AirPods Pro 3 vs. Pro 2: Three reasons to upgrade
AirPods Pro 3 add stronger noise cancellation, heart-rate tracking and longer earbud playback. Total battery life with the case is lower, however, falling from 30 to 24 hours, and the redesigned shape may not suit everyone.
Apple released AirPods Pro 3 last year as an update to the AirPods Pro 2. The main differences involve noise cancellation, heart-rate tracking and the battery life of the earbuds themselves.
Apple says active noise cancellation in the newer model is up to twice as effective, although that comparison is difficult to quantify. Real-world testing described the ANC improvement as substantial.
Heart-rate tracking and workouts
Each AirPods Pro 3 earbud includes a heart-rate sensor. It uses invisible infrared light pulsed 256 times per second, with workout data shown in the Fitness app on an iPhone.
Fitness supports more than 50 workout types, while a Live Activity helps users follow an active session. iOS 27 also brought GymKit to the iPhone, allowing AirPods Pro 3 and the phone to provide a watch-like workout experience without an Apple Watch.
With an Apple Watch, the earbuds can work alongside it. If the watch shifts into a poor position during weight training, AirPods Pro 3 can supplement the readings.
Earbud and case battery life
AirPods Pro 3 provide up to eight hours of music playback with ANC enabled, compared with six hours for AirPods Pro 2. Total battery life with the charging case is lower, however, dropping from 30 hours for Pro 2 to 24 hours for Pro 3.
The AirPods Pro 2 case provides 24 additional hours and the earbuds last six hours. For AirPods Pro 3, the case adds 16 hours while the earbuds last up to eight hours, so the case needs charging more often.
Redesigned fit
AirPods Pro 3 have a changed shape. Some users may find it more comfortable, while others have reported a worse fit, so trying the earbuds first or choosing a retailer with an easy return policy is advisable.
The source also says AirPods Pro 3 are discounted at Amazon, but it does not provide a specific price.
What we know
- AirPods Pro 3 include heart-rate sensors in both earbuds.
- Apple says the new model’s ANC is up to twice as effective.
- The earbuds last up to 8 hours with ANC, but total case-backed battery life is 24 hours versus 30 for Pro 2.
- iOS 27 added GymKit support for workouts with an iPhone and AirPods Pro 3.
- The redesigned shape may fit users differently.
Trust: Single source
- The story relies on one publisher. A second independent confirmation has not been established from the cited sources.
- Cited links: 1. Publisher groups: 1. Sources: 9to5Mac.
- Monitoring in the past hour: 37 of 37 RSS sources; available: 37, unavailable: 0. Matching covers published stories from the past 7 days. This does not cover the entire web.
- Additional citations require matching headlines, context, event timing and accessible article text. This automatically finds related coverage; it does not establish independence or the truth of every claim.
View sources1
COMMUNITY
Discussion
Sign in to join the discussion.
No comments yet. Start the discussion.