Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, the third generation of its high-end in-canal noise-cancelling earphones, come with some big upgrades. They’re much more fitness-friendly, with built-in heart rate monitoring and significant waterproofing. They can translate languages in real time during calls and in person. And Apple has also tweaked their acoustic design and noise cancellation over the AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 2 were already excellent earphones, though, so if you own a pair, should you upgrade? Let’s break down all the differences to help you decide.
Price
Let’s start easy. The AirPods Pro 2 launched at $249. The AirPods Pro 3 are $249. No changes here.
Winner: Tie
Apple’s AirPods 3: Cancelling Out the Noise With Its Latest Updates
Sound Quality
The AirPods Pro 3 sound even better than the already excellent Pro 2, thanks to a new multiport acoustic design and refined Adaptive EQ that actively adjusts the audio profile to what you’re listening to. These tweaks result in better bass response, cleaner highs, and a bigger soundstage to our ears.
Winner: AirPods Pro 3 (They just sound better)
Apple AirPods Pro 3 (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Noise Cancellation
The AirPods Pro 3 have an upgraded active noise cancellation (ANC) system with new ultra-low-noise microphones, which Apple says can block out twice as much outside noise as the Pro 2. The eartips also add a thin layer of foam to their silicone shells compared with the Pro 2’s completely silicone tips, which can improve the seal against your ear canal and further block out noise. Those changes add up to noise-cancelling performance that rivals the best, matching the latest Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in blocking out your surroundings.
Winner: AirPods Pro 3 (New mics and better seals make a big difference)
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Fitness and Health
This is the biggest and wildest upgrade to the AirPods Pro 3. They now have built-in heart rate sensing, so you can track how much you’re pushing yourself in workouts even without an Apple Watch or a fitness tracker. It isn’t as in-depth as the Apple Watch’s heart rate monitoring, and the AirPods Pro 3 lack blood oxygen monitoring and an ECG. But for earphones, it’s still a rare and useful feature that the AirPods Pro 2 lack.
Winner: AirPods Pro 3 (Heart rate monitoring is a new trick for any AirPods)
Apple AirPods Pro 3 (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Durability
The AirPods Pro 2 are water-resistant with an IP54 rating, which means they’re tested to handle splashes and can work in the rain. The AirPods Pro 3 are closer to waterproof with an IP57 rating, so you can dunk them or rinse them off in the sink and trust they’ll be fine. They’re not meant for swimming, and submerging them could be a problem, but they’re still more suited to soaking than the previous ones. In both cases, the ratings apply to the earphones and the charging case, which isn’t always true for water-resistant true wireless earphones; sometimes the earphones can handle water, but the case can’t.
Recommended by Our Editors
Winner: AirPods Pro 3 (Nearly waterproof means easy washing)
Apple AirPods Pro 2 (Credit: Tim Gideon)
Battery Life
The AirPods Pro 3 can last up to eight hours on a charge with noise cancellation, up from six for the AirPods Pro 2. The new charging case can hold up to 24 hours total listening time with ANC, while the AirPods Pro 2’s case can hold the same 24 hours under the same conditions.
Winner: AirPods Pro 3
And The Winner Is…
The AirPods Pro 3 represent a big jump in sound quality and noise cancellation over the AirPods Pro 2. That’s already a good start, but they also add heart rate tracking and full waterproofing to the mix. That earns the newest AirPods Pro model not just our Editors’ Choice award but a rare five-star score. It’s not an exaggeration to say they’re some of the best noise-cancelling earphones on the market, and markedly better than their predecessors.
