Our review will help you decide whether to invest.
Whether you’re a diehard fan of the seamless Apple experience across multiple products or you know someone who can’t stand the sight of a green text bubble, it’s impossible to deny the grip Apple has on the tech market. And we’re not just talking phones and laptops.
Apple audio gear typically comes with a jarring price tag compared to other options on the market, but Apple headphones have a cult following for their sleek design, impeccable sound quality, and ease of use. We know this is especially true for the Wake-Up Call audience: Apple AirPods are one the most popular products among our readers, and a bestselling gift every holiday.
If you want something a little cheaper, the brand’s regular AirPods (2nd Generation) are only $99 (which is 23 percent off). Alternatively, you can invest in the buzzy AirPods Max, which are on sale for $480 and considered by many to be the best over-ear headphones to buy right now.
Whether you’re upgrading to a new pair of AirPods or gifting a pair, you might be wondering: Are they worth it? We’re answering that question with a deep dive into the new features and specific details of the newest generation of AirPods.
Apple AirPods Pro Review
Noise cancellation
Unlike most earbuds, the real draw of the Apple AirPods Pro is their noise-cancellation capabilities, something typically reserved for over-ear headphones. That’s due in part to improved upgrades in both passive and active noise cancellation. The former is the bodily design of the product that physically blocks noise, and the latter is the actual technology of the AirPods that works to cancel noise out. Let’s break it down.
The first generation of AirPods Pro made waves for including three separate ear tips, giving the user a personalized, acoustic seal to block out noise. The second generation version introduces a fourth, extra-small size, which might better suit your ear shape and gives a more inclusive range. The process to figure out your perfect fit is pretty futuristic, too. You put the buds inside your ear to launch Apple’s Personalized Spatial Audio feature, which will map out your ear, then your iPhone’s TrueDepth camera jumps in to create a fit based on your head’s geometry. Freaky, we know.
But active noise cancellation is why Apple claims these are twice as effective as their predecessor. The new technology works to customize the sound that comes in, and what blocks it out.
Sound quality
So the real update on the second generation AirPods Pro is Apple’s newly designed H2 chip. This is the nitty gritty tech info to familiarize yourself with if you’re intrigued (but we wouldn’t judge you if you skipped ahead to the simplified explanation in the next paragraph). It’s exactly why Apple’s audio offerings are untouchable. With the newly designed H2 chip, the audio performance of the new AirPods Pro is pretty advanced: They updated its Adaptive Transparency technology, which uses computational algorithms and an inward-facing mic to neutralize unwanted sound coming in, then edits its output to create a crisper, three-dimensional audio experience.
In layman’s terms, think of it this way: Whether you’re listening to music, podcasts, or taking phone calls, your audio experience will be noticeably clearer than with other headphones, and you won’t hear the outside world — unless you want to, in which case you just have to swipe your bud to turn on Adaptive Transparency mode.
Extra features
How many times have you misplaced the case? Or one earbud? It’s a universally annoying experience in the world, and that makes this new feature particularly exciting: There’s a new chip in the case that makes it infinitely easier to find the case’s exact location. There’s also a new speaker in the case that will sound off when you’re looking for it, with an added lanyard loop on the side if you’re a fan of flashy phone straps (we are).
Worried about having to adjust to new settings when you finally got used to the ones on your current pair? Don’t worry: Like with the previous model, touch control lets you easily manage playback functions from the stem, like swiping up and down to adjust the volume or playing and pausing music.
If you like to stay active, opt for either the new AirPods Pro or the 3rd gen AirPods, both of which are sweat and water-resistant. The battery life for both also lasts up to six hours per charge.
Final thoughts
If you’ve been considering investing in a pair of AirPods Pro in general, now’s the time to do it. These are significantly better than the first-generation product but are priced similarly. If you don’t care for the added perks of noise cancellation, but we (or your kids) have convinced you to finally switch to wireless headphones, you’re in luck: The older, less bell-and-whistle-filled AirPods styles that still give you amazing sound quality are a lot cheaper.
Alternatively, you could fully upgrade yourself to Apple’s only over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max, which boast features like a 20-hour battery life. The choice is yours, but whichever you choose, we doubt you’ll regret it.
