AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: here's how Apple's new earbuds compare to the current model

Apple has just unveiled AirPods Pro 3, the latest version of its highest-end earbuds, which rank among the best earbuds of any kind that you can buy today.

I'm going to break down all the differences we know about AirPods Pro 3 compared to the current AirPods Pro 2, to help you decide if you want to jump straight into an upgrade – after all, AirPods Pro 3 are available for pre-order today, ready for a September 19th release date.

We won't know whether AirPods Pro 3 will fully take over from AirPods Pro 2 as the best AirPods you can buy today until we can fully review them, but here's how the two compare based on everything we know so far.

AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: Price

• AirPods Pro 3 launch price is $249, the same as AirPods Pro 2
• AirPods Pro 2 can be found as cheap as $159, though
• International pricing not known yet

Remarkably, Apple is launching AirPods Pro 3 for $249, which is the same price as the MSRP of the AirPods Pro 2.

That's pretty stunning – since 2021, almost all of Apple's premium earbuds rivals have been raising their prices, with $299 now a pretty standard price. For example, the Sony WF-1000XM5 launched for $299 back in 2023, and we've had a bunch more inflation since then.

However, it's worth noting here that AirPods Pro 2 have regularly fallen under $170 over the last couple of years, and even fell as low as $149 earlier in 2025.

So while AirPods Pro 3's price is actually very aggressive, if you're thinking of buying some Apple earbuds while AirPods Pro 2 are still around, you may be able to get that for even less.

AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: Sound quality and noise cancellation

• AirPods Pro 3 improved airflow means wider soundstage and bigger bass
• AirPods Pro 3 promise 2x sound reduction in ANC over AirPods Pro 2
• AirPods Pro 3 also claim 4x noise reduction over the original AirPods Pro

Apple says that AirPods Pro 3 have been redesigned with better airflow through the acoustic design, and that this "transforms the bass response, widens the soundstage so users hear every instrument, and brings vivid vocal clarity to higher frequencies across music, shows, and calls."

This obviously is a little vague – it doesn't necessarily mean bass will be deeper, but it could be that bass is more nuanced and precise, adding extra detail to low-end sound. Or it might be deeper too, who knows.

It sounds like the idea in the mid-range is offering even sharper detail and dynamic response to minute changes in the sound, which not only helps music to be more detailed and revealing, but it's also great for making spatial audio sound convincing.

A dynamic response is also important for improving active noise cancellation. Apple says that the AirPods Pro 3 will deliver twice the sound reduction from their active noise cancellation than the AirPods Pro 2 can.

Apple also says that the AirPods Pro 3 feature a "next-generation Adaptive EQ" compared to the Adaptive EQ in AirPods Pro 2.

Not only that, but Apple says that AirPods Pro 3 will deliver a four times reduction in sound compared to the original AirPods Pro.

Apple also noted that there's a nice update to the Transparency mode, which can now mix more of your own voice into what you hear during calls, so the conversation sounds more natural.

AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: Features

• AirPods Pro 3 adds Live Translation as a new feature – but it's not unique
• AirPods Pro 3 include heart-rate sensor and Workouts support
• AirPods Pro 3 battery life is 8 hours with ANC, compared to 6 hours in AirPods Pro 2

I'm not going to cover all the features currently available in AirPods Pro 2 here that AirPods Pro 3 also support; I'll just discuss what's changed or is new here, but I've added a full breakdown of what features are in every AirPods model at the bottom of this section.

As was rumored, AirPods Pro 3 will support a Live Translation feature, which combines AirPods' tech with Apple Intelligence on iPhone. When wearing your AirPods Pro 3, you can pinch both earbuds to activate Live Translation, and then when someone speaks to you in another language, you'll hear the words translated into your own language in your ear.

If you speak back, your iPhone will show the translation back to the original language, and can optionally read out the words. If two people with AirPods Pro 3 are speaking, then the whole conversation can happen live translated in your ears.

However, this will all depend on the languages involved. Apple says "Live Translation on AirPods is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, and will be coming to four more languages by the end of the year: Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified)."

