- 8 hours of listening time
- 24 hours of listening time with charging case
- IP57 dust, sweat and water resistant
The AirPods Pro 3 are the star of Apple’s headphone lineup, and the first pair you should consider if you’re shopping for AirPods. They pack all of Apple’s latest technology into a package that can fit inside the coin pocket on a pair of jeans. I’ve written about my love for the previous version of these true wireless earbuds, which I use for hours a day, everyday.
The AirPods Pro 3 are impressively small in-ear headphones. The buds have replaceable, foam-infused silicone rubber tips with five sizes included in the box to help you find a fit that works for you. This provides security, so they don’t fall out of your ears, while also physically blocking noise. I found myself having to readjust my AirPods Pro 2 pretty often to keep them in place; this version feels much more secure.
In addition to this passive noise barrier, this AirPods Pro 3 feature very effective active noise cancellation; Apple says it’s double that of the previous model and while I can’t empirically confirm that multiplier, it sounds right. They turn down the noise on my daily commute in New York City to an appreciable degree. With ANC turned on and music or a podcast playing, subway or traffic noise practically disappear. You can switch between the noise-canceling mode and transparency mode, which uses the AirPods’ mics to let audio pass through; it sounds like you don’t have anything in your ears. There’s also an adaptive mode that automatically adjusts based on your environment.
These are the first AirPods to have built-in heart rate tracking during workouts. Used in conjunction with the new Workout tab in the Fitness app on iPhone, you can track dozens of different types of activity much in the same way you can with an Apple Watch, even monitoring and (ideally) closing your rings. If you don’t already own a fitness wearable, this is a valuable feature. And if you’re an Apple Watch owner already, the AirPods and the Watch can communicate to ensure the most accurate data is being tracked.
Along with the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, the AirPods Pro 3 support live translation when paired with iPhones running iOS 26. When you enter translation mode, they listen to who you’re speaking to and automatically translate their speech into your preferred language; your translated responses can then be shown as text on your iPhone, or, if the person is talking to is also using AirPods, they can hear the translation in their ears.
Apple introduced a number of hearing-health related features to the AirPods Pro line in the fall of 2024. You can use them to conduct a hearing-loss test, and if needed, they can serve as FDA-authorized hearing aids. One of my favorite features is hearing protection: The earbuds can turn down the environmental volume by up to 30 decibels, making them a great choice for wearing at concerts or during other loud events.
While there are better-sounding earbuds, this pair sounds plenty good for music, podcasts and phone calls.
The charging case has a number of useful, clever touches. A built-in speaker dings to let you know when the AirPods are charging, and can also be used to play a noise when triggered by the Find My app, effectively turning the case into an AirTag Bluetooth tracker. While the buds themselves have a longer battery life—up to 8 hours with ANC turned on—the case has a smaller battery capacity than the previous version.
Apple sells the AirPods Pro 3 for $249. The AirPods Pro 2 were frequently marked down on Amazon throughout the year, especially around holidays and deal events, so if you can wait, it might be worth waiting to see if there are any sales before you make your purchase.
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