- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Video
- Test Results
- Compared to others
- Discussions
The Apple AirPods Pro are a welcome upgrade to the previous models of Apple AirPods. Their in-ear fit makes them much more stable in the ears, and they've improved their sound reproduction significantly, though some may find this design less comfortable. Their active noise cancelling works very well, and is among the best that we've tested on in-ear headphones, making them a good option to use while commuting or at work. While they're smaller than the previous models thanks to their shorter stems, they offer longer battery life and have an easier-to-use touch control scheme. Overall, they're better headphones than the Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019, and are much more versatile for everyday use.
Note that our unit is currently broken and we're waiting on a replacement pair. We'll update the review with the results of the new unit once we've received and tested it.
Our Verdict
Decent mixed usage headphones. The Apple AirPods Pro are well-designed truly wireless headphones with a premium look and feel that matches previous models. Their sound reproduction is quite a bit better than the Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019, which is a welcome improvement. Their ANC is also one of the best we've tested in a pair of truly wireless earbuds, making them a great choice for commuting or using in the office. They're very portable, stable, and quite comfortable, making them a good option for sports as well.
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Comfortable and stable fit.
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Great ANC performance.
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Decent audio reproduction.
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Premium, well-built design.
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Poor customization options, especially on Android.
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Mediocre microphone performance.
These headphones are okay for critical listening. Their sound is much better-balanced than previous models and while they're still a bit bass-light, they provide quite a bit more bass than the Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019 due to their in-ear design. They're a little bright-sounding, but sound more neutral and should be suitable for a wider variety of music genres. They feel very premium and are quite comfortable, meaning you should be able to wear them for long listening sessions without any discomfort.
These are good headphones for commuting. Their ANC works very well and they do a great job at isolating the low rumble of bus and plane engines. They're very comfortable, which means you should have no problem wearing them for long commutes or even during extended travel days. Their battery life is slightly improved over previous models, at over five hours, which should be more than enough for most commutes. You may need to take a break to charge over long flights, however. They're also quite small and easy to take around with you.
These headphones are a great option for sports. Their silicone tip and in-ear design is incredibly stable and should have no problem staying in during strenuous workouts. They're small and lightweight, making them easy to toss in your pocket during workouts. Their bass is improved over previous models, which should help give you a little extra thump to get you motivated. Their ANC will also help keep you from getting distracted even when working out in a busy gym.
The Apple AirPods Pro are quite comfortable and block out a good amount of ambient chatter, making them good for office use. They're very lightweight and comfortable, meaning you should be able to wear them for a full work day without fatigue. Unfortunately their battery won't quite last a full day of work, and they take a bit longer than previous models to fully charge, meaning you may need to take a break from your music while they charge.
These headphones are Bluetooth-only and therefore aren't recommended for wireless gaming. While they're compatible with a Bluetooth-enabled PC, Bluetooth has high latency, which means they aren't ideal for multiplayer games. They aren't compatible with either PS4 or Xbox One.
These headphones are wireless only and therefore can't be used for wired gaming.
These headphones aren't recommended for phone calls due to their poor microphone performance. Their microphone's recorded speech is very thin and muffled-sounding. They also have only decent noise handling, meaning it may be hard for those on the other end of the line to hear you in noisy environments.
- 7.5 Mixed Usage
- 7.3 Neutral Sound
- 8.1 Commute/Travel
- 8.4 Sports/Fitness
- 7.2 Office
- 5.7 Wireless Gaming
- 5.5 Wired Gaming
- 6.5 Phone Calls
- Update 2/5/2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Update 11/21/2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Update 11/21/2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
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Video
Test Results
Updating the iconic look of their earbuds, the Apple AirPods Pro are just as sleek and minimalist as earlier models. The stems are now shorter, while the white silicone tips give them a premium look and feel.
The Apple AirPods Pro are quite comfortable for in-ear headphones. They come with three sizes of silicone tips, and don't enter too deep into the ear canal. They're very lightweight and put no pressure on your ears, meaning they're barely noticeable.
