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The AirPods Pro 3 are here, offering improved noise cancellation, sound quality, and the new Live Translation feature. However, the question that still remains is whether the improvements are enough to justify an upgrade from the AirPods Pro 2 or the original AirPods Pro?
In this comparison, we’ll break down the differences, including those related to design, sound, features, and battery life, to help you decide whether Apple’s latest earbuds are worth considering or if the AirPods Pro 2 offer better value for your money.
AirPods Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 1: Key Differences
Design & Fit
| AirPods Pro 3 | AirPods Pro 2 | AirPods Pro | ||
| Dimensions | Earbuds | 30.9 x 19.2 x 27.0 mm | 30.9 x 21.8 x 24.0 mm | 30.9 x 21.8 x 24.0 mm |
| Charging Case | 47.2 x 62.2 x 21.8 mm | 45.2 x 60.6 x 21.7 mm | 45.2 x 60.6 x 21.7 mm | |
| Weight | Earbuds | 5.55 grams | 5.3 grams | 5.4 grams |
| Charging Case | 43.99 grams | 50.8 grams | 45.6 grams |
While the AirPods Pro 3 look familiar, they are slightly different, especially in terms of fit and in-ear feel. For years, Apple has been working to make the earbuds’ fit more secure, and the new earbuds are a testament to that.
According to the early reviews, the design, and specifically, the earbuds’ shape and bud angle, has been changed. It makes the ear tips point directly at the ear canal (they also sit deeper in the ear), whereas the Pro 2 ear tips are slightly more upright. As a result, the new earbuds offer a more stable fit, particularly during workouts and other intense physical activities. However, it could also take some getting used to.
This year, Apple has replaced the silicon ear tips with foam-filled ear tips, which result in better isolation (and passive noise cancellation). Speaking of ear tips, the AirPods Pro 3 come with five different size options in the box, which include a new XXS option. If you usually wear medium or large earbuds, consider going down a size to achieve the best fit.
The earbuds themselves are narrower than before, but you might not see the difference unless you hold them next to the Pro 2 or the Pro 2. And yes, the earbuds and the charging case are now IP57 rated, a welcome addition for buyers who use the AirPods for workouts or outdoor activities.
The charging case features the same lanyard loop and the connection status LED (which is flush with the exterior shell), but, like the AirPods 4, there’s no physical pairing button. To put the earbuds into pairing mode, open the lid and tap the front twice. Lastly, the case retains the Find My speaker, the USB-C port, and the MagSafe charging system.
In terms of design, I see very few reasons to upgrade from the AirPods Pro 2 or the original AirPods Pro. I’ve been using the AirPods Pro 2 for about two years, and I have faced no issues with the fit, despite performing HIIT workouts while wearing the earbuds. However, if your existing Pro earbuds don’t fit well, the Pro 3 could help alleviate that issue.
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Audio Hardware & Sound
The AirPods Pro 3 come with a new multiport acoustic architecture that controls the airflow in the air, helping deliver an exceptional spatial listening experience. That, along with minor changes in the 10.7 mm drivers (same as last generation) and the deeper seating of the earbuds, are the only differences when compared to the AirPods Pro 2.
While the AirPods Pro 3 use the same H2 chip as its predecessor, Apple promises that the “new architecture transforms the bass response, widens the soundstage,” and “brings vivid vocal clarity to higher frequencies across music, shows, and calls.” The codec support, however, remains similar: AAC and lossless audio (only when paired with the Apple Vision Pro).
Early reviews suggest that the AirPods Pro 3 deliver better sound in nearly every aspect, including the bass/low-end, mids and vocals, highs/treble, soundstage, and surround-sound experience (what Apple calls Spatial Audio). They also claim to reduce distortion with improved driver tuning. However, these differences should be more noticeable for an original AirPods Pro user than an AirPods Pro 2 user.
Features such as Personalized Spatial Audio, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Adaptive EQ are standard to both the Pro 2 and the Pro 3. The original AirPods Pro lack the adaptive features launched after 2022.
Active Noise Cancellation & Transparency Mode
Apple claims that the active noise cancellation (which benefits from the better seal provided by the foam tips) on the AirPods Pro 3 is twice as powerful as that on the AirPods Pro 2 and four times more effective than the original AirPods Pro. But given that the underlying H2 processor remains the same, how does Apple achieve this feat?
The new AirPods Pro utilize ultra-low-noise microphones (with new positioning) that enhance the signal provided to the ANC algorithms (what Apple refers to as the updated computational audio). As a result, the AirPods Pro 3 should be better at detecting and eliminating more sounds.
Reviewers find the Pro 3 better at reducing low-frequency rumble in flights and mid-range noise in city streets or subways (which made its way through the AirPods Pro 2). However, it remains challenging to quantify the improvement and corroborate Apple’s claim of 2x better performance, especially for those who already own the Pro 2.
However, the ANC should feel dramatically better when compared to the original AirPods Pro. Moreover, it is the best in-ear seal due to the foam tips (on AirPods), the cleaner microphone signal, improved algorithms, and the tuning of the hardware, which enhance overall sound cancellation and provide buyers with an immersive experience, even in the busiest areas.
All these factors also contribute to better audio pass-through in Transparency Mode. Thanks to the improvements, the user’s own voice, along with the voices of people in the surroundings, sounds more natural. The voice pickup on the Pro 3 is more consistent, especially in the Adaptive Transparency mode. The Hearing Aid suite now includes automatic Conversation Boost.
