Should you get AirPods Pro 2 over AirPods Pro 3 at their Prime Day deal prices? I've compared them, here's what I think

The AirPods Pro 2 earbuds next to their case

(Image credit: Future)

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So, you're thinking of buying AirPods Pro, but you're not sure whether to pay full price for AirPods Pro 3, or get AirPods Pro 2 at their juicy Prime Day discount and save some cash? Today, you can get AirPods Pro 2 for $169 at Amazon US (was $249), or in the UK you can get AirPods Pro 2 for £179 at Amazon (was £199, though they were £229 at full price).

• Shop Amazon's full Prime Day sale

I can help. Well, the decision is still yours – and you'll want to make it before the Amazon Prime Day deals end later today – but I've tested the AirPods Pro 3 against the previous model for a few weeks now, so I've got opinions. And the answer may be different depending on the country you're in.

Let's start with the US. I think that outside of a couple of specific needs, most people should go for the AirPods Pro 2 and save the $80 compared to the $249 AirPods Pro 3.

The two models have nearly all the same features, after all, and AirPods Pro 2 are still very impressive earbuds when it comes to sound. The reasons to get AirPods Pro 3 would be if a) you want best-in-class noise cancellation – AirPods Pro 2 are good, 3 are next-level; b) you want the longest battery life possible (8 hours from AirPods Pro 3 compared to 6 hours in the 2); or c) you like the idea of the heart-rate sensors in the Pro 3, which the 2 lack. I think the other improvements in the buds are small enough that most people would probably rather save the $80 and get AirPods Pro 2 for $169 at Amazon US.

In the UK, it's a little trickier, because the price difference is only £50. AirPods Pro 3 are £219, so they're better value to start with. The same applies as above – the biggest differences are the noise cancellation, battery life and heart-rate sensing, which will only be of interest to a few people. However, with only £50 difference, I think it may be worth people waiting to see if AirPods Pro 3 might actually get a small discount later in the year, over Black Friday. Still, if you're looking to buy one of them today, and you'd prefer to save the £50, I don't think it's a bad idea at all to get AirPods Pro 2 for £179 at Amazon UK.

Here are all the prices on Apple's earbuds over Prime Day, including some record-low prices on AirPods 4 models, in case you'd rather go with those.

Amazon Prime Day AirPods deals in the US

This isn't the cheapest that AirPods Pro 2 have ever been – they fell to just $149 earlier this year – but it's possible it's the lowest we'll see them from now on, because AirPods Pro 3 have replaced them, and once they're gone, they're gone. AirPods Pro 2 have impressive noise cancellation, energetic and expansive sound, head-tracked spatial audio, auto-switching between all your Apple devices, and an unloseable case with precision tracking.

Apple's best open-ear AirPods are back to their lowest-ever price here on Prime Day, and they're a very good option for those who don't like the in-ear fit of other headphones. The sound is rich and detailed, and the noise cancellation is surprisingly effective considering they don't have an in-ear seal. They also most of the same features as AirPods Pro 2 and 3, including Live Translation. You can read my full AirPods 4 with ANC review for more.

Amazon Prime Day [product name] deals in the UK

This isn't the cheapest that Apple's best open-ear AirPods have ever been (they hit £134 once), but this is the best price today. The sound is rich and detailed, and the noise cancellation is surprisingly effective considering they don't have an in-ear seal. They also most of the same features as AirPods Pro 2 and 3, including Live Translation. You can read my full AirPods 4 with ANC review for more.

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Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Entertainment, meaning he's in charge of persuading our team of writers and reviewers to watch the latest TV shows and movies on gorgeous TVs and listen to fantastic speakers and headphones. It's a tough task, as you can imagine. Matt has over a decade of experience in tech publishing, and previously ran the TV & audio coverage for our colleagues at T3.com, and before that he edited T3 magazine. During his career, he's also contributed to places as varied as Creative Bloq, PC Gamer, PetsRadar, MacLife, and Edge. TV and movie nerdism is his speciality, and he goes to the cinema three times a week. He's always happy to explain the virtues of Dolby Vision over a drink, but he might need to use props, like he's explaining the offside rule.

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