The Apple AirPods Pro's controls are mediocre. Instead of physical buttons, they have an indented 'force sensor' on each stem. Pressing the sensor doesn't provide any tactile feedback, but the earbuds do play a sound when a command is registered. The controls are straightforward: one tap to play/pause or to answer phone calls, two taps to skip a track forward, and three taps to skip a track backwards. If you hold down the controls, it will activate the ANC or Siri depending on how you configure your settings. However, it can be difficult to get the long press to work. On the upside, all the controls also work on Android devices including ANC, although you can't configure them to other virtual assistants.
Like most in-ear headphones, the Apple AirPods Pro don't trap heat inside your ears, which makes them a suitable option for sports. You won’t notice a difference in temperature when wearing them and won’t sweat more than usual.
Lightweight and smaller than previous models, the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are very portable. Even inside their case, they should fit into most pockets.
Their case is excellent. It's extremely small and portable, measuring only slightly larger than previous models. Like the Apple AirPods 2, it supports Qi wireless charging as well as a Lightning port. It should protect the headphones well against minor falls and scratches, but not against water damage.
The AirPods Pro have the same build quality as previous models. They have a premium feel thanks to their high-quality plastic finish and should be durable enough to withstand a few accidental drops or bumps without sustaining too much physical damage. Unlike the Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019, Apple has rated these headphones IPX4 for water and sweat resistance, which should help them survive through tough workouts, though we don't test this.
These in-ear headphones have one of the most stable fits of any in-ears without stability fins that we've tested so far, and shouldn't fall out of your ears when working out or running. They don't move at all in your ears and don't break the seal, making them a good option for physical activity.
- Apple AirPods Pro headphones
- Charging Case
- USB C-to-lightning cable
- Three tip size options
- Manuals
The Apple AirPods Pro have a fairly neutral sound profile, although a bit on the brighter side as they lack a bit of bass, but not as much as the standard AirPods models which are open-back. Note that the Pro don't have the best frequency response consistency, so users might hear this differently.
Update 03/11/2020: There was a previous error in our testing that made the frequency response consistency of these headphones appear to be worse than it is. We have retested this and the review has been updated to reflect these changes.
The AirPods Pro's frequency response consistency is excellent. Assuming you achieve a proper fit with the included tips, you should experience the same sound reproduction every time you use the headphones.
The AirPods Pro's bass performance is good. Thanks to their closed-back design, they don't have low-bass issues like the Apple AirPods 1 Truly Wireless 2017 and Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019. However, the response is still a bit under our target curve, meaning some people might feel like they're on the bass-light side.
The AirPods Pro have a great mid-range performance. The reproduction of vocals and lead instruments is fairly well-balanced, although a bit over our target, especially in low-mid. This might sound a bit cluttered and forward, but most people won't notice this.
The AirPods Pro's treble performance is quite excellent. The response is very accurate and follows our curve well. Vocals, lead instruments, and sibilants will have the right amount of detail and brightness and will sound natural.
These headphones have a well-balanced response that doesn't have too many peaks and dips. The overemphasis in low-treble might clutter vocals a bit, but this won't be noticeable for most people.
The AirPods Pro's stereo imaging is great. The group delay graph shows it's under the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and treble reproduction. The L/R drivers of our unit were also well-matched, with a slight mismatch in amplitude, but most people wouldn't notice it with real-life content as it's very minor. Note that these results are only valid for our unit and yours may perform differently.
As expected of in-ears, the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless' passive soundstage is bad. Earbuds are generally unable to create a soundstage, by design: in order to get that out-of-head, speaker-like feeling, your pinna or outer ear has to activate with different resonances. Because the AirPods Pro bypass the pinna altogether and they have a closed-back enclosure, they won't feel very open or spacious.
The AirPods Pro's weighted harmonic distortion performance is great. This results in a clean and pure audio reproduction, and the bump in the treble range shouldn't be audible for most people. There's also no big jump under heavier loads, which is good.
Update 12/04/2019: After receiving multiple reports of the ANC being worse than before after the 2B588 firmware update, we retested the Apple AirPods Pro's noise isolation performance and didn't get noticeable test result differences. Apple might have tweaked the ANC, but not enough to noticeably impact the overall performance.
The noise isolation of these headphones is impressive. They do a great job isolating the low rumble of bus or plane engines, making them good for commuting. Their mid-range performance is also great, making them excellent for blocking out ambient chatter. Their weakest isolation performance is in the treble range, though this is the least important for most situations and they still do a decent job.
