Products
Apple AirPods (2nd generation)
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Tested using Methodology v1.5
Updated Apr 19, 2024 06:39 PM
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Tested using Methodology v2.0
Updated Oct 28, 2025 05:21 PM
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TypeEarbuds
Noise CancellingNo
EnclosureOpen-Back
WirelessTruly Wireless
TransducerDynamic
MicYes
TypeIn-ear
Noise CancellingYes
EnclosureClosed-Back
Bass Amount
Slightly Emphasized (1 dB)
WirelessTruly Wireless
TransducerDynamic
Treble Amount
Slightly Underemphasized (-3 dB)
MicYes
Sound Signature
Warm
Our Verdict
Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless
Apple AirPods Pro 3
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are better than the Apple AirPods (2nd generation). The AirPods Pro 3 pack more advanced features and the flexibility of noise cancelling, thanks to their ear tips. They can also reproduce a much fuller low-end, giving your music a more balanced bass response. Plus, their battery life extends longer, and they have a much more durable IP57 rating. The AirPods (2nd generation) use an unsealed fit, leaving your ear canals open to hear everything around you, but they don't block any noise. That said, they still pair well with other devices by the brand with OS-exclusive features like 'Find My.'
Variants
- AirPods (2nd generation) (With charging case)
- AirPods (2nd generation) (With wireless charging case)
- AirPods Pro 3 (White)
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With charging case
AirPods (2nd generation)
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White
AirPods Pro 3
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With wireless charging case
AirPods (2nd generation)
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White
AirPods Pro 3
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White
AirPods Pro 3
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White
AirPods Pro 3
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AirPods Pro 3
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Main Differences for
Neutral Sound
Neutral Sound
Threshold
Neutral Sound
6.6
Full Comparison
Sound
Sound Profile
Sound Profile
Normalization Frequency
650 Hz
Bass Amount
Slightly Emphasized (1 dB)
Bass Amount
-8.65 dB
Treble Amount
0.39 dB
Treble Amount
Slightly Underemphasized (-3 dB)
Sound Signature
Warm
Frequency Response Consistency
5.6
9.0
Consistency L
Consistency R
Std. Deviation
1.13 dB
0.45 dB
Bass Profile: Target Compliance
5.8
9.8
Bass Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
6.68 dB
1.1 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
70.25 Hz
20 Hz
Low Bass
-13.78 dB
1.25 dB
Mid Bass
-1.58 dB
0.61 dB
High Bass
2.09 dB
0.25 dB
Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
8.4
9.2
Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
2.17 dB
1.24 dB
Low Mid
1.31 dB
1.55 dB
Mid-Mid
0.07 dB
0.05 dB
High Mid
3.01 dB
-1.25 dB
Treble Profile: Target Compliance
7.4
7.6
Treble Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
3.89 dB
3.62 dB
Low Treble
3.83 dB
-3.49 dB
Mid Treble
3.78 dB
-1.89 dB
High Treble
-2.62 dB
-9.69 dB
Peaks/Dips
7.2
6.6
Peaks/Dips Graph
Peaks
1.97 dB
1.74 dB
Dips
1.12 dB
3.41 dB
Stereo Mismatch
8.8
Frequency Response Mismatch
Phase Response Mismatch
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.37
0.19 dB
Weighted Frequency Response Mismatch
1.28
0.69 dB
Weighted Phase Mismatch
2.28
0.7°
Cumulative Spectral Decay
CSD
PRTF
2.9
0.0
PRTF
PRTF Accuracy (RMS Deviation)
N/A
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
N/A
Openness
9.6
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.2
Harmonic Distortion
9.1
Harmonics Levels
THD Ratio
WHD @ 94 dB SPL
0.358
0.06%
WHD @ 104 dB SPL
0.104
0.23%
Electrical Aspects
Impedance
Sensitivity @1kHz-1V
N/A
Bluetooth Max SPL
106.0 dB
Virtual Soundstage
0.0
5.0
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
On/Off
Speaker Modeling
No
On/Off
Room Ambience
No
No
Head Tracking
No
On/Off
Virtual Surround
No
Personalized Spatial Audio
Test Settings
Firmware
1A673
8A358
Power
On
On
Connection
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 44.1kHz
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
Test Instrument
Audio Precision APx517B
EQ
No EQ
Adaptive EQ
ANC
No ANC
On
Tip/Pad
Default
Silicone (medium)
Microphone
Integrated
Integrated
Imaging
8.5
Group Delay
Phase Response Mismatch
Weighted Group Delay
0.28
Weighted Phase Mismatch
2.28
0.7°
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.37
0.19 dB
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.28
0.69 dB
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
7.8
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.358
0.06%
WHD @ 100
0.104
0.23%
Design
Style
Design Picture 2
Type
Earbuds
In-ear
Enclosure
Open-Back
Closed-Back
Wireless
Truly Wireless
Truly Wireless
Transducer
Dynamic
Dynamic
Comfort
7.5
8.0
Comfort Picture
Weight
0.02 lbs
0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs
0 lbs
Controls
4.3
8.2
Controls Picture
