AirPods Pro 3 Spiel
I’ve tried AirPods, AirPods Max, and AirPods Pro. Of them three, AirPods Pro grew on me recently as I began to use my prescription glasses more often — headphones, no matter how comfortable it sits around the head, still has some force on the legs of the glasses. Since the release of AirPods Pro 2 in 2022, noise canceling earbuds came long way. Some of the reviews from 2024 and earlier this year openly recommend to take a risk with lesser known brands for better bang for the bucks.
Without further ado, I don’t believe AirPods Pro 3 will be outright winner of all noice canceling earbuds. There are features to consider, specs to consider, and most importantly, its price. Priced at $249, I can already see it might be an instant turn-off . On top of it all, to maximize all the features AirPods Pro 3 supports, it is recommended to use it alongside with another Apple device. That’s yet another question to consider: ecosystem.
Personally, one of the reasons why I ended up with AirPods again has more to do with the trade-ins. I cannot simply throw out old wireless headphones and earbuds, they need to recycled per code, and Apple products tend to have trade-in programs or at least a recycling program free of charge. In my case, I was able to use a trade-in program for my older earbuds, though it wasn’t much.
The actual quality of the speakers, I can certainly feel the improvements from AirPods Pro 2. I don’t have the lab equipments to show the numbers from 2 to 3, nor will I be able to isolate the benefits of better noise cancelling against better overall audio quality. There are better sources that will get into the science behind earbuds. However, I do believe most people buying AirPods Pro would be able to notice the immediate differences, and that differences are explicitly showing outside of a lab environment.
From my experience using it near the AC and some loud renovations going on nearby floors, AirPods 3 is excellent at cancelling out most of the noise without needing to increase to volume. Though this may only be a personal habit of mine, I rarely increase volume on any of my speakers past 10 or 15%. The only time I absolutely need to do so would be being next to something loud enough it penetrates through noise cancelling, like flying. Apartment renovation is loud, so I can safely say it performs better at those urban noise range. But it isn’t jet engine loud, though I do expect it to hold up to a certain level.
Most importantly, I think AirPods Pro 3 is a great contender for AirPods Max owners looking for an upgrade. Unless there is a specific reason why a headphone form factor is a must, the latest earbud does offer solid noice cancelling and audio quality with the added portability. The battery life, which was less than desirable for long-haul flights, is long enough with in-between quick charging time. The noise cancelling headphone released in 2020 still does have a place, just not as encompassing as it used to be. Compared to the price point of AirPods Max, I would highly recommend giving AirPods Pro 3 a shot.
Conclusions: Definitely Better, But Maybe Not Best
My go-to method in finding the right audio equipment is to find the one that suits my preferences and needs. Back in 2020, I preferred ANC headphone as a form factor for its powerful noice cancelling and overall better fit around the ear. Now in 2025, ANC earbuds seem to be fighting for the headphones’ spotlight. No doubt existing AirPods users have already given the AirPods Pro 3 a thought; I believe AirPods Pro 3 makes a stronger case with upgrading from Max than anything else.