Their leakage performance is very good, and much better than previous models due to their in-ear design. They leak the most sound in the treble range, meaning the leaking will be thin-sounding. It's unlikely that these headphones will bother those around you.
The Apple AirPods Pro have an integrated Bluetooth microphone.
The recording quality of the Apple AirPods Pro's microphone is passable. Speech recorded sounds very thin and muffled, though you should still be able to make out what's being said.
The noise handling of the Apple AirPods Pro's microphone is mediocre. In quiet environments you should have no problem, but in noisier situations like on busy streets or on the subway, it'll likely have a hard time separating your voice from background noise.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless have a satisfactory battery life. Improving from previous models, these earbuds have just over 5 hours of charge with ANC turned on - roughly one hour more than before. The case also provides five additional charges when you're on the go. While it can take over an hour to fully charge, if you're in a hurry, just under a half hour of charging can give you about 3-4 hours of playback. When not in use, the Apple AirPods Pro go into standby mode. This can help to conserve your battery life but because the earbuds still stay on, you might want to turn them off completely if you can't charge them right away. If you want something with a longer battery, check out the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, which last much longer off a single charge.
The Apple AirPods Pro don't really have a companion app, just a settings screen on iOS devices. They have slightly more customization options than the Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019, with ANC and transparency mode toggle, and the ability to change long-press on each earbud to either ANC control or Siri activation. The app also allows you to do a Fit Tip Test to help find which size tips give the best fit, though we had mixed results from this. There are no customization options for Android devices. However, if you do prefer having a bit of customization, check out the Amazon Echo Buds Truly Wireless and their 3-band EQ or the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless with their 20 available presets.
These are Bluetooth-compatible truly wireless headphones. They use the H1 chip for Apple Devices which helps with pairing, connection strength and latency. Unfortunately, our testing dongle doesn't support Bluetooth 5.0 or interact with the H1 chip so you may experience better overall performance when paired to an Apple device. If you want more gaming-oriented truly wireless headphones for non-iOS devices, check out the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless.
These headphones are only Bluetooth compatible.
These headphones can't be used wired, which is expected with truly wireless headphones. They charge via the included USB-C to Lightning cable, but don't include a charging power brick.
These headphones are compatible with PC via Bluetooth if your PC is Bluetooth-compatible or you have the correct USB dongle. They aren't compatible with PS4.
These headphones are Bluetooth-only and aren't compatible with Xbox One.
Their charging case is very premium feeling and is rather small considering its battery capacity. It charges via Apple's Lightning port or any wireless Qi charging pad.
Compared to other headphones
The Apple AirPods Pro are decent truly wireless earbuds that look and feel premium and have great ANC. Their sound reproduction may not be as good as some similarly-priced options from competitors, but they're a big improvement over the Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019. We suggest taking a look at our recommendations for the best truly wireless earbuds, the best noise cancelling earbuds, and the best wireless earbuds for iPhone.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless offer similar performance to the Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless but have much better ANC. The Apple sound profile is similar, though the Sony are much more consistent among users. The Sony also provide longer battery life and a much more customizable app with a full graphic EQ for both Android and iOS. The Apple, on the other hand, are more comfortable in the ear and feel significantly more stable.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless perform similarly for mixed usage to the Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless. They're equally comfortable, but the Jabra have a much better control scheme, a better microphone, and a customizable sound profile. On the other hand, the Apple feel slightly more premium, fit more stable, have slightly better overall battery life, and have a better-balanced and more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless and the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless are both very well-rounded truly wireless earbuds that each have their strengths and weaknesses. The Apple have an impressive active noise cancelling feature that makes them great for commuting and a very neutral, versatile sound profile. While the Jabra have quite a bit of bass by default, you can customize the way they sound with their companion app. They also have a more durable design for sports, better microphone quality, and a longer continous battery life.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless. The Apple have a great ANC feature that blocks ambient noise, and their case is noticeably smaller and more portable. The Bose are bigger, have an earbud design, and aren't quite closed-backs, meaning you'll be able to monitor your surroundings, which is great for outdoor runners. The SoundSport also sound a bit more neutral with a more accurate bass performance.
The Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless and the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are two very different headphones. Some may prefer the comfort of over-ears while some would prefer the portability of a truly wireless design. When it comes to noise isolation, both are great, but the Sony are better in this regard thanks to their amazing ANC feature. On the other hand, the Apple are more neutral sounding and are noticeably more stable and breathable, which is great for sports.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless and the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are both very decent pairs of truly wireless headphones. The Apple have slightly easier-to-use controls, a more premium-feeling case, much better isolation performances thanks to their ANC feature, a slightly longer overall battery life, and are easier to pair to Apple devices. On the other hand, the Samsung have a more accurate out-of-the-box sound profile, a significantly longer single-charge battery life, a better app for both iOS and Android that offers EQ presets, and are easier to pair with compatible Samsung devices.
The Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless have better sound reproduction than the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. The Beats also have a better control scheme, great battery life, and a more sports-friendly ear-hook design. On the other hand, the Apple feel a bit more premium, have significantly better noise isolation thanks to their ANC, and a much smaller and more portable design that still feels just as stable in the ear.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable and also feature a great ANC feature that blocks ambient noise. They're also more stable for sports and have a more neutral out-of-the-box sound profile. The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless look a bit more high-end and barely leak any noise at high volume. They also have volume control, which the Apple lack.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are significantly better earphones than the Apple EarPods. The EarPods have an open-back earbud design that delivers very little bass and isolates hardly any noise. This can actually be a good thing if you like to listen to podcasts while running outdoors, but if you prefer a better-balanced sound for listening to music, and need to block out external noise, the Pro are the way to go.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better overall in-ear headphones than the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2. The Apple are more comfortable, have a better-balanced and more neutral sound profile, and their ANC is more effective at reducing background noise. Their battery life is also longer, and their charging case provides two additional charges over that of the Sennheiser. However, the Sennheiser have a slightly better performing microphone.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless and the Plantronics Voyager 5200 are designed for different uses. The Voyager 5200 is a mono Bluetooth headset that isn't meant for listening to music, while the Apple are truly wireless headphones designed for listening to music. The microphone on the Voyager does a much better job at handling noise, and the app gives you a ton of customization options for phone calls. On the other hand, the Apple come with a charging case, and two earbuds so you can listen to stereo music. Their sound profile is also much better-balanced for music.
While both sound very well-balanced and isolate a lot of noise, the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless will be better truly wireless earbuds for most people than the Jabra Elite 65t Truly Wireless. While the Jabra have more customization options on both Android and iOS, the Apple are more comfortable, and their ANC helps them isolate even more noise in the bass range, which is important when commuting.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless are similar truly wireless in-ears to the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable, have a better case, feel better-built, and have ANC. On the other hand, the Anker have better controls, a more bass-heavy sound profile, and a better-dedicated app.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 and the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are two great products, but for different uses. The Bose's over-ear design is more comfortable and the ANC blocks more ambient noise. On the other hand, the Apple are more portable and better for sports thanks to their better stability and breathability performances.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are slightly better truly wireless in-ears than the Amazon Echo Buds Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable, feel better built, have a much smaller case, and have better ANC. On the other hand, the Amazon have access to a 3-band graphic EQ and charge quicker.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better, more versatile Bluetooth earbuds than the Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless. The Apple have a more balanced treble reproduction, an excellent active noise cancelling (ANC) feature, and a more comfortable design. The Bang & Olufsen last longer on a single charge, and they leak less sound but feel less fully-featured overall.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless are similarly performing earbuds to the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. Their sound profile is very similar, though they are much more consistent among different users. The Samsung offer Android users a lot of customization options, including EQ presets, while the Apple have very minimal customization overall. The Samsung's battery life is also significantly better. The Apple, on the other hand, offer ANC which gives you much better noise isolation. They also provide seamless pairing for Apple users thanks to their H1 chip.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are much better than the Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019. The Pro's sound reproduction is much better, especially in the bass range, and their in-ear design and ANC provides significantly better noise isolation. The Pro have an easier-to-use control scheme and feel much more stable in the ear. On the other hand, the non-intrusive fit of the AirPods 2 may be more comfortable for some people, and they charge much quicker.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless in-ears than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless. The Apple are much more comfortable, feel more premium, and have a much better-balanced sound profile. On the other hand, the listening experience is more consistent among users with the Razer, and with gaming mode enabled, their latency is lower on non-iOS devices.
