9.2/ 10 SCORE Apple AirPod Pro 3 Pros
Design upgrades to the buds and ear ideas enhance their match
Noise cancellation has been upgraded and is now top-notch
They sound higher with improved bass response and extra readability
Built-in heart-rate monitoring with new sensors
Excellent voice-calling efficiency (upgraded microphones)
Battery life is rated for as much as 8 hours (up from 6 for AirPods Pro 2)
Cons
They nonetheless use the H2 chip discovered within the AirPods Pro 2
Heart-rate monitoring is buried in health apps
While they work with Android, lots of their options are unique to Apple gadgets
Some new colours can be good
One challenge with next-gen AirPods such because the AirPods Pro 3 is that they typically look similar to the earlier mannequin, leaving many individuals to query whether or not the upgrades actually matter. However, after utilizing the AirPods Pro 3 for 5 days, I can say that these buds are considerably improved in 4 key areas: match, sound high quality, noise cancellation and battery life. The result’s that you do not really feel such as you’re making any compromises when shopping for the AirPods Pro 3. Read on to see simply how a lot they’ve improved in every space and the way they stack up in opposition to different high true-wireless earbuds. Before I get into all of the modifications, here is a fast breakdown of what is stayed the identical.The AirPods Pro 3’s listing value remains to be $249 (£219, AU$429). That wasn’t a given with all of the uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration tariffs, however we’ll see the place their avenue value shakes out on Amazon and different retailers the place AirPods fashions typically get discounted.The AirPods Pro 3 are powered by Apple’s H2 chip — the identical one which powers the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 and Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. Rumors pointed to an H3 chip, however that did not occur. Nor did we get any new coloration choices; white remains to be the one possibility.The AirPods Pro 3 follow Bluetooth 5.3, identical to the AirPods Pro 2 (although some true-wireless earbuds have already jumped to Bluetooth 6.0).The buds nonetheless characteristic a MagSafe charging case with USB-C and wi-fi charging (no USB-C charging cable is included). Now for the upgrades: I’ll run by them rapidly, then share my tackle lots of them.What’s new or upgradedWhile they give the impression of being just like the earlier mannequin, the AirPods Pro 3 have been redesigned and their geometric form has modified a bit, with the angle of the bud shifted. They’re the identical size however are barely smaller width-wise, barely bigger depth-wise and weigh a contact extra (5.55 grams vs. 5.3 grams on the AirPods Pro 2).They include new foam-infused silicone ear ideas in 5 sizes, together with a brand new extra-extra small measurement.They’re outfitted with heart-rate sensors just like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.2x higher noise cancellation in comparison with the AirPods Pro 2, in accordance with Apple.While they’ve 10.7mm drivers just like the AirPods Pro 2, these drivers have been upgraded to benefit from the buds’ new multiport acoustic structure, which strikes extra air by the buds and improves sound high quality.The microphones have been upgraded.Transparency Mode has been enhanced.New Live Translation characteristic (additionally out there for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 collection, however not the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2).Their battery life has improved to 8 hours with noise cancellation on and as much as 10 hours in Hearing Aid mode with transparency on.Instead of being IPX4 splash-proof just like the AirPods Pro 2, they have an IP57 score, which suggests they’ll stand up to a sustained spray of water. (I poured water on them and so they survived simply superb). They’re additionally dust-resistant.The case now features a U2 chip, boosting Precision Finding vary within the Find My app by 1.5x (requires an iPhone 17).Like with the AirPods 4, there is no longer a button on the case for Bluetooth pairing. You merely double faucet on the entrance of the case to have the buds go into Bluetooth pairing mode. Watch this: Apple AirPods Pro 3 Review: The Complete Package
11:18 Modified design improved the match for meAs I discussed, the AirPods Pro 3 are barely narrower, however extra importantly, their form and bud angle have been adjusted so the ear ideas level extra instantly into your ear canals.Additionally, the ear ideas have been redesigned. Traditional foam ideas are inclined to really feel dense and squishy on the identical time, however these new ideas are infused with a skinny layer of reminiscence foam, notably towards the entrance, giving them a firmer and extra premium really feel.
