Apple AirPods Pro 3 Review — The New Benchmark in True Wireless Earbuds

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 set a fresh standard for TWS earbuds with enhanced sound, noise cancellation, and comfort in a sleek design.

When you think of Apple and its innovations, flashy new features often steal the spotlight—pulse sensors, live translation, and the like. But the true magic of the AirPods Pro 3 lies where it counts most: delivering stellar sound quality, effective noise cancellation, and all-day comfort. As someone who’s spent countless hours with these buds, I can say this is the essence of what makes wireless earbuds great.

Sure, it’s fun to speculate about the next big “one more thing” Apple might unveil. Yet at the end of the day, none of the fancy add-ons matter if the earbuds don’t nail their core job. And guess what? The AirPods Pro 3 absolutely nail it.

These earbuds don’t quite revolutionize the market or send rivals like Sony, Technics, or Bowers & Wilkins into a frenzy. Instead, they offer a confident, polished upgrade over the already excellent AirPods Pro 2. Let’s dig into what makes these earbuds tick.

Price and Availability

The AirPods Pro 3 officially hit shelves in September 2025. Though official Apple distribution channels don’t cover our region, these earbuds are widely available through parallel import, making them accessible to eager fans.

Price Points:

• Marketplaces (Ozon, Wildberries, Yandex Market): Around $300-$360
• Major Retailers (re:Store, M.Video, DNS): Slightly higher, about $380-$420, often including store warranties
• Specialty Shops (BigGeek, Sotohit): Competitive prices around $290-$340

Heads-up: There’s currently no official Apple warranty here. Most sellers offer a one-year warranty through their stores, and repairs are handled via partner service centers.

Specs at a Glance

Design and Comfort: Subtle Changes, Big Impact

At first glance, the AirPods Pro 3 look like their predecessors—with the iconic white stem and minimalist design. Slide them into your ears, though, and the difference is clear.

Apple trimmed down the body to be more compact, tilting the sound outlet more toward your ear canal for better fit and sound delivery. The stalk’s junction with the earbud case sports a fresh shape, all aimed at improving ergonomics and microphone placement. The company claims these tweaks help the earbuds fit a wider range of ear shapes.

The weight ticked up just a smidge—from 5.3g to 5.55g per earbud—but that’s barely noticeable during use.

Opinions around the office were split. Fans of the “lower profile” fit from the Pro 2 felt these stick out a little more. On the flip side, users who had issues with Pro 2 falling out found the Pro 3 grips far better. If you can, try them on before buying.

After a short break-in period, any comfort doubts faded. These buds are lightweight enough for marathon listening sessions. They also proved less picky about which ear tips you use. Both medium (M) and large (L) tips delivered solid passive noise isolation and a secure fit without changing sound or ANC performance.

Speaking of ear tips, Apple now bundles five different sizes. The material feels denser, thanks to a layer of foam microspheres designed to improve isolation and sound quality.

The controls remain familiar: a touch-sensitive panel on the stem lets you swipe to adjust volume and tap to play/pause or switch noise modes—super intuitive and responsive. You can fine-tune everything via your iPhone’s settings.

The charging case now sports a USB-C port, is slightly larger but lighter. It still fits comfortably in your pocket. Inside, there’s an upgraded U2 chip for precise locating if you misplace the case (under the couch, anyone?), plus a speaker and LED indicator.

Notably, the pairing button on the case is gone. At first, it’s a bit disorienting, but Apple’s ecosystem magic takes over: a couple of taps on your iPhone screen and the earbuds are ready to roll.

Features That Keep You Connected and Informed

Everything that made the AirPods Pro 2 great is here: spatial audio, hearing protection, and more, all running smoothly on the Pro 3.

Helpful tricks like speech detection (which lowers music volume when you start talking), adaptive audio, and head gesture controls (answer or decline calls with a nod or shake) are second nature. Despite fierce competition, Apple’s ecosystem responsiveness remains unmatched.

True to form, Apple sticks with AAC and SBC codecs only—no high-res LDAC or aptX HD support. While some budget brands flaunt Hi-Res logos, for iPhone users this omission barely matters since iPhones don’t support those codecs anyway.

Apple tossed in a pulse sensor for fitness tracking along with live translation features—also available on Pro 2 and AirPods 4 if you’re rocking iPhone 16 with Apple Intelligence.

Battery life, however, is a mixed bag. The earbuds themselves gained a boost to 8 hours (up from 6), but total playtime with the case dropped from 30 to 24 hours. In a world where we barely take our buds out, this feels like a step backward. You’ll find yourself charging the case more often.

For comparison, 24 hours matches older Sony XM5 earbuds, but falls short of class leaders like Technics AZ100, which offer around 38 hours total.

