How to Choose Between AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro
Apple’s AirPods lineup got confused. The distinction used to be easier when you could opt for AirPods Pro if you want active noise canceling in-ear headphones or regular AirPods if you can live without it. However, third-generation AirPods have been released, making it a little tricky to pick the perfect pair of AirPods. However, we’re going to make it easier.
What’s new in third-generation AirPods?
The third generation AirPods have a new design reminiscent of the AirPods Pro (no earbuds). It will still sit on your ear just like the original AirPods, but it has a shorter shank that allows the third-generation AirPods to give you better control (borrowing a nice feature from the AirPods Pro). You no longer need to touch or double-tap the earbud.
The third-generation AirPods also receive support for spatial sound , sweat and water resistance, and a new MagSafe charging case. If you want to use most of the good features of AirPods Pro but don’t like in-ear headphones, the third generation AirPods are perfect for you.
The best new feature of the third generation AirPods is battery life. Apple says we’ll get up to six hours of listening time on a single charge, higher than the second-generation AirPods (five hours) and AirPods Pro (4.5 hours). Last but not least, the third generation AirPods also feature an inward-facing microphone, which should improve your audio experience during calls than the second generation. They cost $ 179.
Should you buy second-generation AirPods instead?
The previous generation AirPods are now available at a lower price point and are still an attractive purchase at $ 129. The $ 50 extra for AirPods 3 gives you tons of new features that might be worth the asking price, but if you don’t want to stretch your budget that much, the older AirPods remain a good alternative.
For some people who have older Apple devices, second-generation AirPods are the only good option given that the more expensive AirPods are not compatible with some devices. You can go ahead and buy second-generation AirPods if you have one of the following:
- IPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- Iphone 5s
- iPad Air (1st generation)
- iPad mini 3
- iPad mini 2
- iPod touch (6th generation)
Sure, these are really old devices at this point, but if you’ve been holding on to one thing, the third-generation AirPods and AirPods Pro won’t work for you anyway.
Should you consider AirPods Pro?
AirPods Pro are the most expensive of the three earbuds we’ve reviewed here, priced at $ 249. If you want active noise canceling in-ear headphones, you should buy AirPods Pro. It has exclusive features like Conversation Boost, which focuses the microphone on the person speaking in front of you to help amplify their sound in private conversations, useful for those with hearing impairments. AirPods Pro also work with split alerts, so your iPhone can alert you if you leave them behind.
If these features don’t matter a lot, you should consider third-generation AirPods as your best bet.