- New ear tips mix foam and silicone for comfort and a snug fit
- IP57 rating makes them dust resistant and water safe up to 1 meter
- Stronger noise cancellation and vibrant sound with boosted bass
- First-ever health feature: built-in heart-rate tracking
Apple’s third-generation AirPods Pro are here, and they are not just another small upgrade. They bring comfort tweaks, tougher durability, better sound, and even a heart-rate sensor inside your ear. After five days of living with them, from a six-hour flight to sweaty workouts, these earbuds feel like Apple finally pushed the “Pro” label up a notch.
These Tips Don’t Slip
The first thing you notice is the fit. At a glance, the AirPods Pro 3 don’t look drastically different from their predecessors. The case is a little taller and longer, while the buds themselves resemble the recently announced AirPods 4. The real story, though, is in the ear tips.
Instead of sticking with plain silicone, Apple now blends foam and silicone into a hybrid tip. It shapes itself better to the ear canal, creating both comfort for long hours and a stronger seal to keep the music in and the noise out. The tips are available in five sizes ranging from extra-extra small to extra-large, with medium preinstalled. That is more sizing than most people ever thought ear tips needed, but it matters.
During a walk and a sweaty stretching session, the buds didn’t budge. That is a quiet victory for anyone who has felt an AirPod slowly wriggle its way out mid-run.
Now With Swim-ish Powers
Apple also toughened up these buds. With an IP57 rating, the AirPods Pro 3 are now resistant to dust and capable of surviving a dunk in fresh water up to a meter deep for 30 minutes. That is a big step up from the IPX4 resistance of AirPods Pro 2, which only covered sweat and light splashes.
The case itself is also rated IP57, which means tossing it in a wet gym bag is less nerve-racking. Apple didn’t go as far as advertising these as swim headphones, but the new standard makes them far more versatile. Compared to fitness-focused competitors with hooks and bands, the AirPods Pro 3 still sit securely without any extra hardware.
“Bass, Please” – Sound That Finally Packs a Punch
The changes are not just physical. Inside, Apple rearranged the internals to improve airflow and acoustics. The redesigned top vent, combined with the familiar H2 chip, lets the drivers push out fuller sound.
On tracks like Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, the opening wall of instruments came alive with clarity while still carrying that gut-level bass thump. Pop tracks like Sabrina Carpenter’s Manchild showed off how well the earbuds separate high vocals from booming low end without collapsing into muddiness. Patti Smith’s People Have the Power hammered in the point with drums that felt urgent and vocals that soared over them.
The bass boost is unmistakable compared to AirPods Pro 2. Adaptive EQ has also been updated to keep the mix balanced in real time, so whether you are listening at low volume at your desk or cranking it on a train, the sound stays consistent.
ANC That Shuts the World Out Faster
Apple has doubled down on active noise cancellation. The company says AirPods Pro 3 are twice as effective as AirPods Pro 2 and four times better than the original Pro or AirPods 4. While lab math aside, real-world testing proved they block sound faster and across a wider range of frequencies.
On a transcontinental flight, the roar of the Boeing 757’s engines dropped to a hush almost immediately once ANC kicked in. Music at 50 percent volume erased the cabin chatter almost entirely. Walking through crowded streets, the algorithm adjusted quickly enough to dampen sudden bursts of sound like honks or motorcycles, though truly unexpected noises can still slip through momentarily.
Transparency mode has also improved. Voices and environmental sounds come through naturally without the metallic buzz or artifacting common on older buds. Even your own voice sounds more natural in your ears, making calls feel less like you are trapped inside a tin can.
Fitness Tracking Without a Watch
This is the wild card: Apple has built a heart-rate sensor into the AirPods Pro 3. A tiny infrared sensor beams invisible red light inside your ear, capturing readings 256 times per second.
In testing, heart-rate readings from the AirPods Pro 3 matched almost perfectly with those from an Apple Watch, usually within a beat or two. The data syncs automatically to the Health app, where you can see whether the source was your watch or your earbuds.
It means you can now track workouts without wearing anything on your wrist, and the AirPods Pro 3 support over 50 types of activities through the Fitness app. For people who dislike wearing a watch while running or lifting weights, this is a meaningful upgrade.
“Lost in Translation” – But in a Good Way
Apple also introduced Live Translation, a feature that will roll out to AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with the H2 chip as well. Pair AirPods Pro 3 with an iPhone 15 or newer, and you can translate languages in near real time.
During testing, translations from German, Spanish, and Portuguese to English were accurate and reasonably quick. Phrases usually took a few seconds to process, though you need to pause to give the system a chance to catch up. You hear the translation directly in your ears while your iPhone displays the script in the Translate app.
The feature launches with English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, with Italian, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese coming later this year. It is especially useful for travel, and yes, it even works with TV shows or YouTube videos if you have the patience.
Bigger Battery, Smaller Case Stamina
Battery life has been extended significantly in-ear. AirPods Pro 3 deliver up to 8 hours with ANC on and 10 hours in Transparency mode, enough to handle a long flight or a full workday without charging. That is a clear improvement over AirPods Pro 2.
The case, however, now maxes out at 24 hours of extra charge compared to 30 hours previously. Apple redesigned it to fit the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for improved Find My location accuracy, but did not add a bigger battery. The case is a bit taller and longer as a result, though it still fits comfortably in a pocket.
Prices Hold Steady
Despite the upgrades, Apple kept pricing flat in the U.S. and U.K. AirPods Pro 3 cost $249 in the United States and £219 in the United Kingdom. In Australia, they land at AU$429, slightly higher than the AU$399 of the previous generation.
