with the western manufacturers in both prices and superior quality. Products such as the Blessing II, Chu and Kato are among the most popular offerings of the brand, more popular among those users that wish for good quality audio that won't break the bank. Besides audio, the brand also works in what they call the ACGN field (Animation, Comics, Games and Short Novels).
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.