The company Lumafield, which published the comparison images, had previously conducted a similar experiment with Apple’s new USB-C cable and showed its level of complexity compared to similar ones from other companies.

Unique originals and pathetic imitations

They took real AirPods Pro and two pairs of fakes for the experiment. In the main image above, the original is on the left and the fake is in the middle and on the right.

The 3 main differences that x-rays reveal are:

• Batteries.
• Schematic engineering.
• Build quality.

True AirPods feature carefully engineered button batteries in each earbud, designed to fit snugly into the compact body and provide optimal power for efficient use. In contrast, both examples of fake AirPods contain lithium-ion batteries, which are not only less complex in design but also potentially less safe. Rectangular bags are pressed into circular gaps that do not fit the size,
says John Bruner of Lumafield.

X-rays reveal that the real AirPods are “a marvel of miniaturization and precision engineering.” This was possible thanks to “Combination of rigid and flexible printed circuit boards for dense placement of components and efficient use of every millimeter of space”.

Fake AirPods, on the other hand, have much simpler electronics made up of off-the-shelf components. This leaves less room for functionality, fakes have fewer microphones and less control circuitry, reducing sound quality.

• One of the fake models doesn’t offer wireless charging at all (the coils don’t show up in the scans).
• Another has coils for wireless charging but lacks the magnets that secure the AirPods case to the Apple Watch charger.
• Fake AirPods even resort to the use of internal weights that have no function other than mimicking the weight of the real product; this is a ploy to make them heavier to compensate for inferior materials and less functionality.

These fake products may mimic the visual characteristics of the original, but the use of substandard materials not only affects tactile sensation but also compromises the structural integrity and overall lifespan of the product.

John Bruner also shot a video in which he shows all the details of working with Adam Savage, known for the “Mythbusters” project.