And here's a biggie: in Apple's own Compare tab, the new Live Translation feature is listed as also coming to your AirPods Pro 2 and even your AirPods 4 with ANC (though not the base model, and curiously not AirPods Max either). That kind of makes it less of a USP or "must buy upgrade" (Apple's words), no?

Apple has also added a heart-rate sensor into AirPods Pro 3, which is "a custom photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor that shines invisible infrared light pulsed at 256 times per second to measure light absorption in blood flow." And to clarify, this is unique to Apple's AirPods Pro 3 – unless we're counting Apple's Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds, which also have a heart-rate monitor.

Back to how the AirPods Pro 3 do it though, and this heart-rate data will be combined with the motion data from the accelerometers and gyroscope in the AirPods Pro 3 to enable workout tracking without an Apple Watch for 50 different types of exercise.

You'll be able to use them directly with Apple Fitness+ to see your metrics on the screen, and Apple can provide custom motivation during a workout using Apple Intelligence. This is all new and specific to the Pro 3.

Apple has also improved the battery life dramatically here, providing a claimed eight hours from the earbuds with ANC on, which is up from six hours in the AirPods Pro 2.

The new buds will also be capable of 10 hours of battery life with Transparency mode enabled in Hearing Aid mode, which makes them a lot more useful in this sense – again, AirPods Pro 2 delivered six hours in this mode.

The heart rate sensor will cause a hit to this battery life, though – Apple is saying that 6.5 hours is the maximum you can expect with it enabled.

Finally, Apple has upgraded the ultra wideband chip that enables precision location tracking – meaning your iPhone can literally point you towards where your AirPods Pro are hidden – in the AirPods Pro 3.

The new chip is called the U2, and Apple says it increases the distance that this feature works by 1.5x, but only if you have an iPhone 17 as well.

AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: Design

• AirPods Pro 3 earbuds are slightly smaller, with new ergonomic shape
• AirPods Pro 3 ear tips are now "foam infused" and come in 5 sizes
• AirPods Pro 3 are IP57 waterproof, AirPods Pro 2 are IPX4

Despite looking nearly identical to the previous version, Apple says the new AirPods Pro 3 have a design that better fits in the ear canal, are slightly smaller, and move their center of gravity further towards your body, which should mean an even more secure fit.

Apple also says it's using more recycled plastic in their construction: "AirPods Pro 3 are made with 40 percent recycled content, including 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery and 65 percent recycled plastic in the case."

They come with a new ear tip design compared to AirPods Pro 2, and are now "foam infused", which seems like a good thing – apparently, this is partly the reason for the improvement in active noise cancellation, but foam eartips can also be great for generally keeping earbuds secure.

They also now have five sizes of eartips in the box, including an XXS option. AirPods Pro 2 have four ear tip sizes in the box, starting from XS.

Something just as notable for fitness fans as the heart-rate sensor is that AirPods Pro 3 are IP57-rated for dust and waterproofing – that's a big change compared to the IPX4 rating for AirPods Pro 2.

This means they're rated to survive being submerged in fresh water of up to 1m for up to 30 minutes, meaning they'll be comfortable weatherproof no matter how bad the rain you encounter when running, or if you drop them in a puddle.

AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: Worth the upgrade?

Without testing AirPods Pro 3 ourselves, it's too early to say whether they feel worthy of upgrading from a pair of AirPods Pro 2 – I think for most people, it'll come down to the improvement in sound quality and active noise cancellation. If these feel like a big leap, then they could be very tempting.

But they look very tempting for people who'd like to get into fitness tracking but don't want an Apple Watch – they're more durable than AirPods Pro 2, and provide so much of what the Apple Watch does for more basic fitness stats.

And I think the battery life improvements over AirPods Pro 2 may tempt some people as well, especially if you use the Hearing Aid feature a lot, or are a frequent flyer. And if the latter is true, and you visit other countries, obviously, the Live Translation feature may feel like a game-changer for you.

Still, if you don't own either and you're buying today – if you can find the AirPods Pro 2 for under $160, I'd say they're still a very tempting option.