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Testing the AirPods Pro 3 within the streets of New York. They look the identical in your ears because the AirPods Pro 2 however the match feels totally different. David Carnoy/CNETThe ideas now are available 5 sizes, together with a brand new extra-extra small possibility. There’s nonetheless no extra-large tip (which I hoped for), however the massive measurement now suits extra like XL. Note that the brand new ideas connect in a different way than earlier than, so they don’t seem to be appropriate with the unique AirPods Pro or Pro 2.The buds felt noticeably totally different in my ears than the AirPods Pro 2 — snugger and safer. With the Pro 3, Apple put an enormous emphasis on match since a decent seal is essential to sound high quality and noise canceling, and it desires individuals to note each have improved.I feel extra individuals will have the ability to get a greater match with these buds, although I’m positive there might be some of us who have been simply superb with the match of the AirPods Pro 2 who will say they like their match.Read extra: Best AirPods Pro 3 preorder offers — $20 reward for choose Best Buy membersHeart-rate monitoring I have never spent a lot time utilizing the brand new heart-rate monitoring characteristic but, and I do not contemplate it a must have in earbuds, notably if you happen to already personal an Apple Watch or one other watch with heart-rate monitoring capabilities. While the heart-rate sensors have been custom-designed for the AirPods Pro 3 (they’re Apple’s smallest heart-rate sensors) and are not equivalent to those within the Powerbeats Pro 2, my expertise utilizing them was the identical as with the Powerbeats Pro 2, which I’ve examined extra extensively. The AirPods Pro 3 have heart-rate sensors just like the Powerbeats Pro 2, however they’re custom-designed for the AirPods Pro 3. AppleThe monitoring is appropriate with various health apps, together with Apple Fitness and Fitness Plus, and may work in tandem with the Apple Watch’s heart-rate monitoring characteristic to get essentially the most correct measurement between the 2 gadgets. You may also use a single bud for heart-rate monitoring — a characteristic Beats added to the Powerbeats Pro 2, too.The one downside of utilizing the heart-rate monitor on the Powerbeats Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 is that it is advisable to launch an app to see your coronary heart fee. For instance, with the Apple Fitness app, it’s important to begin a exercise exercise like an outside stroll, run or cycle. By distinction, with the Apple Watch (and different health watches), your coronary heart fee seems as quickly as you set the system on, making your coronary heart fee simple to trace whether or not you are understanding or not.Using the heart-rate monitor does have an effect on the AirPods Pro 3’s battery life — dropping from 8 hours with noise canceling on to 6.5 hours — which is probably going why Apple did not design it to be all the time on. Still, I want there have been an choice to maintain the sensors operating at instances and have my coronary heart fee present up in a widget on my iPhone’s dwelling display screen (and even lock display screen), as an alternative of solely after I manually begin it in a health app. The present listing of appropriate third-party health apps for the heart-rate monitoring characteristic. Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNETApple ups its noise-canceling recreation The two greatest enhancements individuals have been hoping for within the AirPods Pro 3 have been sound high quality and noise-canceling efficiency, with voice-calling efficiency coming in an in depth third.I examined their noise-cancellation capabilities on a aircraft in opposition to the AirPods Pro 2 and will positively inform a distinction, with the Pro 3s tamping down the cabin noise to a faint hum. The AirPods Pro 2 did a great job, however the Pro 3s took the noise stage down even additional. I can not say the Pro 3’s noise canceling is strictly twice pretty much as good because the Pro 2’s, which Apple claims, nevertheless it’s positively higher.When I acquired again to New York City, I put them up in opposition to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), which lots of people contemplate to have the perfect noise-canceling capabilities in terms of earbuds — or headphones for that matter. (Although Sony’s WH-1000XM6 headphones additionally supply excellent noise cancellation — I named them the “new noise-canceling king” in my assessment). The AirPodsPro 3 (proper) look just like the AirPods Pro 2 (left) on the floor, however have a barely totally different form and new eartips, together with a heart-rate sensor in every bud. David Carnoy/CNETWhat I can say is that Apple’s noise canceling now matches Bose and Sony, although it is arduous to call a transparent winner with no expensive testing rig to offer scientific outcomes. Apple says the AirPods Pro 3 supply the “world’s best in-ear active noise