Odi Productions
In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation review for those who are wondering whether they are WORTH IT. I’ll also be comparing the Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation vs Pro 2nd Generation, Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen, Sony WF-1000XM5, Technics AZ100, Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and more!
I’m going to do my best to share whether these wireless earbuds are worth it, and ideally who these are perfect for. I’ve owned these for a while now and have quite a few thoughts.
I’ll be sharing my critical opinion with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, audio engineer, and tech journalist.
Let’s dive right in!
Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation Review in Short
The Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation is simply the best AirPods released to date. It currently makes a case for the best all-arounder in the market, due to its world-class noise cancelling, microphone quality, comfort, and decent sound quality. Competes in the wireless noise cancelling earbuds class with the likes of AirPods Pro 2nd Gen, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, Sony WF-1000XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 1st Gen, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.
Pros and Cons
- World-class noise cancelling performance
- One of the most comfortable fits
- Excellent microphone quality
- Decent sound quality
- There’s better pure sound quality options
- No native Android app
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Comfort + Features
Comfort
Pictured above is the newer AirPods Pro 3rd Generation on the left, with its predecessor the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation on the right.
I, for one, gladly welcome the newer design of the Pro 3rd Gen, which is clearly more streamlined and ergonomic compared to the Pro 2.
Not only is the earbud “bulb” smaller, the eartips are now more naturally-angled to the contours of the ear.
In addition, there is now an additional size option for extra small eartips that is 1 more option than the 3 offered with the Pro 2.
The end result is an easier time getting a proper physical seal, while being one of the most comfortable pairs to wear for hours.
I didn’t find the previous Pro 2 to be uncomfortable, but I did opt for upgraded aftermarket memory foam eartips which did improve the experience for me.
In my opinion, the Pro 3 doesn’t need aftermarket tips as much, as the stock ones get the job done nicely.
The comfort on these is better than some of its popular competition such as Sony WF-1000XM5 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4.
I have the comfort on par with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.
Features
The Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation was originally released in September 2025, so it has many modern wireless earbud features:
- IP57 water resistance rating (fully protected against dust, complete immersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes)
- Spatial Relay Audio-Visual Sync with iPhone 17 or newer = true lossless audio, under 10ms low-latency
- Heart Rate Sensors
- AI “Live Translation” feature
- Clinical-Grade Hearing Aid and Hearing Test
- Built-in microphones for taking calls
- Wireless charging case
- Spatial Audio with Head-Tracking
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Multi-point connection
- Adaptive Noise Cancelling
- Transparency Mode
The differences with the 1st Gen Bose QC Ultra Earbuds is rather minimal, mainly with the new wireless charging case and “Cinema Mode”.
The high-res codec support of aptX Adaptive is a welcome sight, something missing from Apple AirPods.
Also, it’s nice that there is a native Bose app offered for both iOS and Android users alike.
Microphone Quality
Thanks to AI, the AirPods Pro 3rd Gen has arguably the best microphone quality in the wireless earbud class currently.
The mics on these wireless earbuds is typically quite shoddy due to inherent limitations in physics of the products, on account of how far and undirected the earbud is from a speaking mouth.
But there is some magic going on with the AirPods Pro 3 that does a great job of singling out your voice against the background, while still sounding fairly natural.
When it comes to mic quality, only the Sony WF-1000XM5 really comes to mind. The Bose QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen is improved over its predecessor, but not quite on this level still.
Battery Life
- With ANC on: 8 hours of battery life on a single charge / 24 hours total with charging case
- With ANC off: 10 hours on a single charge / 24 hours total with charging case
- Fast Charge: 20 minutes = 2 hours of playback
This battery life is firmly average for the class, as some competitors can reach 7-8 hours on a single charge, and 30 hours with the charging case.
This is unchanged from the 1st Gen.
Comfort + Features Score: 9.5 out of 10
Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation Noise Cancelling Performance
The Apple marketing boasts “twice as effective” noise cancelling performance vs the Pro 2nd Gen, blocking out up to “90% of ambient noise”, and I find that claim is pretty accurate in my testing.
Having tested over 20+ pairs of wireless earbuds, I found the previous Pro 2 to be about average for noise cancelling performance.
The difference in the Pro 3’s noise cancelling performance is immediately felt, and quite a significant upgrade over the Pro 2 across all frequencies.
This massive improvement is enough to put the AirPods Pro 3 near the top of noise cancelling performance in the class of wireless earbuds, and is even competitive with the over-ear noise cancelling headphones.
I’d say the one pair that is on par, if even slightly better, is the equally-new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen.
