Spigen Classic LS

In September 2026 Apple announced AirPods 5: still open-ear, with stronger noise cancellation. What is gone is the version without ANC that AirPods 4 offered. ANC now comes on even the cheapest model.

I want a pair I can wear all day without fatigue. But to me, open-ear buds are better without ANC. A design that leaves the ear canal open can never isolate like an in-ear one, so it makes more sense to lean into what it does well: light on the ear, and the room still sounds natural.

So instead of upgrading to AirPods 5, I bought AirPods Pro 3 at this point, on purpose. Give each pair its own job and they stop competing.

Apple says Pro 3 removes up to twice as much noise as the previous generation, with up to eight hours of listening with ANC on (both Apple's own figures). The ear tips are now foam-infused, in five sizes including a new XXS. As the pair in charge of quiet, it is hard to fault.

Anything carried every day needs a case. Which brings us to the point.

The case is Spigen's Classic LS, released in March 2026 for AirPods Pro 3 and modelled on the mouse that shipped with the original 1984 Macintosh. Look at the cover photo as if it were not a case at all. It is that one-button mouse.

• The colour — a slightly warm beige in the family of the original Macintosh. Spigen calls it Stone
• The grey button — sits exactly where the mouse button was, and it is the lock. Not decoration: press it and the lid opens
• The small hole — lets the charging case's status light through
• The lanyard — trailing off the side, it reads as the mouse cable. Even the ridged strain relief at the root is there

Retro designs turn into toys the moment they try too hard. Classic LS does not, I think because it sticks to two colours and keeps the logo to a tone-on-tone emboss. The shape does all the talking, and on a desk it still looks like a tool.

2026 is also Apple's fiftieth year (the company was founded on 1 April 1976). Carrying an Apple product around dressed as the first mouse, in that year, makes a neat small tribute, intended or not.

Photos undersell it, but what impressed me most is the surface finish: a fine, grained matte texture that hides fingerprints and does not slip in the hand. It does not turn cheaply shiny under light, so the beige stays clean.

Care in the build

• The seam — the line between lid and body runs dead straight and even, end to end
• The edges — where surfaces meet, the lines are crisp rather than soft. This is where a shape succeeds or fails
• The openings — the USB-C cutout on the bottom is cleanly cut, and the cable seats fully

It is a two-layer build: rigid polycarbonate inside, softer TPU outside (per Spigen). The PC holds the shape and the TPU takes knocks at the corners, and it feels a step more solid than a thin silicone sleeve.

Press the grey button to open; push the lid down and it clicks shut. The bare AirPods case is held closed only by magnets, so a drop or a rummage in a bag can pop it open. With the lock engaged, the earbuds are not going anywhere.

With the case on, the status light is still visible and wireless charging still works (wireless charging support per Spigen). You can plug in USB-C without taking it off, and the included lanyard is handy for clipping to a bag strap.

Specifications (as published by Spigen)

Precisely because I like it, here is what it costs.

• Bulk — two layers plus a lock make it a size up on the bare case. You notice it in a trouser pocket
• One more step to open — there is a button to press. It works one-handed, but it is not the thumb-flick of the bare case
• A light colour shows dirt — grime settles into the grain, and light TPU can yellow over time. I will report back after a few months

◎ excellent ・ ○ good ・ △ a compromise