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use
Subpar
Good
Feedback
Subpar
Great
Call/Music Control
Yes
Yes
Volume Control
No
Yes
Microphone Control
No
Mute/Unmute
Channel Mixing
No
No
Noise Cancelling Control
No
On/Off
Talk-Through
No
On/Off
Additional Controls
Voice Assistant
Multi function + Voice Assistant
Breathability
9.2
Breathability After Picture
Avg.Temp.Difference
0.8 °C
Portability
9.6
9.4
Portability Picture
L
1.7" (4.3 cm)
1.5" (3.9 cm)
W
1.0" (2.5 cm)
1.3" (3.3 cm)
H
0.6" (1.5 cm)
0.9" (2.2 cm)
Volume
1.00 in³ (16.39 cm³)
1.70 in³ (27.84 cm³)
Transmitter Required
No
No
Case
8.5
9.0
Case Picture
Type
Hard case
Hard case
L
2.1" (5.3 cm)
1.9" (4.7 cm)
W
1.7" (4.3 cm)
2.4" (6.2 cm)
H
0.7" (1.8 cm)
0.9" (2.2 cm)
Volume
2.50 in³ (40.97 cm³)
3.91 in³ (64.10 cm³)
Build Quality
8.0
7.5
Build Quality Picture
Stability
6.5
8.0
Stability Picture
Headshots 1
Angled Picture
Side Picture
Headshots 2
Front Picture
Rear Picture
Top
Top Picture
In The Box
In The Box Picture
Isolation
Noise Isolation - Full Range
1.0
9.7
Noise Isolation - Full Range Graph
Noise Cancelling
No
Yes
Overall Attenuation
-1.95 dB
-28.69 dB
Isolation Audio
Bass
0.32 dB
-23.84 dB
Mid
0.98 dB
-32.38 dB
Treble
-6.94 dB
-30.51 dB
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios
10
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios Graph
Airplane Noise Attenuation
-26.78 dB
Airplane Noise Isolation Audio
Office Noise Attenuation
-24.95 dB
Office Noise Isolation Audio
Street Noise Attenuation
-30.01 dB
Street Noise Isolation Audio
Noise Isolation - Voice Handling
Female Voice 1
Male Voice 1
Female Voice 2
Male Voice 2
Leakage
7.2
8.6
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
38.25 dB
29.6 dB
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
Yes
In-Line
No
No
Boom
No
No
Detachable Boom
No
No
Mic
Yes
Yes
Recording Quality
6.4
5.5
Microphone Frequency Response
Recorded Speech
LFE
261.43 Hz
236.29 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3.34 dB
5.83 dB
HFE
3,319.91 Hz
2,873.5 Hz
Weighted THD
27.169
N/A
Gain
38.23 dB
12.21 dB
Noise Handling
6.9
7.0
SpNR
SpNR
13.93 dB
44.04 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.5
7.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
6.0
7.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample
Active Features
Battery
6.6
7.5
Battery Type
Rechargable
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
4.1 hrs
9 hrs
Additional Charges
5.0
2.0
Total Battery Life
24.6 hrs
26 hrs
Charge Time
0.5 hrs
1.6 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Standby mode
Standby mode
Audio While Charging
Yes
Yes
Passive Playback
No
No
Charging Port
Lightning
USB-C
App Support
5.0
7.0
App Picture
App Name
No App
iOS Interface
iOS
Yes
Yes
Android
No
No
macOS
Yes
Yes
Windows
No
No
Equalizer
No
No
ANC Control
No
On/Off
Mic Control
No
No
Room Effects
No
No
Playback Control
No
No
Button Mapping
Yes
Yes
Surround Support
No
Yes
Connectivity
Wired Connection
0.0
0.0
Cable Picture
Analog Audio
No
No
USB Audio
No
No
Detachable
No
No
Length
N/A
N/A
Connector
No Wired Option
No Wired Option
Latency - Analog
N/A
Latency - USB
N/A
N/A
Recorded Latency
N/A
Recorded Latency Connection
No Wired Audio
Bluetooth Connection
6.8
7.9
Bluetooth Version
5.0+H1 chip
5.3+H2 chip
Multi-Device Pairing
No
Yes (Apple Ecosystem)
NFC Pairing
No
Quick Pair (Android)
No
Quick Pair (iOS)
Yes
Line Of Sight Range
149.00 ft (45.42 m)
334.65 ft (102.00 m)
Latency - SBC
176 ms
183 ms
Latency - aptX
N/A
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (High Quality)
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency)
N/A
Latency - LDAC
N/A
Recorded Latency
Recorded Latency Codec
SBC
AAC Support
Yes
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
80 ms
Android Latency
165 ms
Wireless Connection (Dongle)
0.0
0.0
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
N/A
Latency - Dongle
N/A
N/A
Recorded Latency
N/A
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
No
Wired USB
No
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
No
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
No
PS5 Analog
No
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Base/Dock
2.2
2.2
Type
Charging Case
Charging Case
USB Input
No
No
Line In
No
No
Line Out
No
No
Optical Input
No
No
RCA Input
No
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Yes
Power Supply
Lightning
USB-C
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With charging case
AirPods (2nd generation)
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AirPods Pro 3
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With wireless charging case
AirPods (2nd generation)
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White
AirPods Pro 3
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AirPods Pro 3
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AirPods Pro 3
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AirPods Pro 3
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Apple AirPods (2nd generation) vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: Main Discussion
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