I have been driving the AirPods Pro 2 daily since its launch in 2023 (and the lights ports before that, and the original AirPods before that), so it was quite excited by the third generation of the true flagship headphones of Apple to debut.
Apple has just made the Airpods Pro 3 official along with a large number of other devices, including iPhone air, and these headphones have a high bar to follow. Not only from Airpods Pro 2, but also a sea of increasing competitors, but only looks at our best headphone list.
Shortly after the event, I was able to try the Airpods Pro 3: Try the new adjustment, turn a track and test the improved active noise cancellation. Apple’s H2 chip still feeds the experience, but with fresh algorithms and software settings, the processing power is now being promoted even more.
I could also try two exciting additions, which are completely new: the functionality of monitoring the heart rate and a rapid preview of the live translation. But let’s start with the first great improvement here: adjustment.
It is clear that Apple took a page of the AirPods 4 design with Airpods Pro 3. The Airpods Pro themselves are slightly smaller, but more critically, the Eartip is now more angle so that it can rest more comfortably and directly in its ear. There is also a new Eartip that combines foam and silicone for a comfortable, stable and sealing adjustment.
And if you have ever wanted smaller or larger abders, the Airpods Pro 3 comes with medium-sized tips, but you also obtain small, extra small, large and extra large extra-strat as. I still felt quite comfortable with the medium, but these extend a little more from the ear and sat a bit different. They did not fall with some shaking tests or even with a walk to try the monitoring of the heart rate.
You will also find a variety of sensors, including a redesigned superior ventilation that is double large, and this works along with a better use of the interior space for air flow and the like. There is that new cardiac rate sensor, which is different from that of the Powerbeats Pro 2, and will also get the Stem controller, which I am fueled is still here.
Now, I could not prove the battery life, but this is what Apple promises: 8 hours with cancellation of active noise, which is an improvement in two hours and 10 hours for the mode of transparency. The box is also slightly larger with a new ultra wide band chip inside, but it is mainly to accommodate the design a little higher here.
One last note: Airpods Pro still comes in one color. Although you can bet that I am still looking forward to colors. Imagine these in cosmic orange or sky blue.
Under the hood, Apple’s H2 chip returns with fresh algorithms, improvements in adaptive equalizer and better sound everywhere. Playing Born to run By Bruce Springsteen delivered a blunt and precise version of the wall of the sound effect, with the opening of drums, keys and piano that lead to voices and the moving saxophone.
Change to Alaska By Maggie Rogers highlighted the separation of the channel and space audio. In general, I was impressed by the Bass of Airpods Pro 3, as well as with the means and maximums.
The cancellation of active noise also impresses. In the demonstration area, he effectively cushions the environmental noise even without playing music, and with about 55% volume, the background sounds fell to the point of being barely notable. I will want to see how it remains on a plane, train and everyday environments, but so far it feels strong. The mode of transparency also sounded natural, leaving in the voices and environmental sounds without the hard buzz or digital artifacts that can stumble with other headphones.
The live translation is another prominent feature. While it is not an industry first, Apple’s implementation adds Polish. With the activated mode, the noise cancellation is turned on, the beam formation microphones detect the speaker’s voice and, if it is in a compatible language, will listen to the translation. The processing occurs locally on its iPhone and Airpods, since language models are discharged in advance. In my demonstration, reproduction was not instantaneous, but it sounded natural and conversational, and the transcription appeared on the iPhone screen. The speed will vary according to the language, but the experience felt fluid even with the brief pause before the translated audio.
Apple has also incorporated heart rate monitoring with a new infrared sensor. It is even smaller than the sensor made to Apple in the Powerbeats Pro 2 and avoids the use of green light, instead of combining with a personalized algorithm and software for accuracy.
If you use an Apple Watch and Airpods Pro 3 during training, Apple automatically chooses the transmission you consider more reliable. In my test test using the iPhone training application, the AirPods tracked the heart rate well, and felt a really useful health feature. Both headphones and the case now have IP57 classification, adding additional durability.
The broader conclusion is that Airpods Pro 3 does not take away anything to the previous generations, but add significant updates: better ANC, refined sound, cardiac rate monitoring, live translation and better durability, while having the same price of $ 249.99 in the United States from this first ear, they feel like a clear step forward.
And if you are mainly excited about the live translation, that feature will also reach Airpods Pro 2 and Airpods 4 with ANC.
