Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: which wireless earbuds are better?

If you are fully immersed in Apple’s ecosystem, the AirPods Pro 2 have been a no-brainer since they launched in 2022.

For both the original Lightning connector and USB-C (from 2023) models, we thought they were Apple’s best wireless earbuds to date and worth every penny because of their user-friendly design, excellent active noise-cancelling and brilliant sound quality. However, that all changes now that their successors, the AirPods Pro 3 are on the scene.

The new flagship AirPods Pro promise big improvements all around. But now we've reviewed them, do the claims stack up, and should you upgrade? Let's compare them side by side and see which comes out on top.

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: price

There’s good news and bad news when it comes to pricing.

The good news is that if you live in the UK, the new AirPods Pro 3 are actually cheaper than their predecessors were at launch. The AirPods Pro 2 launched at £249, but the 3rd Gen model is £219, which is a nice surprise and a very welcome saving.

In the US and Australia, however, the Pro 3 cost $249 / AU$429, which is identical to the previous version and AU$30 more expensive, respectively.

The outgoing Pro 2 can be found at a discounted £169 / $199 / AU$339 though, so are still cheaper. They're also likely to see further discounts given their age, although we would be quick, as they are discontinued at many retailers.

**Winner: Apple AirPod Pro 2**

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: design & comfort

While you’d be hard-pressed to spot any design differences between the second-generation model and the AirPods Pro 3 at a distance, look a little closer, and you’ll see Apple has actually made some significant tweaks.

In fact, Apple has looked at more than 10,000 3D ear scans in an attempt to get the optimum fit for most ear shapes.

So, the general stem design returns for the new model, but the eartips are now angled more inwards, so they face the opening of your ear canal as opposed to the tips approaching from more of an angle as in the Pro 2. The curved area where the stems meet the earbud head is also differently shaped between the two models.

They are also slightly smaller than the older model, but only by a fraction. Conversely, the AirPods Pro 3 weigh a bit more than Pro 2 (5.55g versus 5.3g).

The new design is a double-edged sword. Those members of our review team who found the AirPods Pro 2 provided a snug fit found that the Pro 3 stick out further, while those who didn't get on with the Pro 2 found the Pro 3 fit much better. It's such a personal thing, we would suggest trying the Pro 3 for yourself before upgrading from the Pro 2.

Internally, each earbud also gets a new "multiport acoustic architecture", which Apple claims precisely controls the airflow which carries sound into your ear and helps "transform the bass response".

Another design change has happened to the eartips that the earbuds use. Apple has introduced what it describes as "a new layer of foam-infused microspheres" to improve isolation and, consequently, noise cancelling and sound quality.

You also get five sizes of eartips with the AirPods Pro 3, including an XXS size, compared with four sizes with the AirPods Pro 2 (XS, S, M, L). In our AirPods Pro 3 review, we found the new design to be a little more forgiving of which size of eartips you choose, with both the M and L sizes providing a secure fit and a solid ANC performance, for us at least. Good news if you lose a pair of one size.

The case has been slightly redesigned as well. It's lighter yet slightly bigger than the Pro 2's, and offers an updated Ultra Wideband (U2) chip with longer-range precision finding if you misplace your buds. The case no longer has a pairing button, but getting it to shake hands with your iOS device is still a cinch regardless – just follow the on-screen prompts.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3**

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: features

Like the AirPods Pro 2, the Pro 3 support Bluetooth 5.3 and use Apple’s H2 chip, which hasn’t been upgraded for the new model.

You get all the audio features present on the AirPods Pro 2, including Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Personalised Volume, Adaptive EQ and Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking.

Touch controls on the stems mirror those of the AirPods Pro 2, and are just as easy to use for music playback, volume changing, selecting noise modes and more. Both earbuds are seamless in use when paired with your iOS device.

If you were hoping for a boost in battery life for the AirPods Pro 3, you’re in luck – with a caveat. The new model increases the figure to eight hours per charge, up from six hours in the old model.

However, total battery life, including the USB-C charging case, actually goes down from 30 hours with the Pro 2 to 24 hours for the Pro 3. For most people, it’s the figure per charge that is going to matter most, however we did find ourselves charging the case more often during our Pro 3 testing than we did with the AirPods Pro 2.