cancellation,” nevertheless it’s unclear whether or not it examined the AirPods Pro 3 in opposition to the 2nd Gen Bose QC Ultra Earbuds, which have been launched on June 28 internationally and on Sept. 10 within the US. In the superb print, Apple says that testing was carried out in July 2025 and comparisons have been “made against the best-selling wireless in-ear headphones commercially available at the time of testing.”I swapped Bose’s QC Ultra Earbuds 2s forwards and backwards with the AirPods Pro 3 whereas driving the subway and strolling the streets. Both have really spectacular noise-canceling capabilities. Compared to the AirPod Pro 2, the Pro 3s are designed to enhance noise cancellation throughout all frequencies, together with mids and highs that may be difficult to muffle. I may nonetheless hear individuals’s voices on the streets however they have been toned down considerably and, until they have been speaking loudly, I had a tough time understanding what they have been saying. On the subway, the buds blocked out about 80-85% of the noise round me.When I took the buds out of my ears or went into Transparency Mode, I used to be typically shocked by simply how a lot exterior noise there was.More refined sound with higher bassThe sound high quality beneficial properties is probably not fairly as massive because the noise-canceling beneficial properties, however the Pro 3’s sound is certainly improved over the Pro 2’s. The bass has extra definition and extension — it hits more durable and goes deeper — and the earbuds sound clearer, extra pure and open with extra sparkle within the treble. I additionally assume they play just a little louder.I ran by the standard tracks I take advantage of for testing headphones — it is an eclectic combine. They included Spoon’s Knock Knock Knock, Athletes of God’s Don’t Wanna Be Normal, Orbital’s Dirty Rat, Bjork’s Hollow, Drake’s Passionfruit, Pixies’ Vault of Heaven, Florence and the Machine’s Choreomania, varied Foo Fighters songs, plus David Byrne’s new album Who Is the Sky?Testing AirPods for sound high quality is a bit difficult since Apple’s spatial audio could make tracks sound totally different — generally higher, generally simply totally different. Most of my testing was executed on Apple Music (utilizing an iPhone 17 with near-final iOS 26), which has loads of tracks optimized for spatial audio. I additionally tried Spotify and streamed just a few motion pictures on the Apple TV app, for the reason that improved audio carries over there as effectively.Read extra: You can preoder the iPhone 17 right now — get it free with these carriers
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An in depth-up of the brand new ideas and heart-rate sensors. The pinch and swipe controls (for quantity) stay the identical. David Carnoy/CNETYou aren’t going to get fairly the identical stage of sound high quality that you just’d get from a great pair of wired studio headphones, however that further little bit of readability and definition places the AirPods Pro 3 in the identical league as a few of the best-sounding earbuds, together with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and Sony WF-1000XM5. I’d nonetheless give audiophile buds just like the Noble Fokus Amadeus and Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 the slight edge sound-wise, however these fashions are bigger, dearer and may’t match the noise-canceling and voice-calling performances of the AirPods Pro 3.Unlike most high-end earbuds and headphones, Apple would not allow you to alter the sound profile with EQ settings. Still, the AirPods ship all of the hallmarks of premium audio — or not less than premium Bluetooth audio. Apple has leveled up the listening expertise with purer, extra correct sound, tighter bass and a contact extra openness. In my AirPods Pro 2 assessment, I famous how spectacular the sound was for such small, light-weight buds — although it nonetheless fell a bit wanting the easiest earbuds on the market.Simply put: The AirPods Pro 3’s sound would not fall brief anymore. And whereas they arrive at a premium value, these small, light-weight earbuds ship remarkably good audio for his or her measurement.Voice-calling performanceAirPods have lengthy stood out for voice-calling efficiency in comparison with different true-wireless earbuds. Back when the originals launched, I bear in mind Android customers shopping for them only for calls — and each technology since has remained top-tier in that division.The factor that struck me in my assessments with the AirPods Pro 3 was simply how a lot background noise they eradicated. I made calls within the streets of New York City with loads ambient noise round me, together with site visitors and ambulance sirens, and callers informed me they could not hear any of it. In loud environments, my voice would generally warble or sound a bit digitized to callers, however after I shared a recording of what I used to be really listening to, they have been stunned — even surprised — by how a lot background noise was eliminated.
