Another deals event is right around the corner, and it's a big one. That's right: Black Friday is next week. If you're considering buying a new pair of AirPods for yourself or the Apple fan in your life, this could be a convenient time to make a purchase -- but don't do it without looking through the deals on these earbuds and headphones first.Also: The best Black Friday deals available nowWhether you're the type of person to know exactly what you'll be buying for every loved one this holiday, or whether you're going to shop around and let inspiration (and deals) come to you organically, you can get ahead of the holiday shopping hubbub by perusing early deals right now. We've reviewed every pair of AirPods on this list, and our deal-hunting experts will help you cut through the noise to find the best option for you to buy or gift.Shop at AmazonOur favorite early Black Friday AirPods dealsAirPods Pro 2: $190 (save $60 at Amazon): These are our favorite AirPods out of the entire lineup. Plus, they just got a new feature that turns them into hearing aids.AirPods 4: $120 (save $10 at Amazon): This isn't the best deal on the new AirPods Apple released earlier this fall, but it's still $10 cheaper than the original price. Wait until Black Friday for a possibly more substantial deal.AirPods 3: $94 (save $75 at Walmart): These earbuds come with six hours of battery life in the buds themselves and 30 hours within the case.AirPods Max: $459 (save $90 at Amazon): Apple released a new AirPods model, so select colors from the older generation are cheaper right now, like the sky blue AirPods Max that's $90 off the original price.AirPods (Second Generation): $89 (save $40 at Walmart): These AirPods are the most basic available. If you prefer a no-frills listening experience, this Walmart deal isn't bad. Jason Hiner/ZDNET Current price: $190Original price: $250The AirPods Pro 2 are our favorite Apple AirPods for a reason -- three reasons, actually. They fit most ear sizes, are great for all-day wear, and boast the best noise-canceling out of the Apple earbuds lineup. You're getting six hours of battery life out of these buds, enough to power you through a workout or two or nearly the whole day at the office. Plus, Apple updated the AirPods Pro 2 recently to include a hearing aid feature that turns these buds into helpful hearing devices -- a game-changing development that will give those who are hard of hearing an affordable sound amplifier. Pretty cool, right? View now at Amazon Jada Jones/ZDNET Current price: $169Original price: $179This discount is small, at only $10 off -- however, it's rare to get a discount on a brand-new Apple product at all. These are the newest Apple AirPods that come with an H2 chip (the same chip in the AirPods Pro 2), active noise cancellation, and spatial audio. Given how new the earbuds are, it's unsurprising that the discount is not substantial. Perhaps as we get closer to Black Friday there will be a more impressive price cut. View now at Amazon Jason Hiner/ZDNET Current price: $459Original price: $549Apple released an upgraded AirPods Max in September with a USB-C port replacing the brand's signature Lighting port. The new lineup includes more colors, that new port, and not much else. What that means for you, though, is that you can buy the older version of the AirPods Max with many of the same features as the new headphones but at a cheaper price. For example, the sky blue AirPods Max is $90 off. Not bad at all. View now at Amazon Best AirPods alternatives to shop ahead of Black FridayBeats Studio Buds: $100 (save $50 at Amazon): Want that Apple ecosystem compatibility without AirPods prices? These Beats Studio Buds offer seamless Apple connectivity for a fraction of the price.Beats Studio Buds+: $130 (save $40 at Amazon): The Beats Studio Buds+ are a step up from the Studio Buds with active noise cancellation and 12 more hours of listening time. The silver color is heavily discounted right now.Sony WF-1000XM5: $228 (save $72 at Amazon): These are some of the most impressive earbuds you can buy with vivid sound, good noise cancellation, and all of those Sony special touches.Soundcore A40 noise-canceling earbuds: $59 (save $20 at Amazon): Customers on Amazon call these earbuds "spectacular" with great sound for an affordable price.Beats Solo 4: $130 (save $70 at Amazon): With up to 50 hours of battery life and comfortable ear pads, you could listen to music with these on for literal days.FAQsWhen is Black Friday?Black Friday takes place on Nov. 29 this year.When is Cyber Monday?Cyber Monday takes place on Dec. 2 this year, and you can find deals across the web on everything from household appliances to high-tech devices.Are AirPods deals really better on Black Friday?I've seen the price of AirPods drop by some $10 or $20 less than their usual discount price during events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Prime Day. Brands like Apple usually have a discount price they use during non-holiday events. For example, I've seen the price of the AirPods Pro 2 be around that $200 price range, even though its full price is $250. On a deals event day, the price dips to around $180 or less.How did we choose these Black Friday deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we think are actually worth your while. I know the price of every AirPods model and what they regularly discount for. So when I'm evaluating deals, I'm considering all of this before including a product in a roundup or writing a spotlight on the deal.We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we're recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter.Where can you shop the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals?Write your own unique description. Sentiment would be that you can still shop in person but you can find deals online through most major retailers like: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, etc.)What are the best Black Friday 2024 deals?ZDNET's experts have been searching through Black Friday sales live now to find the best discounts by category. These are the best Black Friday deals so far, by category:You can also find the best Black Friday deals by price:Black Friday deals under $25Black Friday deals under $100And the best Black Friday deals by retailer:Black Friday Amazon dealsBlack Friday Best Buy dealsBlack Friday Walmart dealsBlack Friday Apple dealsBlack Friday Samsung dealsTop holiday deals