AirPods Professional 3 vs AirPods Professional 2: Which mannequin to purchase revealed

Value When Reviewed

Apple AirPods Professional 3: $249

AirPods Professional 2 USB-C: $249

Greatest Costs At the moment: Apple AirPods Professional 3

$249

$249

$249

$249.99

$249.99

AirPods Professional 2 have been round for 3 years at this level, with Apple rolling out options post-launch like a USB-C charging case and listening to help performance, however it wasn’t till September 2025 that we bought a real successor.

The AirPods Professional 3 are, in essence, a refined enchancment in nearly each approach, from ANC to battery life and with new options like a coronary heart charge monitor. There’s lots to love, however when you can nonetheless purchase the AirPods Professional 2 at a giant low cost – often round $199/£199 on Amazon, and typically decrease – must you get the latest AirPods Professional? And when you already personal AirPods Professional 2 is it value contemplating an improve?

Right here’s our full comparability of the brand new AirPods Professional 3 and the predecessor.

AirPods Professional 3 vs AirPods Professional 2: Design and Construct

At first look, it’s not instantly apparent what’s modified, however put the 2 fashions side-by-side and issues get a little bit clearer.

For one, the AirPods Professional 3 are barely slimmed down, and have shorter stems than their older brothers. They’ve been solely redesigned internally, which we’ll come to, however it’s value noting preliminary impressions of the brand new silicon suggestions are a little bit blended.

Regardless of Apple providing you with 5 sizing choices within the field (up from three earlier than), some customers have complained that the brand new AirPods Professional stick additional out of their ears than the prior mannequin.

Eugen Wegmann

As earlier than, it’ll all come all the way down to desire and ear form, however it’s value contemplating.

As for the charging case, it’s barely bigger, too, however nonetheless very pocketable. And, as is custom, it’s white-only for colour choices, so our desires of matte black AirPods Professional (or any AirPods) are nonetheless on maintain for one more 12 months.

Eugen Wegmann

AirPods Professional 3 vs AirPods Professional 2: Tech Specs

The AirPods Professional 3 have two extra hours battery life than the AirPods Professional 2 at eight hours, there are extra ear suggestions so it’s extra possible you’ll have the ability to discover the proper dimension for you, and the newer AirPods Professional are extra water-resistant.

Nevertheless, there are extra variations when it comes to the standard of among the options on provide, as we’ll talk about beneath.

AirPods Professional 3 vs AirPods Professional 2: Efficiency

Response to AirPods Professional 3’s sound high quality has additionally been blended amongst early adopters, however this author has discovered them to be a lot punchier than the second-generation buds throughout all genres of music.

Spatial Audio remains to be right here, and whereas Apple says it’s been improved, you could be hard-pressed to inform the distinction, however the actual winner right here is for ANC (lively noise cancellation) customers.

Apple says its twice as efficient at noise cancellation because the second-gen fashions, and 4 occasions higher than the first-gen AirPods Professional, and it’s exhausting to argue with that. Dialog Consciousness, the function that tones down ANC once you communicate, additionally sees an enchancment.

Eugen Wegmann

Controls are the identical as on AirPods Professional 2, that means you possibly can pause with a squeeze, activate ANC with an extended pinch, and swipe to alter quantity.

The case is USB-C, which is an effective cause to improve from older AirPods Professional 2 fashions that featured a lightning port. You’ll be able to cost with MagSafe or an Apple Watch charger, too.

Talking of battery, that’s seen a sizeable increase right here. The AirPods Professional 2 had 6 hours of cost in every bud and 24 hours when factoring within the case, however the former is improved.

AirPods Professional 3 buds now have 8 hours of cost every, after which as much as 24 hours with the case. You’ll get much less battery life with ANC on, or when utilizing the guts charge sensor for exercises, although.

AirPods Professional 3 vs AirPods Professional 2: Well being & Health

Talking of which, the guts charge sensor is maybe the largest of the modifications for the AirPods Professional 3.

If you’re additionally carrying an Apple Watch whereas exercising this isn’t going to be a giant deal, but when not then the AirPods can report your coronary heart charge throughout a exercise and precisely entry energy burned and so forth.

Lastly, the brand new buds have a greater sweat and water resistance ranking than the AirPods Professional 2. If you happen to wished to make use of AirPods Professional for exercises however had been nervous about sweat inflicting points, then you need to be superb now. That waterproofing is best, however it’s not waterproof: you positively can’t put on them within the swimming pool when you had been pondering of doing so.

AirPods Professional 3 vs AirPods Professional 2: Different options

You will have heard about among the different options supplied by the AirPods Professional, equivalent to Stay translation and the Listening to Support options. Many of those engaging new options are additionally accessible on the AirPods Professional 2, and in some circumstances on the usual AirPods.

• Stay Translation: Take heed to individuals talking in a single language and listen to translations through your AirPods Professional 2 or 3.
• Listening to Support: AirPods Professional 2 and three provide the listening to check and listening to help options.
• Pause when sleeping: Will pause what you might be listening to once you go to sleep, works with AirPods Professional 2 and three and AirPods 4 in addition to some Beats headphones.
• Digicam distant: Will work with the AirPods Professional 2 and three and AirPods 4.

AirPods Professional 3 vs AirPods Professional 2: Value

Regardless of the entire aforementioned enhancements, the AirPods Professional 3 will set you again the identical quantity as their predecessors: $249 in case you are within the U.S. If you’re based mostly elsewhere, you may need a saving: U.Ok. buyers can get the AirPods Professional 3 for £219, which is £10 lower than the AirPods Professional 2 had been.

Nevertheless, contemplating the worth of the AirPods Professional 2 have dropped to the place they’re nonetheless on sale, chances are you’ll be balancing paying $199/£199 for the older AirPods Professional towards paying $50/£20 extra for the brand new fashions. That’s a major saving in case you are within the U.S. and discover the older fashions at that value. Our recommendation is that when you discover the older fashions on sale at a reduction snap them up!

Do you have to purchase AirPods Professional 3 or AirPods Professional 2?

From battery life to improved ANC, AirPods Professional 3 are a transparent enchancment on the predecessor. The guts charge monitor will little question be a profit to some, and the improved water resistance is one other bonus.

If you happen to already personal a pair of AirPods Professional 2, there isn’t any have to rush out and purchase a recent pair, however when you’ve had yours some time and the battery is getting much less dependable, it’s a straightforward resolution to make.

Whatever the enhancements within the newer fashions, when you discover the older AirPods Professional 2 on sale at an honest low cost, we advocate getting them.

For options to the AirPods see: Greatest earbuds for iPhone.