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The case is ever-so-slightly greater than the AriPods Pro 2 case. It contains USB-C and wi-fi charging. David Carnoy/CNETWhile the voice-calling efficiency of the AirPodsPro 3 appears barely higher, I’ll must run extra comparisons to actually decide how a lot of a distinction there actually is. With iOS26, the AirPods Pro 2 and different H2-chip fashions — together with each AirPods 4 variations — are getting an replace that provides studio-quality recording and guarantees higher voice-calling efficiency. As Apple says, “With the H2 chip, beamforming microphones, and computational audio, users will also enjoy more natural vocal texture and clarity across iPhone calls, FaceTime, and CallKit-enabled apps.”The AirPods Pro 3 do have upgraded microphones, in order that’s a plus in terms of noise discount and voice pickup. And that upgraded acoustic structure with extra air circulation ought to assist with listening to callers even higher. Live translationApple’s Live Translation is among the new options that is being highlighted with the AirPods Pro 3, nevertheless it’s additionally coming to different AirPods with the H2 chip, together with the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 fashions, although not the H2-equipped Powerbeats Pro 2 (sorry, Beats homeowners).At Apple Park, I acquired a demo of the dwell translation characteristic as a Spanish-speaking presenter spoke to a small group of us for a couple of minutes. What she mentioned was translated on the fly into English as I listened on the AirPods Pro 3, which have been linked to an iPhone 17 Pro. The translation was executed domestically on the iPhone 17 Pro (no web required), and the delay between what the speaker mentioned in Spanish and what I heard in English was temporary — solely a second or so — and the interpretation sounded fairly pure. Live translation at present has a restricted variety of languages. David Carnoy/CNETAt dwelling, I examined the characteristic with Spanish-language YouTube movies and TV (you first must obtain the language you need). It labored effectively for essentially the most half, and also you additionally get a textual content readout of the interpretation as you hear it in your ears. The solely actual limitation is that it at present helps simply 5 languages: English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish.You can program the motion button on the iPhone to rapidly launch the Live Translation app or maintain each stems of the AirPods to launch it. With the interpretation executed domestically in your telephone, you do not want cell protection to make use of the characteristic, so you possibly can benefit from it in distant locations, too.For dwell conversations in several languages to work, everybody concerned must be sporting AirPods with an H2 chip. Also notice: Live translation solely works on iPhones that help Apple Intelligence — that features the iPhone 15 Pro, in addition to all iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 fashions.While firms like Samsung, Google and even some price range Amazon earbuds additionally supply dwell translation (with Samsung and Google supporting much more languages), Apple’s model is notably easy to make use of and entry. We’ll must see the way it evolves over time.Transparency and Hearing Aid modesOne space I anticipated Apple to enhance with the AirPods Pro 3 is Hearing Aid mode. I nonetheless want to check it extra totally, however the already best-in-class Transparency Mode now sounds much more pure, possible because of upgraded microphones, and contains an automated Conversation Boost “for clearer speech in noisy environments.”If you are not acquainted, transparency modes allow you to hear the skin world whereas nonetheless sporting the buds, although they’re blocking your ear canals. Hearing Aid mode builds on that through the use of transparency to amplify the sounds round you.Better battery life by chemistryAs famous, battery life has improved in each noise-canceling and transparency modes: as much as 8 hours on a single cost with noise canceling on (7.5 hours with spatial audio and head monitoring), and as much as 10 hours with transparency and Hearing Aid mode. That quantity drops to 6.5 hours when heart-rate monitoring is engaged. It’s additionally price noting that Apple lists whole battery life with the charging case as 24 hours, versus 30 hours for the AirPods Pro 2. Some individuals, together with me, are a bit perplexed as to why the general battery life time is decrease, notably when the charging case is barely greater (my protecting OtterBox Core Series case for the AirPods Pro 2 did not fairly match on the AirPods Pro 3’s case). What’s fascinating is that the battery within the buds is seemingly the identical measurement (with the identical capability) because