When the AirPods Pro 3 debuted, I was a little hesitant to upgrade. I felt the AirPods Pro 2 were still great. On top of that, one of the key features of the AirPods Pro 3, Live Translation, was also coming to the AirPods Pro 2. However, now that I’ve given them a chance, I can honestly say that I was wrong about my pessimism.
Fit makes all the difference
It all comes down to adaptation, pretty much. The AirPods Pro 3 are much nicer to my ears. In a way, they’re much lighter – in the sense that I don’t really think about the fact that I’m wearing them.
I didn’t realize this was the case with my AirPods Pro 2, until I tried the AirPods Pro 3. Between the new shape and the foam-infused ear tips, the AirPods Pro 3 are much easier to wear for extended periods of time.
Apple says these are the “most secure, best-fitting AirPods ever,” based on 100,000 hours of user research and 300 million ear-fit data points. This certainly seems accurate.
Clearer transparency mode
Apple doesn’t talk about it, but at least in my experience, the AirPods Pro 3 offer a clearer transparency mode than the AirPods Pro 2. I imagine this is mainly to compensate for the fact that the AirPods Pro 3 have a better seal in your ears thanks to the foam-infused ear tips.
For me, this is a big problem. I never liked talking while wearing my AirPods – mainly because I felt like I couldn’t hear everything as clearly. Now with the AirPods Pro 3, I’m OK with that.
Same sound quality
If you like the sound of your AirPods Pro 2, you’ll probably feel the same way about the AirPods Pro 3. I’m certainly no audio expert, but at least in my opinion, both pairs of earbuds are pretty much on par. If you’re looking for better sound, this may be slightly disappointing, but it’s great news if you already love the sound of your AirPods Pro 2.
Less overall battery life
Now for the only downside: the case has inferior battery life.
Overall, the AirPods Pro 3 last longer than the AirPods Pro 2. Apple claims up to 10 hours of listening time with the headphones in transparency mode, compared to 6 hours on the AirPods Pro 2. That’s a big difference.
The case, however, comes with a significantly lower battery capacity. The AirPods Pro 3 last a total of 24 hours when combined with the charging case, compared to 30 hours on the AirPods Pro 2.
This may not seem like much, but I have absolutely noticed it when using them. That little iOS notification reminding you to charge your AirPods will appear much more often, whereas I very rarely saw it with my AirPods Pro 2.
I haven’t seen my AirPods Pro 3 die yet, so there’s that, but you’ll definitely need to be more careful about charging with these new earbuds.
Conclude
Overall, the AirPods Pro 3 are a great product. If you have an old pair of AirPods, you should consider upgrading, even if you don’t think you need something new, as long as you have the disposable income for it.
The Apple Stores offer demos for AirPods if you ask, so I highly recommend doing so if you have the time. The AirPods Pro 3 look like a minor upgrade on paper, but everything changes once you try them.
Also, minor thing to note: the AirPods Pro 3 have a slightly larger case than the AirPods Pro 2, and they feel lighter. It doesn’t change much, but it’s still interesting.
If you’re interested in purchasing a pair of AirPods Pro 3, you can currently purchase them on Amazon for $249.
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