Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro: Time to upgrade?

In September 2022 after nearly three years, Apple finally updated its beloved AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro (2nd generation)—aka AirPods Pro 2—add new features, a boost in battery life, and a full makeover for active noise canceling and transparency mode. And then in 2023, Apple updated the AirPods Pro 2 case, eschewing the Lightning charging port in favor of USB-C, and adding IP54 dust and water resistance. While the visual design is nearly identical, under the surface, Apple’s got a whole new bag.

We go into an in-depth comparative breakdown below, but it comes down to this: For original AirPods Pro users, the AirPods Pro 2 are a worthy upgrade, thanks to the improved noise canceling performance, transparency mode, and improvements to the charging case. If you’re already in the Apple ecosystem and don’t have the AirPods Pro 2 yet, what are you waiting for? Now’s the time.

AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro: Price

Unlike the second-gen Watch SE, Apple has not reduced the starting price of its latest AirPods Pro, holding at $249 MSRP. The company is also replacing the old pair, meaning there’s an expiration date for how long they’ll still be available. That said, the original AirPods Pro don’t see the deep discounts we’d expect of an aging model, while the AirPods Pro 2 can consistently be found for under $200. If the AirPods Pro 2 happen to be $250 as you’re considering a purchase, just wait a week or two for the price to drop down again.

Our pick: AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro: Specs

AirPods Pro 2 specs

• Battery life: Up to 6 hours with noise canceling (7 without), up to 30 hours with case
• Fast charging: 5 mins for an hour of playback; MagSafe, Qi, Lightning compatible
• Colors: White
• Ambient sound modes: Active Noise Canceling, Adaptive Transparency Mode
• Speakers: Proprietary “low distortion” drivers
• Calling: Beam-forming microphone with targeted voice uplink and wind-noise mitigation
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, Apple H2 chip
• Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
• Dust/water resistance: IP54 (case and buds)
• Fit: Four ear tip sizes (new XS size)
• Weight: 5.4 grams per earbud, 45.6-gram charging case
• Apple features: iCloud Sharing, Automatic Switching, Audio Sharing, Personalized Spatial Audio w/ Dynamic Head Tracking, Hands-free Siri, Find My (buds and case), “Hey Siri” support

AirPods Pro specs

• Battery life: Up to 4.5 hours with noise canceling (5 without), up to 24 hours with case
• Fast charging: 5 mins for an hour of playback; MagSafe, Qi, Lightning compatible
• Colors: White
• Ambient sound modes: Active Noise Canceling, Transparency Mode
• Speakers: Custom high-excursion drivers
• Calling: Beam-forming microphone
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, Apple H1 chip
• Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
• Dust/water resistance: IPX4 (case and buds)
• Fit: Three ear tip sizes
• Weight: 5.4 grams per earbud, 45.6-gram charging case
• Apple features: Hands-free Siri, Find My (buds and case), “Hey Siri” support

On the surface, many of the specs are similar, but there are some distinctive differences that we'll get into in the sections below. But an important point for users of the original AirPods Pro is that they are only compatible with Apple devices released until 2021. So if you have an iPhone 14 or 15, a newer MacBook or iPad, the only choice is the AirPods Pro 2. Based on specs alone, the answer is clear.

Our pick: AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro: Features and design

There’s very little difference between these models visually. They look nearly identical, with just a few variations in venting, and even bear the same 5.4-gram weight per bud. I guess when you have the most popular earbuds on the planet, you’re not apt to make big design changes.

That’s mostly a good thing for many buyers. While the AirPods aren’t as secure as sports-ready models like Jabra’s Elite 7 or the Beats Fit Pro, they stay put for me in the majority of situations and stay comfortable for hours. There are a couple obvious changes in the charging case; Apple has added a speaker and lanyard on the outside along with internal tracking tech so you can locate it separately with the Find My app, and the charging port is now USB-C instead of Lightning. The case and earbuds also now have IP54 dust and water resistance.

Apart from the new noise canceling and adaptive transparency modes (which we’ll get to below), the other big change is the addition of volume adjustment in the controls. Alongside squeezing and holding for calling, playback, and ambient sound modes, you can now slide your finger up or down the AirPods Pro 2’s control notch to raise or lower volume. It works quite well, and it’s one of the primary updates we were hoping for.

Otherwise, while the AirPods Pro 2 employ the latest and greatest H2 chip over the previous H1 silicon, you’re getting the same flight of iOS-friendly features. Those include iCloud/Audio Sharing, Hands-free “Hey Siri,” and Automatic Switching between iCloud-connected devices. You’ll also get basics like auto-pause when you pull a bud out.

Our pick: AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro: Noise canceling and transparency mode

This is where the game, as they say, has changed. The AirPods Pro 2 have upgraded noise canceling that stands tall against virtually every pair we’ve tested. That includes top buds like the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, which the AirPods meet or beat in noise canceling across frequencies. They even hold up well against the top noise-canceling over-ears, Sony’s WH-1000XM5.

This performance blows the previous AirPods Pro out of the water. Even over a year after their release, only a couple earbuds outperform the AirPods Pro 2 in our battery of tests. Namely, the top-performing Sony WF-1000XM5 and similarly impressive Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 (we have a head-to-head comparison of the Apple and Bose).

The performance upgrade is all the more impressive since the new AirPods keep the same slim chassis and lightweight, something Apple’s engineers attribute to the new H2 silicon.

Similarly, the new Adaptive Transparency mode not only sounds clearer, more natural, and less plugged up than the previous version, it also limits the loudest sounds in your environment to help keep out dangerous environmental sounds. While neither Reviewed nor Apple can endorse the AirPods Pro 2 as ear protection, the sound attenuation of sudden unexpected sounds during day-to-day activities is an excellent benefit.

Our pick: AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro: Battery life

This is a nuts-and-bolts answer: the AirPods Pro 2 get better battery life. The new buds offer up to 6 hours per charge with noise canceling (we got a bit more in testing), while the old pair peaks at 4.5 hours with ANC. Neither number will be turning heads, and you can get a lot more from options like Sony’s WF-1000XM5, but 6 hours is respectable. You can push that to 7 without ambient sound modes, while the new charging case adds up to 30 hours total.

Our pick: AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro: Audio and calling performance

While calling is great and audio solid for both pairs, the AirPods Pro 2 provide better sound performance. There’s better stereo imaging, increased fidelity, and richer, more powerful bass response. They also now offer personalized Spatial Audio, though that hasn’t produced a huge change in performance in our testing so far.

Either pair is great for calling but the new pair seems to have an edge there too, letting me make calls even in extremely noisy surroundings. I even tested the new pair next to an ongoing construction site with my hearing-impaired mom without issue.

There are better options available when it comes to audio performance, including Sony’s aforementioned WF-1000XM5 and Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 3. Still, the new sound is very respectable, and the improvements are enough to tally another win for the latest pair.

Our pick: AirPods Pro 2

And the winner is … the AirPods Pro 2

This is an obvious win for the AirPods Pro 2, but the real question is whether you need to upgrade. In my opinion, the new AirPods Pro 2 offer good reason to at least consider moving up, especially if either the vastly improved noise canceling or the excellent adaptive transparency mode sounds appealing.

When it comes to which to purchase out of the gate, we’d usher most folks toward the newer pair. With better battery, they’ll last longer overall, and the advancements in ambient sound modes and controls are major usability upgrades that are worth the investment.

In other words, it’s the AirPods Pro 2 all the way. They’re a marked improvement, offering next-gen features that should keep them competitive for another long stretch between pairs.