The water- and sweat-resistance has been upped to an IP57 rating (compared with IP54 in the old model). And in a first for AirPods, the Pro 3 also feature a heart-rate sensor (Apple’s smallest to date) so you can use the buds to track certain health and exercise stats.

Finally, the hotly anticipated live translation feature has been introduced in the Pro 3 – but this feature is also available on the Pro 2, as well as the AirPods 4 with ANC. In order to use this feature, you'll need an Apple Intelligence-running iOS device (like the iPhone 16 onwards) and to have updated to iOS 26.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3**

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: ANC & call quality

Apple claims the ANC in the AirPods Pro 3 is four times more efficient than that of the original AirPods Pro, and that they deliver twice the noise-cancelling performance of the AirPods Pro 2.

Apple says this is down to a combination of the buds' ultra-low noise microphones, advanced computational audio, and the new foam-infused eartips, which promote greater passive noise-cancellation.

So how do these claims stack up?

Pitted against their predecessors, the AirPods Pro 3 do cancel more mid- and low-frequency noise, as we found when we took them on a flight to France. "The deep rumble of the airplane’s engine noise was damped down further than when listened to through the Pro 2, while the general chatter from people and announcements from the pilot were quieter through the new earbuds on full ANC mode," we noted in our AirPods Pro 3 review.

This held true for our daily commute too, with sounds like passing cars and roadworks quietened down even further than the AirPods Pro 2. The transparency and adaptive ANC modes on both earbuds feel very natural too, with just the right blend of music and ambient sound. We particularly like how sudden loud and harsh noises are handled, too – they are smoothed over in a natural way that doesn't distract us from our music.

True to Apple, the AirPods Pro 3 retain the natural, airy feel to their ANC implementation that we loved with the AirPods Pro 2. We are a little more aware of the more powerful full ANC effect being employed in the Pro 3, but it never feels overbearing, and theirs remains a discreet method of silencing the outside world.

Call quality on both AirPods Pro models is clear, detailed and natural-sounding – a world away from the over-processed voices of some rivals.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3**

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: sound quality

Of course, this is what we're really here for. Do the AirPods Pro 3 sound better than their predecessors?

In short, yes they do. Resoundingly so.

They might have the same H2 chip as the Pro 2, but this combines with the revamped ‘multiport acoustic architecture’ and custom driver and amplifier to result in a sound that is clearer, more spacious, and more powerful.

It's the same Apple sonic character we know and love (well balanced, airy, neutral and natural), but with greater solidity, more openness and space for more detail to flourish, and even greater dynamism.

The Pro 3 walk a fine line, with frequencies not sticking out nor overly smoothed out, allowing songs to sound enjoyably punchy yet still deliver ample subtlety. This balance serves them well with a range of source material: "There is bite and attack to the crunchy, brash highs of Fontaines D.C.’s Starburster, while the basslines in Forgot About Dre are taut, agile and tuneful, and punch with quite a good deal of depth and power in Billie Eilish’s Blue," we wrote in our AirPods Pro 3 review.

Voices are clean and have greater richness, making the AirPods Pro 2 sound a little sibilant and lightweight by comparison. Add to this their snappy, propulsive sense of rhythm, greater spaciousness and power, and you've got a more exciting and confident performer than the AirPods Pro 2.

That's not to do down their predecessors. The Pro 2 are "engaging and entertaining right from the second we start listening," we noted in our AirPods Pro 2 review. They're also "rhythmically agile and nimble" and still manage to sound plenty open and airy.

The Pro 2 are still perfectly enjoyable, it's just that when pitted against the newer version, they lose out – the Pro 3 manage to improve in every sonic area.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3**

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: verdict

So there you have it. The AirPods Pro 3 sound convincingly better than the AirPods Pro 2, have more effective noise cancellation and exciting new features (though some of these are available on the Pro 2 now as well). Some may find the fit of the Pro 2 preferable to the new model, but there's no denying the Pro 3 are a step forward in overall performance. For dedicated iOS users looking for the best Apple earbuds experience, the AirPods Pro 3 are the clear choice.

The AirPods Pro 2 remain a great pair of ANC earbuds: they're very good all-rounders for iOS users, with natural-feeling noise cancellation and Apple's neutral sonic balance. You may not feel the need to rush out and upgrade if you already own a pair, but for new users, it's worth searching for a pair on a discount if you're after flagship features for a cheaper price.

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