AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: There’s more to the upgrade than you might expect

Source: 9to5Mac

When AirPods Pro 3 initially debuted, I was a little hesitant about upgrading. I felt that AirPods Pro 2 were still excellent, and one of the key features of the new model—Live Translation—was also coming to the Pro 2. After plenty of usage, I can say they’re worth an upgrade for many people.

Fit makes all the difference

It all comes down to fit. The AirPods Pro 3 feel a lot nicer in my ears. They’re lighter in the sense that I don’t really think about wearing them. The new shape and foam‑infused ear tips make them easier to wear for longer periods.

Apple says these are the “most secure and best‑fitting AirPods ever,” based on 100,000 hours of user research and 300 million ear‑fit datapoints. That certainly feels accurate.

Clearer transparency mode

In my experience, the AirPods Pro 3 offer a clearer transparency mode than the Pro 2. The better seal from the foam‑infused tips likely helps. This is a big deal for me—I’m now comfortable talking while wearing them because I can hear everything more clearly.

Same great sound quality

If you like how the AirPods Pro 2 sound, you’ll likely feel the same about the Pro 3. The two pairs are roughly on par with each other, so there’s no major audio improvement, but the sound quality remains excellent.

Less overall battery life

The case has less battery capacity. Apple advertises up to 10 hours of listening time in transparency mode (up from 6 hours on the Pro 2), but the combined case‑plus‑earbuds runtime drops to 24 hours versus 30 hours on the Pro 2. In practice, the iOS low‑battery notification appears more often with the Pro 3, so you’ll need to be more mindful of charging.

Wrap up

Overall, the AirPods Pro 3 are a great product. If you have an older pair of AirPods, consider upgrading—provided you have the budget for it. Apple Stores offer demos, which are worth trying.

A minor note: the Pro 3 case is slightly larger than the Pro 2’s, and the earbuds feel lighter. This doesn’t make a huge difference but is interesting to notice.

If you’d like to pick up a pair, they’re currently on sale for $209 on Amazon.