Review: Two Months With the AirPods Pro 3

[hugogogo2003]

Mine are great too. Zero issue, amazing battery life, no fit issue. I would have gone to the smallest tips for better comfort due to the memory foam giving a more dense feeling, but I ended up keeping the size up and gradually got used to the tighter feeling, as it def gives better ANC.

 

[Crisscrossapplesauce]

My 2 month review: if you want to experience tinnitus from it blasting your brain and ears - Aipod Pro 3’s are for you. The very first AirPods to guarantee frying your nervous system - by Apple. We’ve worked years to achieve this - pro 4 in 2027 will play white noise mode so you can’t hear ringing in your ears all day.

 

[blcamp]

I've been very happy with my AirPods Pro 2, and really don't see a lot of reasons to upgrade. I had the first-gen prior and only upgraded when the battery failed to hold a charge (after roughly 4 years of heavy use). I expect these to last maybe another 2-3 years and by then, perhaps the AirPods Pro 4 will be out.

 

[progx]

Do other people have a similar experience or are we a rare exception?

I wouldn’t say you’re unusual. Regular AirPods and EarPods don’t fit my ears, they slide off for me. There isn’t a “one size fits all” when it comes to ears, everyone is different.

Sadly, it sounds like you guys were amongst the ones where these might not be a good fit. Did you try the different sizes? Or call Apple to see if there are options for better fits?

 

[msackey]

I love the AirPods Pro 3. I currently use both the Pro 3 and Pro 2. I primarily use the Pro 3 when I'm running as the heart rate monitoring detection is much more reliable than with the Watch. I use the Pro 2 in bed. Both work fine.

 

[monkey6]

"When I'm wearing the AP3 for noise cancellation only (no audio source) the noise cancellation seems to degrade over time."

I have this exact same experience with my ANC Bose headphones. I'm probably pretty alone in this, but I'm only interested in airpods for the ANC, I don't listen to music through them. So if this happens, it is a major NO for me.

 

[Digitalguy]

I wouldn’t say you’re unusual. Regular AirPods and EarPods don’t fit my ears, they slide off for me. There isn’t a “one size fits all” when it comes to ears, everyone is different.

Sadly, it sounds like you guys were amongst the ones where these might not be a good fit. Did you try the different sizes? Or call Apple to see if there are options for better fits?

Yes I tried every size, as I mentioned in a comment above. Regular airpods fit weel and don't fall in my case. Although pro 2 stay even better. It's just the pro 3

 

[bookcase]

My APP2 have been acting up recently, so I was debating between the AP4 with ANC or the APP3. It'll come down to the prices this upcoming holiday season.

 

[anthony13]

I do have the feedback loop problem on planes. It's presented in a couple different ways, the first time it was a low end rumble, I started to worry there was something wrong so I took them out and it vanished. Put in my air pod pro 2's and no rumble. Put the three's back in and the rumble returned immediately.

That problem seems to have gone away, but now there is a higher pitched (mid range) wine.

 

[RoadCyclistID]

Was so excited to use these on my flight and of course, the high pitched whine was present the entire flight. Made the use of them unbearable and I had wished I had not left the 2 at home. Next flight I will bring both and if the HPW starts again, they are going back to Apple. Bummed for sure. Come on Apple get your stuff together please.

 

[Parowdy]

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.

Thanks for your in-depth and level headed comment.
When listening to classical music (first with the 3, then the 2), which do you prefer?

 

[Parowdy]

Was so excited to use these on my flight and of course, the high pitched whine was present the entire flight. Made the use of them unbearable and I had wished I had not left the 2 at home. Next flight I will bring both and if the HPW starts again, they are going back to Apple. Bummed for sure. Come on Apple get your stuff together please.

It’s like AirPods Pro 1 all over again for some folks.
Really expected more of Apples QC this time around but eyyyy, it’s never too late to get disappointed I guess…
Thinking of buying the 3‘s for my mom, but she has very good hearing when it comes to headphones, so I don’t know yet.

 

[SFjohn]

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.

Why not listen to music or white noise while you’re wearing them? They are primarily speakers after all. If you only want noise cancellation there are other (cheaper) products that do better… 🤷

 

[iAuthor]

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

It was only the left for me. I was on a 3 hour run, and it happened about two hours in. I didn’t even have the case with me. I had to have the left airpod replaced.

