Review: Two Months With the AirPods Pro 3

[MacRumors]

It's been almost two months since Apple released the AirPods Pro 3, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using them since they came out. He has some new thoughts to share on longer-term AirPods Pro 3 use, so check out our video if you're thinking of picking up a pair for the holidays.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

There have been recent reports from some people who are experiencing an ongoing static issue with the AirPods Pro 3, so that's something to be aware of. Apple does seem to be replacing affected units for customers who are bothered by the noise, which appears to be audible when ANC is active but no sound is playing.

Other users have been hearing a high-pitched whine when on airplanes, which could be related to pressure. Not all AirPods Pro 3 units are experiencing the issue, but it sounds like Apple is looking into it.

The AirPods Pro 3 offer excellent sound quality and noise cancellation capabilities, and for some people, the fit is much better than the AirPods Pro 2. Battery life has held up well in our testing, and the heart rate sensor offers readings almost identical to the Apple Watch.

What do you think of the AirPods Pro 3 if you've been using them since launch? Let us know in the comments below.

Article Link: Review: Two Months With the AirPods Pro 3

 

[TSE]

I will never get airpods. I custom stapled my earpods into my ears so I can never take them off.

 

[Digitalguy]

The AirPods Pro 3 offer excellent sound quality and noise cancellation capabilities, and for some people, the fit is much better than the AirPods Pro 2.

I am certainly in the minority but fit is much worse for me and noise cancellation is therefore no better. I asked my girlfriend to test and same results. We tried all the sizes. Not much difference. Sure trying to force them inside the ears increases the noise reduction but makes them even more unconfortable.
Sound is indeed better, and range is too. No static noise either. But the pro 2 fit much better (perfectly actually) in our ears, are more comfortable and therefore provide better noise cancelling. Do other people have a similar experience or are we a rare exception?

 

[StoneJack]

I am keeping airpods pro 2 and recently bought beats studio pro. Great sound and anc with this combo

 

[Happy_John]

Are we really continuing the APP3 outrage-bait articles? I know it generated a lot of clicks last month, but isn’t APP3 a hate-fad that’s past its sell-by date? I thought we’d moved on to colourful logo hate?

 

[leadergo]

I am certainly in the minority but fit is much worse for me and noise cancellation is therefore no better. I asked my girlfriend to test and same results. We tried all the sizes. Not much difference. Sure trying to force them inside the ears increases the noise reduction but makes them even more unconfortable.
Sound is indeed better, and range is too. But the pro 2 fit much better (perfectly actually) in our ears, are more comfortable and therefore provide better noise cancelling. Do other people have a similar experience or are we a rare exception?

I tried them at an apple store and found them to feel uncomfortable compared to the APP2. Definitely something to do with the foam inside the silicone tips. I also tested one ear with APP2 and the other with APP3, and the additional noise cancelling was somewhat noticeable, but nowhere near what apple advertised in the keynote.

 

[SkyRom]

My two cents:
-have had no issues charging (my AirPods Pro 2 would sometimes fail to maintain "contact" with the charger, resulting in the left pod constantly being 0%-20% in the morning,) glad this seems 'fixed' it was super annoying.
-i like the new feature where, like the iPhone/MacBook Pro they offer the opportunity to max at 80% battery when you don't need full power
-noise canceling has improved since latest firmware updates
-overall Build and Sound Quality feel WORSE than AirPods Pro 2. i would describe the sound and quality as "thinner" than before. not tinny and cheap, and they may break in better, but just... 5% worse. there could be a slight placebo effect because they are new and feel lighter or more "slick" than the old ones. but i think i'm right.
-i have never successfully drained them to 0%, so battery life seems incredible.
-charging case is exactly the same size as Gen 2 which was disappointing but neither good nor bad
-device switching feels faster and less glitchy with the updated Bluetooth which is great
-head tracking is good, but sometimes over-dramatic and results in poor performance from one AirPod

I still own AirPods Pro 2, and the new Powerbeats Pro 2, but haven't had to go back to them, I think my sister actually swiped them lol. AirPods Pro 3 are still my go-to due to the form factor over the Powerbeats.

tl;dr: 9.3/10. With this long to prepare, I would have liked to see a 10/10 with flawless sound, all issues fixed, better noise canceling, and a smaller case, but, they are still the 'buds to beat.

