Apple’s AirPods Pro line-up has long been one of its most popular products, offering high-end audio and features that can rival (or even outdo) TWS earbuds from specialised brands. With three years since the last true upgrade (the 2024 USB-C refresh doesn’t count), the iPhone maker’s had plenty of time to cook up some improvements.
With the new AirPods Pro 3, some of those upgrades are subtle while others are more substantial. But together, they set the next-gen Apple earbuds apart from their predecessor. A particular highlight being the built-in heart rate sensor, a first for any TWS audio product. And of course, there’s a lot more to unpack.
What Am I Looking At?
Its minimalist overall appearance may seem like there’s nothing new on this front, but this is actually far from the truth. Unlike the older model, the new AirPods Pro 3 offers improved ergonomics through a redesigned and much straighter stem on both sides. I do find that this is a noticeable improvement, as it gives me more room to press, pinch and swipe both stems with my (fat) fingers. Of course, there’s also the new heart rate sensor, but I’ll get to that much later.
Apple has also included new ear tip sizes as part of the Pro 3’s package, which aims to tackle the fitting issue from the previous model. With this, the new additions bring the total number of included tip options up to five (XXS, XS, S, M and L). Equipped by default are M-sized tips, which I later switched to S for a more comfortable fit.
The accompanying case comes with some changes as well. It is wider than its predecessor, and gone is the physical pairing button on its back. Like the AirPods 4, the latter is replaced with a discreet capacitive button that’s situated just below the indicator light up front, which is now used for activating pairing mode or resetting the buds.
What’s Good About It?
The AirPods Pro 3 retains its predecessor’s high quality audio delivery, with some improvements done to soundstaging and bass output. Vocals, instruments and other elements are crisp and clear, as well as distinguishable from one another. Soundstaging is believable and immersive, even for non-spatial audio supported tracks.
Meanwhile, the improvements to bass stands out, offering satisfying and significant (yet subtle) feedback for each thump. Benefitting this change are dance, funk or jazz tracks such as Bradio’s Eigo Disco, Khaled’s Aicha, and Ramsey Lewis’ Love Song. Needless to say, you’ll definitely appreciate the buds more on services that support lossless audio streaming such as Apple Music and Tidal (still waiting on you, Spotify).
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) on the AirPods Pro 3 has also been upgraded to effectively filter most external sounds. Combined with the eartips, the system works well to block loud noises, but not entirely. To its credit, louder noises such as moving trains and chatter are filtered enough to not be a nuisance while listening to songs or podcasts. Like its predecessor and other similar devices, I’d reckon that the Pro 3 will also be an excellent companion during flights.
The buds’ passthrough is also excellent, providing clear and accurate audio from your surrounding environment. Like the Pro 2, it too features the ability to dampen louder noises in this mode, which is very handy when passing by locations such as construction sites and so on. Additionally, the built-in microphones perform exceptionally well to isolate your voice during calls.
Another relatively new addition is the real-time translation feature, which works in tandem with Apple’s Translate app. After testing it by having a bilingual conversation with our writer Nurul, who’s fluent in German, I can confirm that the feature performs well to some extent, though accuracy may vary depending on how audible the conversation is.
That said, don’t expect it to respond instantly, as the app usually takes a second or two to register and translate. It isn’t perfect, but it’s handy when you’re in a pinch. And budding travellers can rejoice, as Apple has recently expanded the list of supported languages to include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Italian.
In terms of battery life, Apple claims that the AirPods Pro 3 could last up to eight hours on a single charge, which is two hours more than the preceding model. While I didn’t go as far as having them sit in my ears for the claimed duration, I can actually confirm that the buds still had plenty of juice left after four hours of continuous use. Of course, you can stretch this even further by the additional charges available via the included case.
Another thing worth noting is that, on default, the buds themselves will only be charged up to 80% if they are used regularly. Much like Apple’s iPhones and MacBooks, this approach aims to reduce overcharge as well as extend the lifespan of the AirPods Pro 3. You can choose to charge them to full manually or disable the optimised charging altogether via the Settings menu if you so wish.
What’s The Catch?
A gripe I had with the previous generation persists on the Pro 3, which is the material used for the outer shells of both the earbuds and the charging case. While reasonably durable, the white-only plastic remains a dust magnet and is prone to scratches and smudges. Granted, this wouldn’t be an issue if you cleaned it regularly, but it can be annoying to see it get all marked up not long after the last round of cleaning.
Unlike most earbuds on the market, Apple’s own line-up has always been designed to work with its own ecosystem and products. While you can still pair their AirPods with others, including Android and other non-Apple devices, you will be locked out of certain features like spatial audio and the built-in heart rate sensor, just to name a few.
Speaking of the heart rate sensor, while a neat addition, it’s not exactly a full replacement for an Apple Watch. The sensor doesn’t track passively and only kicks in when you manually start a workout through the Health app on your iPhone or iPad. Even more baffling, there’s no way to check your heart rate outside of workouts.
Should I Buy It?
If you’re a regular to Apple’s ecosystem, the new AirPods Pro 3 is worth the recommendation. Coming in at RM999, they are by no means affordable, but you are getting your money’s worth with all it has to offer. The improvements and new additions definitely made what’s already a decent product even better, though I wouldn’t go as far as calling it perfect.
