Skip to main content
Headphones

Apple AirPods 3 vs AirPods Pro: Which Apple buds are best?

Which Apple AirPods are the top choice for you?

The all-white AirPods (left) next to the all-white AirPods Pro (right) shows similar sizing, but the Pro shows a silicone ear tip. Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Apple’s AirPods (3rd generation)—aka the AirPods 3—launched as a cheaper alternative to the AirPods Pro, and you know what that means: it’s time to play Pick Your Pods! The latest iteration of Apple’s standard AirPods have a heap of upgrades that bring them a lot closer to the massively popular AirPods Pro.

But which pair is the best value? Which features are new in the latest AirPods, and on the other side what do you gain by going with the Pro? Most importantly, which pair is right for you? The answers lie below as we lay out a point-by-point comparison of Apple’s top Pods.

Get the latest Apple AirPods Pro from Amazon

Get the Apple AirPods 3 from Best Buy

Price

The all-white Apple AirPods (3rd generation) sit in the grass next to some mushrooms in late sun.
Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

Apple's new AirPods are sleeker, smaller, and come with multiple upgrades.

It’s always great to start out with a simple one, but even this topic has its curveballs, as the pricing of Apple’s AirPods Pro are somewhat in flux. Launching in October of 2019, the AirPods Pro have had some time to settle in well below their original $249 MSRP. We’ve seen them below $180 sale, even for the latest version.

The AirPods Pro were given a slight upgrade that includes MagSafe charging for the case. Thankfully, the "new" AirPods Pro—which is the only model broadly available—has now dropped to the same general sale pricing as the original Pro model at last check. (To be clear, the MagSafe-ready case is the only upgrade here.)

For their part, the AirPods 3 (as we’ll call them from here out) cost $179, and as the newest model, they generally hover around that price at present. If you can find the AirPods Pro on a good sale, the price difference is basically a draw, but given that the price for the Pro model will fluctuate, this round goes to the AirPods 3 by a small margin.

Our pick: AirPods 3

Fit and design

New AirPod Pros in ear
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jackson Ruckar

Ear tips or no ear tips? That is the question.

The big headline for the AirPods 3 is their slimmer and trimmer design. With shorter stems bearing a Force Sensor for controls the latest AirPods look a lot like, you guessed it, the AirPods Pro. Frankly, it’s tough to tell them apart at a glance.

The buds weigh almost the same (the AirPods 3 are 4.2 grams to the Pro’s 5.4), they take up about the same amount of space and only the AirPods Pro’s larger case stands out (it’s bigger and wider). Like the Pro, the AirPods 3 buds now have IPX4 water resistance and that includes their MagSafe-ready charging case (the Pro’s case isn’t labeled as tested for water resistance).

There are plenty more similarities that we’ll dig into in the Features section, but one place that really sets these buds apart is their heads, so to speak: the AirPods Pro bear the slick, magnetic ear tips that were a first for Apple buds, while the AirPods 3 stick with a version of the one-size-fits-some plastic shells.

The all-white AirPod sits in a hand
Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

There are a lot of good changes to the new design, including water resistance and a new Force sensor on the stem, but they keep the same plastic ear tips.

Now, which of these is preferable is more controversial than I’d have guessed. My brother loves the original plastic-pod fit, claiming they're the only earbuds that fit his ears, and I know he’s far from alone. That’s all well and good, and if you’re in that camp, feel free to protest, but since my brother isn’t writing this post I get to make the call. For me it’s no contest: ear tips or bust.

Not only are the AirPods Pro’s ear tips likely to be more comfortable and stable for most ears thanks to their multiple size options, but they also allow for a better seal for improved audio performance, while still providing a semi-open feel. As such, while these designs are quite close, I’m giving the win to the AirPods Pro’s ultra-comfy fit. All angry letters on this topic can be sent to my brother, whose address will be listed below.

Our pick: AirPods Pro

Features and controls

The all-white AirPods (3rd generation) case sits above the AirPods Pro case in a hand, in front of fall leaves and lush green grass.
Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

The AirPods (3rd generation) sit in their case above the AirPods Pro.

There are so many similar features between these two models, it’s easiest to just start with everything they share. Both earbuds offer all sorts of extras designed for the Apple faithful, and that starts the moment you open the case.

The fact that all AirPods (as well as Apple’s Beats buds) magically show up on your iPhone when you open the package is a brilliant way to begin. Google and Microsoft have their own versions, but they’re not quite as streamlined as Apple's closed system.

Like buds before them, both of these two AirPods models carry the H1 chip, which lets you seamlessly transition from Apple devices when logged into iCloud. It doesn’t always work perfectly, but it’s mostly accurate and a great function for working from home.

There is one major feature in the AirPods Pro that the AirPods 3 don’t offer.

