Noise Cancelation
The AirPods Pro adds noise cancelation, a transparency mode, and a more customizable fit to the AirPods line. However, the price tag is a bit higher, and it does sacrifice a bit of battery life.
For
- Active noise cancelation
- Transparency mode
- Customizable fit
Against
- More expensive
- Weaker battery life
No. 3
The third-generation classical AirPods are less expensive and have a slightly better battery life than the Pro version, but you are missing out on active noise cancelation and some other features.
For
- Less expensive
- Better battery life overall
Against
- No transparency mode
- No noise cancelation
- No special fit
The differences between the AirPods Pro and the newest non-pro counterpart aren't about functionality — both products work well! Instead, it mostly comes down to sound quality, listening experience, and battery life.
The AirPods Pro's biggest claim to fame is the excellent active noise cancelation (ANC) it provides that will drown the world around you when you're listening to tunes. Of course, the AirPods Pro also features a Transparency Mode that allows you to let the noise of the outside world into your ears, so you don't have to be shut off to the world around you if you don't choose.
The AirPods 3, on the other hand, don't have ANC, and due to its much looser fit with no ear tips, lets enough sound in by itself. That's not always bad, though, as ear tips — particularly silicone ear tips — can cause some discomfort when having them in your ear for extended pieces of time. Regardless, we're here to break it all down.
AirPods Pro vs AirPods 3: The specs
Most of the functionality and how the headphones work with your other Apple devices between AirPods Pro and the new AirPods 3 remain the same. Both feature "Hey, Siri" activation and an H1 chip that enables seamless pairing between devices. Plus, both versions can use Audio Sharing, so you can share your audio between multiple pairs of AirPods, and Announce Messages features, which will automatically read messages for you as you receive them.
The most significant differences when comparing the AirPods Pro vs. AirPods 3 are the added noise cancelation and transparency mode, which we noted in our original AirPods Pro review.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | AirPods Pro | AirPods 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life (music) | 4.5 hours | 6 hours |
| Battery life (case) | 24 hours (listen) 18 hours (talk) | 30 hours (listen) 20 hours (talk) |
| Chipset | H1 | H1 |
| Bluetooth version | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) | Yes | No |
| Transparency mode | Yes | No |
| Siri connection | Hey Siri | Hey Siri |
| Charging case | Wireless charging case | Wireless charging case |
| Silicon Ear TIps | Yes (3 sets) | No |
| Weight | 0.19 ounce | 0.15 ounce |
Noise cancelation is a fantastic feature to have in any pair of headphones that you use while commuting. Active noise cancellation (ANC) allows the headphones to drown out a lot of background noise from the world around you, making it easier to hear and focus on your music. The AirPods Pro have a force sensor that allow you to play and pause music, but also let you switch between ANC and Transparency modes (which makes it easier to hear what's around you while still listening to audio). The AirPods Pro also come with three different-sized silicone ear tips to ensure a better fit and thus a better seal.
Should you upgrade from AirPods Pro to AirPods 3?
It's unlikely you should upgrade from the AirPods Pro to the AirPods 3. Although the AirPods 3 have a design more similar to the Pros than the previous two AirPods models, significant differences remain that make the Pros, well, Pro. This starts with its noise cancelation and transparency mode and continues with the included ear tips that allow you to customize your fit.
And yet, there's one big reason you might want to consider moving from the AirPods Pro to AirPods 3: battery life. The newer model gives you 90 more minutes of listening time before you'll need to use the wireless charging case. That case holds 30 hours of listening time and 20 hours of talk. This compares to the AirPod Pro's 24 hours and 18 hours, respectively.
Regardless, both the AirPods Pro and AirPods 3 are among the best true wireless earbuds on the market, so the choice is yours.
Are you a pro?
The choice for anyone who wants a perfect Apple accessory with all the possible customization. Just watch that battery life, however.
The (newest) classic
The classic AirPods you know and love around the block for the third time. While it lacks some of the features of the Pro version, you can't go wrong with extra battery power and a cheaper price tag.
