AirPods 3 vs. AirPods Pro Buyer’s Guide
This week, Apple announced a major update for its standard AirPods, with the new earbuds featuring spatial audio, Adaptive EQ, force sensors, sweat and water resistance, MagSafe charging, and more.
Should you consider purchasing the $179 third-generation AirPods, or do you need the higher-end AirPods Pro, which sell for $249? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these sets of AirPods is best for you.
Comparing the AirPods and AirPods Pro
The AirPods and AirPods Pro share a large number of important features such as spatial audio, sweat and water resistance, and the H1 chip. Apple lists these identical features of the two devices:
Similarities
Custom high-excursion Apple driver
Custom high dynamic range amplifier
Motion-detecting accelerometers
Speech-detecting accelerometers
Dual beamforming microphones
Inward-facing microphones
Force sensors
Bluetooth 5.0
H1 chip
Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking
Adaptive EQ
Hey Siri
Automatic device switching
Live Listen audio
Headphone levels
IPX4 sweat and water resistance
MagSafe Charging Case
Five minutes in the case provides around one hour of listening time or around 1 hour of talk time
Personalized engraving option
Apple’s breakdown shows that the two sets of AirPods a share large number of key features. Even so, there are some meaningful differences between them that are worth highlighting, including design and Active Noise Cancellation.
Differences
AirPods
Skin-detect sensor
Up to six hours of listening time with a single charge (up to five hours with spatial audio enabled)
Up to four hours of talk time with a single charge
Up to 30 hours of listening time using the charging case
Up to 20 hours of talk time using the charging case
AirPods Pro
In-ear design with silicone ear tips (three sizes)
Vent system for pressure equalization
Dual optical sensors
Active Noise Cancellation
Transparency mode
Conversation Boost
Up to 4.5 hours of listening time with a single charge (up to five hours with Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency off)
Up to 3.5 hours of talk time with a single charge
More than 24 hours of listening time using the charging case
More than 18 hours of talk time using the charging case
Other AirPods Options
If you are looking for AirPods, but the latest third-generation model is out of your price range, there are the second-generation AirPods, which start at $129. These miss out on the ability to charge wirelessly or with MagSafe, and do not have spatial audio, sweat or water resistance, or force sensors.
They still feature the H1 chip, Hey Siri, automatic device switching, motion and speech detecting accelerometers, Bluetooth 5.0, and dual beamforming microphones, as well as up to five hours of listening time on one charge and more than 24 hours of listening time with the charging case. For most users though, it will still be worth spending the extra $50 for the third-generation AirPods if you can.
For a higher-fidelity audio experience, there are the AirPods Max, which are priced at $549. These are over-ear headphones that take the listening experience to the next level with improved sound quality, better Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and up to 20 hours of listening from one charge.
Final Thoughts
The standard AirPods are now very similar to the AirPods Pro, offering almost all of the same features at a lower price point. As a result, the third-generation AirPods should be the default choice for most prospective buyers.
You should only buy the AirPods Pro if you specifically prefer the fit of in-ear silicone tips or you need Active Noise Cancellation. It is also worth buying AirPods Pro if you could make good use of Apple’s Conversation Boost accessibility feature.
AirPods Pro have frequently seen discounts to $199 or even lower through Amazon and other third-party retailers, so stepping up to the Pro version may be more worth it if you can take advantage of one of those deals. Note that the AirPods Pro were just updated with MagSafe alignment for the charging case, but no other changes were made, so make sure you know which version you are buying.
The standard AirPods have traditionally also seen solid deals, but we’ll have to wait see what happens with the new version once it’s been on the market for a bit.
If you also have AirPods Max, which already offer ANC, and are looking for an additional pair of headphones to use while working out or on the go, the third-generation AirPods are also a good choice.
As per the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide, the AirPods Pro are over two years old and there are rumors of a new model on the horizon with a tipless design. On the other hand, the third-generation AirPods are brand new and not likely to be updated or replaced anytime soon. If you plan on keeping your AirPods for several years, it may be worth factoring the age of the AirPods Pro into your buying decision.
This article, “AirPods 3 vs. AirPods Pro Buyer’s Guide” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