On the plus side: water-resistance upped to IP57 (from IP54). Now, these buds shrug off sweat, rain, and even brief submersion—a nice upgrade for active users.

Noise Cancellation and Call Quality: A New Level of Quiet

Apple hyped improved ANC despite keeping the same H2 chip. The secret sauce? New microphones, smarter algorithms, and denser ear tips. They promised double the noise-canceling power.

Is it twice as good? Hard to say, but the difference is noticeable. Testing on a flight, the low-frequency drone of engines was more muted compared to Pro 2. Voices and cockpit announcements also faded into the background.

In urban settings, traffic noise and crowd murmur melted away, letting your music shine. Harsh sounds like construction bangs softened without startling. The ANC feels airy and natural, avoiding that uncomfortable "vacuum" pressure some competitors create.

While brands like Bose QuietComfort Ultra deliver near silence, AirPods Pro 3’s noise cancellation is far more comfortable for daily use.

Apple’s transparency mode remains king. You hear the world crystal clear, as if the earbuds aren’t there—no tinny or mechanical side effects.

Call quality? Stellar. Voices come through natural and clear, without robotic glitches that plague many true wireless earbuds.

Sound Quality: A Refined Listening Experience

Apple revamped the acoustic design, driver, and amplifier combined with the H2 chip to deliver tighter bass and a wider soundstage.

Putting them on, you immediately catch the familiar Apple sound signature: balanced, cohesive, and easy on the ears for hours of listening.

But the Pro 3 steps it up—a cleaner, more detailed, and dynamic sound emerges.

The tonal balance is spot on. Take Fontaines D.C.’s “Starburster”—the highs bite sharply but don’t pierce the ear. Billie Eilish’s “Blue” boasts bass that’s deep, springy, and textured.

Vocals sound crisp and intimate, turning podcasts into an immersive experience. Compared to them, Pro 2 feels a touch lighter and flatter.

These buds handle any genre with grace: delivering rhythm and punch that keeps you hooked. They smoothly navigate delicate moments as well as explosive climaxes.

Drums and guitars in A Perfect Circle’s “Judith” hit hard and full-bodied, while Sparklehorse’s melancholic strums come through tenderly.

The expanded soundstage amplifies the listening experience, making it feel grand and confident. The sound isn't sterile or clinical; rather, it’s crafted for music lovers, enhancing tracks to sound their absolute best.

They’re detailed enough to distinguish a Motown classic from a modern pop hit, but always engaging and fun. Simply put: these earbuds make you want to keep listening.

Could it get better? Of course. Our personal favorite, Technics EAH-AZ100, offers a more refined, spacious sound, and Sony XM5 captures instrument textures superbly.

Still, Apple has crafted such a complete and musical package that you don’t overthink sound quality—you just bask in it.

Using AirPods Pro 3 in Our Region: What to Know

• Siri and AI Features: Some of Apple Intelligence’s newest tricks may not support local languages or may require switching the device region to the US.
• Precision Finding: Ultra Wideband (UWB) based precise case tracking might be limited due to frequency restrictions here, but standard sound-based locating works fine.
• Compatibility: Apple’s ecosystem magic—like seamless switching and spatial audio—only works on iPhone/iPad/Mac. Connect to Android, and you just get premium Bluetooth earbuds.

Final Verdict

If you already own AirPods Pro 2 and they do the job, there’s no urgent need to upgrade. After all, many software perks are shared between the two generations.

The AirPods Pro 3 represent evolution, not revolution. Still, they push the envelope on the essentials—delivering richer sound and more effective noise cancellation.

We do wish the battery life had made a bigger leap. But even with that minor gripe, Apple’s flagship earbuds remain a polished, enjoyable experience. For iPhone users, they’re still the top pick without question.

Ratings

This pair handles its main job brilliantly, providing quality sound, effective noise cancellation, and comfort.

FAQ

• What is the battery life of the AirPods Pro 3 compared to Pro 2?
  The earbuds themselves now last 8 hours, up from 6 in Pro 2, but total playtime with the charging case is 24 hours, down from 30.
• Do AirPods Pro 3 support high-resolution audio codecs like LDAC?
  No, they support only AAC and SBC codecs, which aligns with iPhone compatibility.
• Is the noise cancellation on AirPods Pro 3 significantly better?
  Yes, improvements with new microphones and ear tips offer noticeably better ANC, especially in low-frequency noise environments.
• Can I use the AirPods Pro 3 with Android devices?
  Yes, but you lose Apple-specific features like spatial audio and seamless device switching.
• Are the AirPods Pro 3 waterproof?
  They have an IP57 rating, so they can handle sweat, rain, and brief water immersion.

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