the battery within the AirPods Pro 2; it is the battery chemistry that is modified. That change is essentially what’s behind the battery life enhancements, together with some vitality effectivity gained by new software program written for the AirPods Pro 3. You get an extra three prices within the charging case, which is lower than the AirPods Pro 2’s 4 prices.While sure AirPods Pro 3 options and enhancements are being made out there to the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 by firmware updates, the AirPods Pro 3 have software program written solely for the earbuds’ {hardware} upgrades and new acoustic structure. That sadly means the AirPods 2’s battery life, sound high quality and noise-canceling capabilities will not be getting any higher. Upgraded U2 chip in charging case for Find MyWhile Apple did not add a brand new H3 chip to the buds, it did add a brand new U2 chip to the charging case. It says the brand new chip will increase the vary for Precision Finding within the Find My app by 1.5x (MacRumors reviews that it presents 3x the vary, however Apple says it is 1.5x on its web site). Whatever the precise quantity, it means you can use Precision Finding to hone in in your case’s location — nearly like a steel detector — even from farther away. Note that whereas the buds and case can each be tracked in Find My, solely the case helps Precision Finding, so you may wish to lose them collectively if you happen to hope to trace them this fashion.
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Ah, that is the place I left the AirPods Pro 3. David Carnoy/CNETI examined out the characteristic and the vary is prolonged and it additionally appeared zippier and extra dependable. Like the U1, the U2 makes use of ultra-wideband know-how, delivering improved spatial consciousness and site accuracy to Bluetooth. There’s been some hypothesis about whether or not Apple may use the know-how to ship different options to the AirPods Pro 3, together with lossless audio (through the charging case). But for now it is solely getting used to reinforce the power to seek out the Pro 3’s charging case must you lose it. While the U2 chip first appeared within the iPhone 15, you may want an iPhone 17 mannequin to get the higher vary for Precision Finding with the AirPods Pro 3 (I examined it with an iPhone 17). I’m nonetheless confirming this and can replace this part as I get extra data and do additional testing.Additional optionsThe AirPods Pro 3 have all the identical options because the AirPods Pro 2, together with Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio, Hearing Protection head gestures to work together with Siri or handle calls and loads of others. I will not rehash each characteristic from the Pro 2, however here is a rundown of the brand new additions coming to each fashions with iOS 26. I’ll be testing them additional within the days forward.Studio-quality audio recording: Apple says that “interviewers, podcasters, singers and other creators can record their content with greater sound quality, and even record while on the go or in noisy environments, with Voice Isolation.”Upgraded voice-calling efficiency: “Users will enjoy more natural vocal texture and clarity across iPhone calls, FaceTime and CallKit-enabled apps,” it says.The new Camera Remote characteristic lets you “start or stop video recordings from a distance with a simple press of the AirPods stem.”AirPods fashions with the H2 chip will even have the ability to detect whenever you go to sleep and routinely pause what you are listening to.AirPods Pro 3 remaining ideas (for now)While I did not get a brand new H3 chip and I hoped that the charging case would have the ability to convert right into a Bluetooth transceiver to make use of the buds on a aircraft with an inflight leisure system, I did get most of what I used to be searching for within the AirPods Pro 3. The modifications could appear incremental to some of us, however all the important thing components similar to match, sound high quality and noise cancellation have been noticeably leveled up together with single-charge battery. Not everyone will care that a lot about heart-rate monitoring, however for some, it will be a welcome add.Several new options similar to Live Translation might be out there for the AirPods Pro 2, so many AirPods Pro 2 homeowners will not really feel the necessity to improve straight away. But if you happen to’ve been utilizing AirPods Pro 2 for some time, it is likely to be price passing them on to a good friend or relative and upgrading to the Pro 3s. They’re about as shut as earbuds get to being full: wonderful noise cancellation, sturdy voice-calling efficiency and sound high quality that rivals the easiest. Few buds excel in all three areas — and the Pro 3s handle it whereas packing in loads of further options.