Thanks to new sensors in the AirPods, they also share the same “Find My” functionality as the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max with iOS 15, letting you track your buds with better accuracy and over longer distances from your iPhone when compared to earbuds that offer only Bluetooth tracking. You can even get separation alerts so you’ll know when your buds go missing.

The all-white AirPods (left) next to the all-white AirPods Pro (right) shows similar sizing in the reviewer's hand, but the pro shows a silicone eartip.
Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

The AirPods (left) next to the AirPods Pro (right)

As mentioned, both pairs offer a Force Sensor on the stems for tapping your way to play/pause, song skipping, and calling up Siri (which you can also do with a simple “Hey, Siri” voice command). And while I wish either pair offered onboard volume controls, “Hey, Siri” makes this pretty easy to accomplish, alongside plenty of other functions. It’s especially fast with a newer iPhone. Other features include the ability to use one bud at a time, as well as sensors for auto-pause when you take them out (the new AirPods even have an improved in-ear detector).

There is one feature (or features) in the AirPods Pro that the AirPods 3 don’t offer, and it’s a biggie: ambient sound modes like active noise canceling and transparency mode. The AirPods Pro offer both functions, including impressive noise canceling for a pair of buds so light and comfy. That’s a huge miss for the AirPods 3, and one we’re seeing more often in middle-tier models like Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 and even Jabra's Elite 4 Active.

Noise canceling would have been a difficult ask given the AirPods 3’s open-style design, but it’s still something we expect at earbuds priced close to $200.

Our pick: AirPods Pro

Battery life

The all-white AirPods (3rd generation) sit in an open case before a fall background that includes a stone statue, leaves, green grass, and wood chips.
Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

The battery life between the buds and case gives you as much as 30 hours before you'll need to plug in.

Upgrading the battery was an easy win for the AirPods 3, as battery life is the biggest weakness in the AirPods Pro. While it’s by no means a coup over other rivals, the AirPods 3 offer up to 6 hours of playback time per charge, and up to 30 hours away from the outlet with the charging case. The AirPods Pro get just 4.5 hours with ANC (5 without it), and 24 hours total with the case.

Our pick: AirPods 3

Calling and sound performance

The all-white AirPod sits in the reviewer's ear with its shortened stem facing forward, set above a gret sweatshirt hood and below brown grey hair.
Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

The AirPods 3 get many of the same audio features as the Pro. But there are some major differences.

When it comes to calling, in the tests we performed it was difficult if not impossible for callers on the other end to determine between calls on the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro. That is to say they both sounded very good, which is a great bonus for those who spend a lot of time on the phone.

When it comes to listening, there are some other cool additions to the AirPods 3 borrowed from the Pro, including Adaptive EQ, which uses an interior microphone to continuously measure frequencies and adjust the sound for your specific fit, as well as Spatial Audio.

Spatial Audio is probably the most notable, though its use cases are pretty limited. It’s designed to offer a more three-dimensional soundstage with supported content, including TV and movies mixed in Dolby Atmos on services like Apple TV+ and Disney+, as well as songs mixed in Dolby Atmos Music via the Apple Music service.

While the feature does add some extra immersion to Dolby Atmos video content, when it comes to music it’s the head tracking that’s most interesting. It allows the soundstage to be anchored to your source device. If you turn your head, it keeps the soundstage centered to the device, allowing you to virtually explore the aural space. This helps to isolate instruments in the soundstage and generally adds a more live feel to your listening experience.

The all-white AirPod sits in the reviewer's ear with its shortened stem facing forward, set above a gret sweatshirt hood and below brown grey hair.
Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

Spatial Audio is the coolest new feature, though it has limitations.

It’s great that Apple has added these features to the AirPods 3, and the new custom drivers and amplifiers in these buds have also improved the audio quality over previous standard AirPods models. That said, they’re still rather limited, and a big part of that comes down to the open-shell design. They can’t offer the same intimacy, instrumental body, or overall detail as the AirPods Pro—or plenty of other earbuds at or even below their price point.

Some of this will depend on just how well they fit—the better the seal, the better the sound. But in this race, while there are many similar features at play, the AirPods Pro easily win on sound quality.

Our pick: AirPods Pro

And the winner is …

Apple AirPods Pro on MacBook Open
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jackson Ruckar

While the AirPods 3 offer loads of features borrowed from the AirPods Pro, it’s clear the Pro buds are the winners here. Not only do the AirPods Pro win more categories overall, but especially on sale, they’re simply a better value.

The major asterisk is that, if your ears are the type where only the plastic shells will do, the AirPods 3 may be a better fit, literally. In that case, you’ll need to ask yourself if the new features are enough to make them a better buy than the much cheaper AirPods 2, which are now available as low as $99.

Otherwise, when it comes to the best Apple-branded buds, the AirPods Pro are the top choice.

Get the latest Apple AirPods Pro from Amazon now

Get the Apple AirPods 3 from Best Buy

Up next