Trying to decide between Apple’s AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2? There are a lot of differences between the two models, but you can start by asking yourself two questions. Do you prefer active noise cancellation in a noise-isolating design? Or are you a fan of open earbuds that don’t require you to jam silicone ear tips into your ears?
Yes, there’s a price difference — the AirPods Pro 2 sell for about $200 online (regularly priced at $249), while the AirPods 3 cost about $150. It’s also possible that we’ll see upcoming sales during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend. But with only around $50 usually separating the two AirPods models, it’s probably more important to focus on those key differences rather than dwelling too much on price.
Apple has bridged the gap between its Pro and regular AirPods by upgrading the AirPods 3’s design — it now looks more like the Pro’s design minus the silicone ear tips — and it has an IPX4 splashproof water-resistance rating. Additionally, the AirPods 3, like the AirPods Pro and Pro 2, also have Apple’s spatial audio with head-tracking feature.
Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds for 2023
But there are still certain benefits you can only get on the pricier AirPods Pro 2, the biggest being active noise cancellation and transparency mode. Multiple ear tip sizes, the ability to swipe up and down to control music volume and ultra wideband support are also exclusive to the Pro 2.
The new AirPods Pro 2 model that Apple launched in September also has dust-resistance, some audio optimizations that should enable them to work better with the upcoming Vision Pro headset and a USB-C charging port, matching the iPhone 15’s. But noise cancellation will likely make the biggest impact in everyday use, and it’s the most important factor to consider.
AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods 3
