I have used this device to hand off the Bluetooth from other headsets to a computer to get Microphone and Headphones out of it. It bypasses the horrible way that windows handles the quality. The trade off is that it sometimes does not want to connect. I have to unplug it from the PC and plug it back in or go through pairing agin. I don’t own AirPods, so you will have to test it. I don’t own or have a stake in the hardware in the link. I just have purchased and used them before.
Reiyin WT-04 aptX Low Latency USB Audio Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Wireless Adapter Used for PC Game Consoles https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B077D4RKFD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_DJPVNTWA7A8KYXFNTXH4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Oh, probably not because apple is evil I just assumed it would work with all computers with intel cpu.
If you have a 2015 or older mac, you can look at https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Mac/MacBook-Pro-Retina-2015-Airport-Bluetooth-Board/IF123-048?o=1 , it's should be the latest network card used in macbooks before they switched to adding networking to the logic board - it is insanely expensive since it's a proprietary mac component vs. the 9260, which is unlucky.
Audio only bluetooth 5.0 adapters are a lot cheaper, do some more research into the products, because I just pulled the first two from amazon that said mac compatible.
This one seems more convenient as it's not dangling from the 3.5m audio port on your computer, like the 2nd one.
Yes. Hot plug works. Some cheap Chinese Amazon knockoff.
I use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077D4RKFD With a pair of Bluetooth headphones