
In late 2021, Apple announced a major update for its standard AirPods, with the new earbuds featuring spatial audio, Adaptive EQ, force sensor controls, sweat and water resistance, MagSafe charging, and more.

Should you consider purchasing the $179 third-generation AirPods, or do you need the higher-end AirPods Pro, which sell for $249? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these sets of AirPods is best for you.
Comparing the AirPods and AirPods Pro
The AirPods and AirPods Pro share a large number of important features such as spatial audio, sweat and water resistance, and the H1 chip. Apple lists these identical features of the two devices:
Similarities
- Custom high-excursion Apple driver
- Custom high dynamic range amplifier
- Motion-detecting accelerometers
- Speech-detecting accelerometers
- Dual beamforming microphones
- Inward-facing microphones
- Force sensors
- Bluetooth 5.0
- H1 chip
- Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking
- Adaptive EQ
- Hey Siri
- Automatic device switching
- Live Listen audio
- Headphone levels
- IPX4 sweat and water resistance
- MagSafe Charging Case
- Five minutes in the case provides around one hour of listening time or around 1 hour of talk time
- Personalized engraving option
Apple's breakdown shows that the two sets of AirPods a share large number of key features. Even so, there are some meaningful differences between them that are worth highlighting, including design and Active Noise Cancellation.
Differences
AirPods
- Semi in-ear design
- Skin-detect sensor
- IPX4 sweat and water resistance earbuds and charging case
- Up to six hours of listening time with a single charge (up to five hours with spatial audio enabled)
- Up to four hours of talk time with a single charge
- Up to 30 hours of listening time using the charging case
- Up to 20 hours of talk time using the charging case
AirPods Pro
- In-ear design with silicone ear tips (three sizes)
- Vent system for pressure equalization
- Dual optical sensors
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Transparency mode
- Conversation Boost
- IPX4 sweat and water resistance earbuds
- Up to 4.5 hours of listening time with a single charge (up to five hours with Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency off)
- Up to 3.5 hours of talk time with a single charge
- More than 24 hours of listening time using the charging case
- More than 18 hours of talk time using the charging case
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Article Link: AirPods 3 vs. AirPods Pro 1 Buyer's Guide
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