I also still like the older Sony WF-1000XM5 here, but I think it has been gracefully surpassed by Apple and Bose’s latest offerings. Makes sense, as the WF-1000XM5 is from mid-2023, over 2 years older than either.
Noise Cancelling Score: 9.5 out of 10
Sound Quality
I was a pretty big fan of the previous AirPods Pro 2nd Gen for its charming sound quality.
Namely, the Pro 2nd Gen’s natural presentation and audiophile-friendly tuning that is wonderfully musical.
After testing much more “audiophile” wireless earbuds, I started to see the shortcomings of the Pro 2, but will always be a fan of its stock sound profile.
So how does the newer Pro 3 compare? Surely it’s better?
Well, the short answer is yes, but it’s complicated.
To be clear, I think the Pro 3rd Generation is a clear step up from the Pro 2 when it comes to resolution, clarity, separation, bass, and dynamics.
The Pro 2 just has a tendency to sound compressed.
Where I still prefer the Pro 2 is in stock sound profiles and tuning.
The Pro 3 is noticeably more “consumer-friendly” sounding, which basically means it’s heavy on the bass and treble, at the expense of the mids.
Now the mids are still present, they aren’t entirely scooped out, but the clear emphasis here is on the bass and treble.
I think the best word to describe the Pro 3’s sound is “exciting”.
The Pro 2 has a more “organic” sound that is very tasteful, while the Pro 3 is better geared towards the mainstream and the more modern music of Pop, Hip Hop, and EDM.
The bass and sub-bass is fuller and more impactful on the Pro 3, for the bassheads out there.
The treble detail is present and airy, with one of the larger soundstages for this class.
Now can the AirPods Pro 3 still rock out to Rock, Metal, and similar genres?
I’d say yes, as there is a nice punchiness to snare drums and overall still enjoyable enough for me.
But a realistic timbre is not going to be a strength of these, as it favors detail to the point of sounding somewhat artificial.
Let me be clear, I greatly enjoy listening to the AirPods Pro 3 for its class of wireless earbuds, especially against the mainstream popular brands it primarily competes against.
Is there better pure audiophile sound quality elsewhere? Yes, from the likes of Technics AZ100, Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, Status Audio Pro X, Denon PerL Pro, and Noble FoKus Rex 5.
But do those have the same level of noise cancelling and comfort? That is the trickier part.
I would place the AirPods Pro 3 at around the same level as the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, slightly better than Sony WF-1000XM5, and clearly better than AirPods Pro 2, Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, or Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.
Sound Quality Score: 8.2 out of 10
Value
The AirPods Pro 3rd Gen retails at $249 USD but is available on sale between $199 and $229 frequently.
This is actually very competitively-priced, as it is arguably the best all-arounder for noise cancelling performance, features, comfort, microphone quality, and sound quality.
Although there is a handful of options for better pure audiophile sound quality, it’s hard to beat the overall package and convenience of the AirPods Pro 3, especially if you’re an Apple user.
Value Score: 8.5 out of 10
Overall Scoring Breakdown
Comfort + Features (15% of score): 9.5 / 10
Noise Cancelling (25% of score): 9.5 / 10
Sound Quality (50% of score): 8.2 / 10
Value (10% of score): 8.5 / 10
Total: 8.8 out of 10
Is the Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen Worth it?
In no uncertain terms, I find the Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation to be the best AirPods released to date, and easily one of the best all-arounders for the wireless noise cancelling earbud class it competes in.
This is the total package: world-class noise cancelling performance, comfort, microphone quality, features, and sound quality.
(I mean, it even doubles as a clinical-grade Hearing Aid. Not to mention the sci-fi “Live Translation” feature.)
It really doesn’t have any weaknesses, aside from the sound quality only being “very good” instead of “elite”, and no native app support for Android users (although they still work fine with Android/Windows devices).
The one case where I’d recommend looking elsewhere is if you’re looking for pure audiophile sound quality, of which I mentioned several superior alternatives earlier in this article.
Other than that, this is one of the safest recommendations I can make for wireless earbuds currently.
Lastly, if you’d like to save some money and keep supporting RecordingNOW.com’s 100% independent, unbiased reviews, do consider using some of our affiliate links below to shop and even just compare prices. We purchase all products we review with our own money to maintain the highest level of integrity, and your support goes into that plus a continuously improving site experience.
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How We Tested and Our Methodology
RecordingNOW.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 10 years of experience testing and reviewing consumer electronics and headphones.
We currently purchase the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
After purchasing the product, we conduct up to hundreds of hours of detailed hands-on testing in a controlled, acoustically-treated environment.
ODi Productions is our resident expert and author of this article, with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, tech journalist, and audiophile.
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