 

[SFjohn]

I’m a big fan of the new AirPods 3. The fit is so much better for me than the 2s, they just stay in my ears no matter what kind of workout I’m doing. The noise cancellation while listening to music is profound. I remember sitting next to an open window & watching a train go by ~15 Feet from me & hearing nothing but the music. If I hadn’t looked I’d never realized the train went by. Sound wise they are very similar to the 2s, I was hoping for better but honestly what can you do in such a tiny space? I’m keeping them for the incredible ANC, the fit where they never fall out & finally the water protection so sweat isn’t going to bork them… 👍🏻

 

[AppleMega]

AirPods Pro 1 were great
(yes I did have to get two pods replaced (for free) due to the rattle, but day by day, they were great)

AirPods Pro 2 were a fantastic improvement. The sound quality made me ignore my AirPods Max largely.

AirPods Pro 3 are almost as big a leap as 1 to 2 was. My AirPods Max are retired. Give the 3s fit and tips a couple of days to a couple of weeks to settle in.

 

[Krk]

I bought and returned the APP3, returned to my APP2. The APP3 fit was fine, the ANC is a bit better ... but Apple changed the sound curve. Vocals and 'treble' are hyped — too hyped for me, too separated instead of being part of the music. Crisp but not authentic sounding any more. Weird.

 

[slothinker]

Very pleased with APP3 ... while I do agree that the fit isn't quite as good as the APP2 I find that working with the new model is easier, the sound is excellent, the ability to handle walking through the house using bluetooth is seemingly improved. I think this is an important upgrade and I'm looking forward to APP4 as well.

 

[rldunn]

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?

This is exactly my experience. And I was really excited since the APP2's were so good.

 

[DrwMDvs]

Have had these since launch and still haven't found the best combo of ear tips... coming from APP1, the first gen seemed more forgiving.

 

[zhenya]

I’ve owned all 3 generations of APP’s. The 3’s definitely fit differently than the previous generations. They happen to stay put in my ears much more reliably, but are not quite as comfortable. Still I’m able to wear them all day.

Sound quality, noise canceling, and microphones are all nicely improved, as is battery life. The 2’s still sound great but to my ears, slightly less spacious and detailed as the 3’s. I have not had any issues with feedback or squealing fwiw.

 

[Phuz01]

I've owned the original AirPods and all three generations of APPs. Got the APP3 day one, because I had a transatlantic trip the following week.

• Fit: I often wear my APPs to fall asleep, and this is the first generation where the right AirPod hasn't consistently fallen out after I doze off. I wasn't sure if I liked the combination of foam and silicone at first, but I've since gotten used to it. The re-designed pod does not put pressure on my ear when I side sleep.
• Battery life: I was able to listen to music/video with noise cancellation, and the APPs lasted the duration of my 8-hour flight, running out of battery as we made our final approach.
• Noise cancellation: Best of any in-ear can I've ever had. It completely filters out my air conditioner and street noises, and I've been able to listen at a low volume on planes and on the subway.
• Sound quality: Both the high and low frequencies seem a bit more prominent, and the soundstage is so natural that I've often thought sounds were coming from within my apartment when using them to watch AppleTV.
• Live translation: Didn't use it as much as I thought I would, but in the few times that I did, it worked well and felt like a complete game-changer. It was distracting focusing on both the speaker and the voice coming in through the AirPods, and I'm not sure it always captured the nuance of the conversation, but it took two awkward moments where my college Spanish came up short and allowed us to communicate in almost real time. I could hear what the other person was saying, I used the Translate app to provide my response, and we both got our points across. Don't know what the experience would have been like had we both had AirPods, but I could tell that the people were impressed at the way this facilitated our conversations.

Thankfully, I have not encountered any static or seashell noises, and I do use noise cancellation at home or in transit just to provide an added layer of peace and quiet that city living rarely affords.

 

[Jeeve Stubbs]

Love them. Compared to APP2, better silent mode and battery charge lasts longer.

 

[ForestFox84]

The fit was terrible for me at first. I have used medium tips on APP2 for years without issue. I almost returned the APP3. Ended up going down 2 sizes and now they are much more comfortable. I was concerned that they would fall out being considerably smaller but that wasn't the case. The sizing of the tips between the generations is completely off.

 

[macplow]

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.

Airpods pro 3 hurt my ears. I sent them back. Apple is not making or selling the 2s anymore. There is still stock all around, but it will eventually run out. I ordered another pair as a backup.