The Astro A40 TR + MixAmp Pro 2017 and the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are very different headphones that are both great for their intended purposes. The Astro are comfortable wired headphones for low-latency gaming, while the Apple have a more portable, casual design with great active noise cancelling for everyday use.
If you can afford them, the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the Anker SoundCore Life P2 Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable, feel much more premium, and have ANC to help block ambient noises. On the other hand, the Anker have a similarly well-balanced sound profile and offer good overall value if you don't want to pay the premium price for the Apple.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the TOZO T6 Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable, feel more premium, better-built, stable in the ear, have a more accurate and neutral sound profile, much better noise isolation thanks to their ANC feature, and a longer overall battery life. On the other hand, the TOZO are rated IPX8 for waterproofing, though we don't currently test for this.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are slightly better truly wireless in-ears than the JBL LIVE 300TWS Truly WIreless. The Apple look a lot more premium, feel a bit more durable, last longer off a single charge, and hold more charges in their case. They block much more background noise thanks to their ANC feature, and their sound profile isn't quite as bass-heavy, though they don't have a companion app for EQ options like the JBL. The JBL also have a better microphone and may represent better value to some people.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless in-ears than the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 79. The Apple are more comfortable, look and feel more premium, pair much easier to Apple devices, and have a slightly better-balanced sound profile with less bass. They also have active noise cancelling (ANC) which helps them block out significantly more background noise. On the other hand, the SoundLiberty 79 have a slightly longer single-charge battery life and may represent better value overall for some people.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are much better truly wireless headphones than the JBL TUNE 220TWS Truly Wireless. The Apple are much more comfortable, have better controls, look and feel much more premium, feel more stable thanks to their in-ear fit, have a much more accurate and balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, isolate way better thanks to their ANC, have a better battery life, and have some customization options available on Apple devices. On the other hand, the JBL are available in a wide range of colors and have a better microphone.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better wireless headphones than the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro Truly Wireless. The Apple are slightly more comfortable, have better controls, and feel better built. Their sound profile is better balanced and neutral while their active noise cancelling helps to block out noise around you. Although they have less continuous battery life than the Anker, they have five additional charges in their carrying case compared to Anker's three. However, the Anker have a better companion app that lets you customize their sound.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are much better truly wireless in-ears than the Google Pixel Buds 2020 Truly Wireless. The AirPods block significantly more background noise, thanks in part to their excellent ANC feature. They also have a slightly better-balanced sound profile with a bit more bass. On the other hand, the Pixel Buds last longer off a single charge, and have an easier-to-use control scheme.
The AfterShokz Aeropex Bone Conduction and the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are very different headphones. While the Apple are more traditional truly wireless in-ears, the AfterShokz use bone conduction to create sound and don't actually go inside your ears. The AfterShokz are a good choice if you want to be able to hear your music but still stay aware of your surroundings. Meanwhile the Apple have a great ANC feature and are excellent for blocking out background sound.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the Mpow Flame Pro Truly Wireless. The Apple feel much more premium, have a smaller and more portable case, and feel practically just as stable, despite not having an ear-hook design. The Apple also have a much more accurate sound profile, ANC for significantly better noise isolation, and their case features wireless charging. On the other hand, the Mpow have a much better battery life and may represent better value for people just looking for a pair of wireless headphones to take to the gym.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are significantly better truly wireless headphones than the Microsoft Surface Earbuds Truly Wireless. The Apple headphones are much more comfortable, look and feel more premium, and hold way more charges in their case. They block out drastically more background noise than the Microsoft thanks to their excellent ANC feature, and their sound profile is also much better balanced. On the other hand, the Microsoft don't have an in-ear fit that enters deep into the ear canal, which some people may prefer. Their companion app also allows you to customize the way the headphones sound via a graphic EQ or presets, which the Apple in-ears lack.
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better Bluetooth in-ears than the Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks Truly Wireless. The AirPods Pro are more comfortable for most people, have an active noise cancelling (ANC) feature to help block out more noise, and a much better-balanced sound profile. The Clarity 101 AirLinks still isolate a decent amount of noise passively, though, and the lack of ANC helps give them a couple of extra hours of battery life too, but their dark sound profile can be a deal-breaker.
Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless Price
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