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AirPods Pro 3 Offer Heart Rate Sensing
When Apple released the Powerbeats Pro 2 with in-built heart rate sensors, it was speculated that the feature would arrive on Apple’s AirPods Pro, and here we are.
The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple’s first earbuds that feature heart rate sensors (with support for 50 different workouts). They’re a slightly smaller version of the ones used on the Powerbeats Pro 2. To check your heart rate, open the Apple Fitness app and launch a workout, such as cycling or running. In contrast, Apple Watch lets you check the metric on demand, without having to initiate a workout.
For users who already own an Apple Watch and plan to get the AirPods Pro 3, the heart rate will be measured using both devices, providing a more accurate reading to the end user. However, if someone doesn’t wear the Apple Watch, the fitness app will default to the data shared by the AirPods Pro.
This is perhaps the only feature that sets the AirPods Pro 3 apart from the Pro 2. However, using the heart rate sensor on the earbuds causes a significant drop in battery life, which we will discuss in the next section.
Apple Intelligence & Other Features
On the AirPods Pro 3, Live Translation enables person-to-person communication across a limited number of languages at launch (English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish). The feature listens to what the other person is saying in their language (should be supported by Apple Intelligence), converts it into what the user understands (the selected language), and then speaks out the translated version into their ear.
If two people have the AirPods Pro 3, they can use them to communicate hands-free (in real-time). However, if one of the users has the AirPods, they can use their iPhone 17’s screen for live transcription, so that the other person can also understand what they’re saying. You can also use the feature to watch YouTube videos or OTT content that’s in another language.
What’s good is that the translation takes place entirely on the device, but you’d have to download the language pack before you can start using the feature. With “AirPods Pro 3 and iPhone, users will also have access to Workout Buddy, a first-of-its-kind fitness experience powered by Apple Intelligence that incorporates a user’s workout data and their fitness history to generate personalized, motivational insights during their session.”
However, I couldn’t find any references to the feature in the early reviews, indicating that it might be available via a future update.
With the iOS 26 stable update, Apple has released several new features for the AirPods Pro 3 and the AirPods Pro 2, including automatic pausing when you fall asleep, charging reminders via notifications, automatic switching for CarPlay, “studio-quality audio recording,” Camera Remote, and enhanced voice quality on calls (with better background suppression).
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Battery Life & Charging
The AirPods Pro 3 also offer a significant improvement in terms of battery life, offering nearly twice the usage time of the original AirPods Pro and around 40% improvement over the AirPods Pro 2. Let me explain.
The AirPods Pro 3 claim to last up to eight hours on a single charge (with ANC), which is two hours more than the AirPods Pro 2, and 3.5 hours more than the original AirPods Pro. With heart rate sensing enabled, the earbuds offer up to 6.5 hours of use.
If you enable Spatial Audio and Head Tracking features, the Pro 3 will last up to 7.5 hours, which is two hours more than what the Pro 2 is rated to last. With Transparency and Hearing Air enabled, the Pro 3 offers up to 10 hours of usage time, which is around three to four hours more than the Pro 2.
The MagSafe charging case, however, tops up the Pro 3 up to 24 hours (with ANC), which is less than what the Pro 2’s charging case offered (up to 30 hours). It looks like Apple has increased the battery capacity of the earbuds, but the charging case, from which it draws its power, retains the same capacity as its predecessor.
Both the Pro 3 and Pro 2 offer up to one hour of listening time with a five-minute charge, so there are no noticeable improvements in the charging speed.
Connectivity
As mentioned earlier, both the earbuds feature Apple’s H2 chipset. Apple hasn’t improved its Bluetooth v5.3 support either. What’s new, however, is the presence of the U2 (ultra-wideband) chip in the MagSafe charging case on the Pro 2, which, according to Apple, allows you to use the Precision Finding feature from a greater distance (up to 1.5 times).
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AirPods Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 1: Price & Conclusion
The AirPods Pro 3 costs Rs. 25,900 in India, placing it in the premium TWS tier alongside a few competitors. Overall, it is the best wireless earbuds Apple makes, offering great sound quality, excellent noise cancellation, and improved battery life; these features make it a no-brainer for iPhone users.
AirPods Pro 3 Worth Your Money?
If you own the original AirPods Pro and are looking for a new pair of TWS earbuds with a good budget, I’d definitely recommend going with the AirPods Pro 3. You’ll notice an improvement in every single aspect, whether it is sound quality or battery life.
Should You Upgrade From AirPods Pro 2 to AirPods Pro 3?
However, it’s a bit harder to recommend the AirPods Pro 3 as an upgrade over the AirPods Pro 2, especially for those who’ve purchased the earbuds recently (in the last year or two). Apple’s latest operating system updates bring several new features to the Pro 2. Furthermore, it still offers decent battery life and noise cancellation.
Unless you’re an enthusiast, I don’t recommend upgrading from the AirPods Pro 2 to the AirPods Pro 3.
AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Which Is More Value For Money?
The AirPods Pro 2, now three years old, are often available at a significant discount. If you check SmartPrix’s price tracker for the product, you’ll notice that the devices are often available for as low as Rs. 17,990 (excluding bank offers). So, if you find the earbuds for around the same price, or perhaps lower, they’ll offer the most value for your money.
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