[edit] one complaint: Apple literally redesigned the shape of the ear snaps so you can't use the AirPod Pro 2 shapes interchangeably. pure money grab, goes against all their environmental claims, and felt ridiculous and unnecessary on its face to milk $10 for replacements later to me, especially since i preferred the AirPod Pro 2 earbud material/shapes. not enough for me to dock the score, and i don't regret buying these at all, but, scummy in this economy.

 

[AppleMythos]

i had audio related issues with both of my units. seems to only emit an unpleasant high pitched noise when anc is active and the right earbud is jostled in my ear. hope it gets fixed, otherwise theyre great

 

[StevesBobs]

I am certainly in the minority but fit is much worse for me and noise cancellation is therefore no better. I asked my girlfriend to test and same results. We tried all the sizes. Not much difference. Sure trying to force them inside the ears increases the noise reduction but makes them even more unconfortable.
Sound is indeed better, and range is too. But the pro 2 fit much better (perfectly actually) in our ears, are more comfortable and therefore provide better noise cancelling. Do other people have a similar experience or are we a rare exception?

My issue as well, they simply hurt my ears after 15-30 minutes of use. No issue with the pro 2, I can wear them for hours. I just worry what's to come down the line, are pro 2's the last airpods I can comfortably use?

 

[Digitalguy]

I tried them at an apple store and found them to feel uncomfortable compared to the APP2. Definitely something to do with the foam inside the silicone tips. I also tested one ear with APP2 and the other with APP3, and the additional noise cancelling was somewhat noticeable, but nowhere near what apple advertised in the keynote.

For me they are not only less comfortable, but don't stay in my ears unless I "screw" them in, same for my gf. The APP2 fit great and the APP1 too.

 

[Digitalguy]

My issue as well, they simply hurt my ears after 15-30 minutes of use. No issue with the pro 2, I can wear them for hours. I just worry what's to come down the line, are pro 2's the last airpods I can comfortably use?

That's my worry too... APP2 and APP1 fit perfectly. And APP3 seem to fit most people better, so I don't see Apple going back.
As I replied above to a comment, for me they are not only less comfortable, but don't stay in my ears unless I "screw" them in, which makes them even less comfortable.
I was considering selling them, but in the end I am keeping them for my Windows desktop because of the great range (better than pro 2). And will use it with Apple on trips when I need more range. But otherwise the pro 2 will continue to be my main airpods.

 

[rolan2q]

Man, I was so excited for this product. Hugely disappointed. The fit was substantially more uncomfortable than AirPods Pro 2. I was shocked at the pain I felt after around ~30 minutes. I tried the M and S and same thing and with the S I could swear the ANC was worse than the M but still uncomfortable after ~30 minutes. I experienced the high-pitched whine on a flight from NYC to Chicago and it would not go away even after I landed and was far from the airplane/airport. It was there even after resetting multiple times. I had to exchange it at Chicago Michigan Ave store and they made me pay more because of a tax difference. I absolutely loved the ANC and improved sound quality over AirPods Pro 2 but couldn’t comfortably wear than after 30 minutes 🥲 I really wish Apple would address the comfort issue and the whine noise and I would buy in a heartbeat.

 

[Oli20]

I’ll join others by saying these just don’t fit well. They were a day one purchase for me as I was looking forward to the heart rate monitoring during workouts as the watch isn’t super reliable at times. However, they do not fit nearly as well as the Pro 2’s. Interestingly they fit worse in my left ear than my right, but the previous ones I had no issues. I already handed down my 2’s to my daughter, tried trading her the 3’s for the 2’s back, she tried them and did not want to make the trade. ANC is better for sure, but I just don’t like their fit.

 

[rolan2q]

Strangely enough it was only on the right AirPod that I experienced the high-pitched whine.

 

[cjboffoli97]

I'm happy overall with the upgrade from the AP2 to AP3. I feel like the new ear tips are a much better fit for me. And the ANC is better. However, regarding the latter feature, I am having an issue that I haven't seen anyone complaining about. When I'm wearing the AP3 for noise cancellation only (no audio source) the noise cancellation seems to degrade over time. I first noticed this while working at my kitchen island on my MacBook. I could hear the compressor of the fridge running. But when I toggle to transparency and then back to noise canceling, the sound disappears and it goes back to being perfectly quiet. But within 10-16 minutes or so, I can hear the compressor again. At first I thought this might be an issue of the Adaptive Audio settings. However, even with that slider all the way to the left this issue is still happening. And this is an issue with both pairs of AP# that I own. Really hoping that Apple can correct this via a firmware update as when ANC is working as it should, the noise cancellation is excellent.

