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Review: Two Months With the AirPods Pro 3

I just got back from a trip to Japan, 15 hours of flight time getting there and 9 hours coming back (quite a tail wind!). I brought my Sony WH-1000MX6's and my AirPods Pro 3.

My normal drill on this particular trip (4-6 x year) is to use my AirPods in the terminal and airport lounge, and then switch to my Sony's in the air- but this time, the Sony's only came out of the case once, for a few minutes- the APP3's were nearly on-par in NC and SQ with the Sony headset, but far more comfortable overall, as I could lay on my side in my Delta One suite- something that's hard to do with the Sonys.

The much longer battery life of the APP3 meant that I only had to drop it back into the case midway across the Pacific for a half hour or so, using the Sonys for that recharge, and then back to the APP3's.

I found I needed to go to a LARGER ear tip with the APP3 than I used in the previous two generations- that made a big difference. I have had zero issues with the APP3's, having worn them for ~120 hours total since I got them. The case does, however, need to be charged about 1/5th more than the previous generation- which isn't a surprise given the vastly better earbud battery endurance.
 
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Digitalguy said:
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?
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Digitalguy said:
In my case, the 2s were good, but anc was not as good as with the 3s. In same use at the gym, the 3s outperformed the 2s and the improvement is quite noticeable. I no longer hear thread mills or other constant noice.I figure the design difference and new shape does help me get a better fit and using the large tips is definitely an improvement in both sound experience and comfort over the 2s.
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I love the AirPods Pro 3 themselves, but my issue is with the case. The lid construction is not as robust as the AirPods Pro 1 and 2. There is play in the hinge and it slides forward and back diagonally rocking on the hinge when closed, and makes a slight creaky sound. Maybe I got a bad case, but as someone who has fidgeted with their AirPods Pro cases for years—flipping them open and shut and they still feel rock solid—this one feels shaky right out of the gate. They definitely made it cheaper.
 
For me Pro 3 better in sound, I wouldn’t say, that they are way better at noise cancelling, but slightly better than Pro 2. Heart rate sensor useless(turned that off immediately). Fit for me strange because Pro 2 was way smaller and stayed in my ears no matter what, but Pro 3 after few hours of listening start to come off, or just talk or eat and they starting to be very loose. Is it worth upgrade - yes, more comfortable - definitely not. I understand that they tried make Pro 3 compatible with more ears, but why they should stick out more than previous generations. Anyway waiting Airpods Max 2
 
Good video. Other than the audio quality improvements, the most important is the fit of the AirPods. For some it might not be fitting well and that will be the deal breaker and the reason for not upgrading.
 
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Has anyone tried the APP3’s with alternative tips and found the comfort issues remediated?

I still have Pro 1’s and replacing the tips with Comply’s made them more comfy, increased bass and better noise isolation. Not sure if one would see this from the Pro 3’s but just a thought.
 
Digitalguy said:
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?
Click to expand...

I have a feeling that this minority is not as minor as we think it is. My wife and me have the exact same problem. In my opinion, the main issue is that they made the main part of the earplugs way too bulgy. I know Apple notoriously makes things bigger every year, but if you happen to still have the AirPods Pro 2 I suggest trying them on for a minute. You'll be blown away how light and good they feel in comparison to the newer product.
 
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Just noticed the high pitched sound on airplanes today. Happy to see this on the front page as now I know I'm not the only one.
 
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Digitalguy said:
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?
Click to expand...
I agree regarding the fit.

I bought APpro3's and hated the fit. My wife tried them and was going to keep my new 3's and give me her 2's, but she didn't like the fit either. I returned my 3's and bought 2's from a 3rd party retailer that still had them. The. 2's are awesome with a better fit, lower profile when in the ear, and I personally find the sound the same in both.
 
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Digitalguy said:
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?
Click to expand...
Same for me. Poor fit and poor noise cancellation.
 
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borntrouble said:
I have a feeling that this minority is not as minor as we think it is. My wife and me have the exact same problem. In my opinion, the main issue is that they made the main part of the earplugs way too bulgy. I know Apple notoriously makes things bigger every year, but if you happen to still have the AirPods Pro 2 I suggest trying them on for a minute. You'll be blown away how light and good they feel in comparison to the newer product.
Click to expand...
Not only I still have the pro 2, but they will remain my main airpods, pro 3 will only be a backup
 
I bought them day 1 to replace my originals AirPods Pro. The first week, I hated them, the fit was bad, the ANC was worse and the sounds was weird, too, somehow. Since then I have experimented with different plug sizes, and I guess I got used to the new material and now I like them as much as my APP1. I couldn't say they're much better, though, with the exception of the battery of course!
 
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I think they’re great. A wider image and broader bass. The ANC is better and outside noise reduction when on calls is much better. All around solid improvement from the last gen.
 
I bought on release day and they’re essentially just like the previous ones. It’s fine. Siri sucks (too slow), the mikes don’t work properly in wind (when biking), the audio is good, the ANC is really noticeable and better than in the past but it’s not like you go deaf to the world. It’s all fine.

I know this doesn’t read as a riveting tech review where everything is drama but it’s all fine.
 
Interesting that apparently everyone of importance on the AirPods Pro team thought it was a good idea to change the earbud fit on the most popular and widely adopted AirPods.

And if they run smaller, as Dan and others have said, then someone like me, who could have used an extra large tip on previous APPs, is going to need to look elsewhere.
 
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I own two units, and both work flawlessly. I experienced the whistling issue once with each pair, but it resolved itself after returning them to the case for a full charge. Beyond those isolated incidents, these are hands-down the best generation of AirPods Pro yet.

The fit is absolutely perfect, I wear them all day without needing a single adjustment. The redesigned ear tips feel noticeably more durable, which is a welcome improvement. The noise cancellation is stellar and genuinely twice as effective as the second generation. Whether I’m listening to music or watching movies, the audio quality is outstanding. I exclusively use noise canceling mode and haven’t bothered with transparency mode.

The upgraded microphones are another standout feature. My calls are noticeably clearer, and I no longer experience the audio dropouts that plagued previous generations.

My only complaint is the case quality. It feels less substantial with thinner plastic, and Apple removed some of the internal magnets. The charging puck shifts out of alignment easily if you accidentally bump the case, which is mildly annoying.

That said, I’m thoroughly impressed overall. Battery life delivers nearly 8.5 hours on a single charge, which exceeds expectations. One very happy customer here!
 
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Ilmutis said:
For me Pro 3 better in sound, I wouldn’t say, that they are way better at noise cancelling, but slightly better than Pro 2. Heart rate sensor useless(turned that off immediately). Fit for me strange because Pro 2 was way smaller and stayed in my ears no matter what, but Pro 3 after few hours of listening start to come off, or just talk or eat and they starting to be very loose. Is it worth upgrade - yes, more comfortable - definitely not. I understand that they tried make Pro 3 compatible with more ears, but why they should stick out more than previous generations. Anyway waiting Airpods Max 2
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Well I didn’t expect them to make that high pitch whistle sound. I was on a bus, it was not that loud and suddenly that whistle sound came. Now my left ear hurts. I tried to put them back into charging case but nothing changed. Left one keep whistling. Maybe i should go back to pro 2
 
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