AirPods 3 vs. AirPods Pro: Every major difference between Apple’s latest earbuds

After a lot hypothesis, Apple lastly debuted its third-generation AirPods  final week. The announcement got here in the course of the firm’s Unleashed event, the place it additionally revealed a redesigned MacBook Pro that is available in 14- and 16-inch sizes and boasts extra highly effective new chips. 

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Get to know Apple’s new AirPods

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True to the rumors, Apple’s new $179 (£169, AU$279) AirPods (purchase them right here — with free case engraving) have lots in frequent with the high-end AirPods Pro. The stems are shorter and the earpiece is formed extra just like the AirPods Professional’s, besides it retains the older mannequin’s open design slightly than changeable suggestions. (This is the $15 AirPods accessory we swear by.)

The AirPods 3 additionally include spatial audio help and water resistance not like the usual AirPods, which Apple will nonetheless promote on the lower cost of $129 (£119, AU$219). The brand new earbuds can be found for preorder instantly forward of their launch subsequent week.

The primary distinction between the brand new AirPods and the AirPods Professional continues to be lively noise cancellation, which continues to be unique to the $249 (£239, AU399) AirPods Professional. Thus far, the brand new earbuds appear to be a center floor between the essential AirPods and AirPods Professional, however we’ll know extra as soon as we have had the possibility to strive them. 

This is a breakdown of how the third-generation AirPods and the AirPods Professional evaluate. And this is what to learn about trading in your old AirPods, in case you are questioning.

Learn extra: Apple event recap: AirPods 3, new MacBook Pro, HomePod Mini and everything announced

Design: The AirPods 3 have an analogous form, however no silicone suggestions

If the brand new AirPods look acquainted, that is as a result of they borrow a whole lot of design cues from the AirPods Professional. Like their pricier sibling, the third-generation AirPods have an earpiece that is narrower than the usual AirPods. It isn’t fairly as slender because the AirPods Professional’s earpiece, however it’s actually not as spherical as the usual AirPods. The brand new AirPods are additionally water and sweat resistant just like the AirPods Professional, which may make them a extra interesting choice for individuals who continuously use them throughout train and outside actions. 

Just like the earpiece, the case for the brand new AirPods additionally seems to be like a cross between the case for the usual AirPods and the AirPods Professional. It is a lot shorter and wider than the entry-level AirPods case, however it’s not fairly as extensive because the holster for the AirPods Professional. You can even cost the third-generation AirPods case by way of wi-fi charging, together with Apple’s MagSafe charger, or by plugging it in. 

The third-generation AirPods’ stems are additionally shorter, one other attribute that resembles the AirPods Professional. These new stems even have the identical Drive Contact sensor because the AirPods Professional, which allows you to management audio playback and launch Siri.

The largest distinction between the 2 when it comes to design is that the brand new $179 AirPods do not have interchangeable silicone suggestions just like the AirPods Professional, which embrace three sizes to select from. The brand new AirPods are additionally lighter than the AirPods Professional at 0.15 ounces versus 0.19 ounces. 

The announcement traces up with rumors that surfaced forward of Apple’s occasion. Final yr, Bloomberg and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (by way of MacRumors) each reported that Apple’s entry-level AirPods will achieve a brand new look with shorter stems.

Audio: No lively noise cancellation, however different audio enhancements

You may nonetheless should splurge on Apple’s top-of-the-line earbuds to get lively noise cancellation and transparency mode. However the brand new AirPods are inheriting a few different audio options from the AirPods Professional: spatial audio and adaptive EQ.

Spatial audio is actually like a virtual surround sound, as my colleague David Carnoy describes it. The know-how usually makes audio really feel extra enveloping and mimics the expertise of being in a movie show. Apple launched the characteristic to the AirPods Professional in final yr’s iOS 14 replace and it is seemingly turning into a core a part of the AirPods expertise. Each the brand new $179 AirPods and the $549 over-ear AirPods Max have the characteristic. Adaptive EQ adjusts audio primarily based on the form of your ear and was beforehand unique to the AirPods Professional and AirPods Max. 

Learn extra: Instead of removing the iPhone 13 notch, Apple added one to the MacBook Pro

Efficiency and battery: The AirPods 3 have longer battery life however identical chip because the AirPods Professional

The brand new third-generation AirPods ought to have longer battery life than their predecessors. Apple says they may final for six hours on a single cost and as much as 5 hours with spatial audio enabled. You may additionally rise up to 4 hours of speak time and the charging case ought to present as much as 30 hours of listening time. 

The AirPods Professional, by comparability, ought to last as long as 4.5 hours on a single cost and 5 hours should you disable lively noise cancellation and transparency mode. They provide 3.5 hours of speak time and the case gives 24 hours of complete listening time, in response to Apple’s claims.

Each the third-generation AirPods and AirPods Professional characteristic Apple’s H1 chip, so they need to provide comparable efficiency relating to duties like summoning Siri and rapidly connecting to Apple gadgets. 

Total, the AirPods 3 appear to be they’re going to carry Apple’s earbuds in control in two areas that matter most: consolation and audio performance. That is particularly vital as the marketplace for true wi-fi earbuds has turn out to be extra aggressive with new choices from Samsung, Amazon, Google and lots of of Apple’s different rivals. 

Apple

The third-generation AirPods had been introduced at Apple’s “Unleashed” occasion on October 18. 

The AirPods Professional are Apple’s high-end true-wireless headphones, and its solely true-wireless mannequin to supply lively noise cancellation. They retail for $249 on the Apple Retailer, however they typically retail for between $179 and $200. 

Read our Apple AirPods Pro review.