 

[GioGiusi]

The first AirPods that actually fit, and stay in ears. Without a doubt the best I've ever used and it's not even close. Huge win for Apple here. Best new product of the year.

 

[stealthytolkien]

I always have issues with earbuds staying in (big ear canals) and the base AirPods fall out instantly. AirPods Pro 1 and 2 also fall out within minutes but Comply’s foam tips have solved that problem for me 100%.

Then came AirPods pro 3, and even with the foam infused silicone tips, they fall out instantly because a) the silicone is still slippery and b) the more protruding shape is odd and works against a good fit at least in my case. Comply has released AirPods Pro 3 foam tips recently so I just ordered a set (will get it in a few days), and I have high hopes that it fixes the fit issue. If it doesn’t then I’ll sell them.

Aside from that, they absolutely have a bit more seashell noise than the previous generations but it is only noticeable when it’s quiet around and there’s nothing playing in my ears. Not a huge deal. I haven’t heard any static / whistles yet but it’s generally normal to hear a faint static / whistle while putting the buds in or taking them out. If it’s too loud then something is not right.

The sound and noise cancellation are great, and noticeably more “spacious”. But honestly, I just purchased them on a whim and if I could do it all over again, I’d just stick to AirPods Pro 2 for now as they can be had at a very good price. Not a worthy upgrade in my opinion but the battery life is definitely better than the last two so if that matters to you the most then it’s a no brainer.

 

[jtdx99]

Still on the fence on getting one. I've only ever owned AirPods 2 (which fit great and still work but the battery is long overdue), and the AirPods Max, which are great but less portable. Just concerned about the fit.

 

[carswell]

I upgraded from AirPods Pro 1, bought the day they went on sale and not used for the last six months because of incessant crackling.

Very impressed with the AP3s. The sound is spacious, deep and natural, even for instrumental music (solo piano), voice and orchestral works, and the fit is comfortable -- the first time I wore them, I forgot I had them in my ears and thought I was listening to my Sonos speakers until I left the room and the sound followed me.

Am finding the new tips much better than the AP1s', which caused the skin in my ears to turn dry and flaky and which I soon replaced with third-party foam tips. So far zero issues with the new tips.

Calls sound great and callers say my voice comes through loud and clear, even in windy conditions.

As with the AP1s, I find the stem touch controls finicky and I constantly trigger them when inserting or adjusting the earpieces. Since I control volume and noise cancellation only using my phone, I wish there was a toggle that lets me disable the touch controls.

Aside from that, the only real complaint I have is that after the first day, when the feature worked fine, I've not been able to get my iPhone 16 Pro to display the case and earpiece charge levels when I open the case next to it, so I never know how charged they are.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

My issue as well, they simply hurt my ears after 15-30 minutes of use. No issue with the pro 2, I can wear them for hours. I just worry what's to come down the line, are pro 2's the last airpods I can comfortably use?

Anecdotally, I had a similar issue with APP 1 but somehow my ears adapted after a month or so and I’ve had no issues since with APP 1 and 2

 

[dorsal]

Case keeps chirping and the option to turn off case sounds is grayed out. Super annoying.

 

[usmaak]

I traded in my APP2 for the APP3 and I wish I’d at least hung on to them instead of trading them. They were still good after three years and I didn’t get much of a trade in for them.

I have love/hate with APP3. They only fit with the largest tips when the medium tips worked fine on APP2. There is also sometimes a high pitched screeching noise when I put them in that I never had with my APP2. I don’t know if I have the static noise because I have tinnitus and it blocks out sounds at that level.

I have until the 18th to return them to Best Buy. I might send them back and get a new set of APP2. I miss my APP2.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I maintain that Apple needs to offer both APP2 & APP3 styles/shapes/fits moving forward.

Ears are too different to just have one model here I think.

Also, I think if you have APP2 and you love them and they fit wonderfully, you should stay with those.

 

[kuito]

No problems with APP3. Fit better for me, sound great, connect as they should. I think they’re the best iteration so far.

 

[wallaby]

I wasn't sure about keeping the APP3 but I missed the return window. They really DO sound better, in my experience. At least for awhile—I've recently been having an issue where music will "fizzle out" and die, eventually going silent. The only solution has been to stick the Airpods back in their case for 10 seconds and take them back out. That's not acceptable for a product this new, and I'm looking into my options.