AirPods Pro 3 After 3 Months: Sound, ANC, Heart Rate
• Key takeaways:
- AirPods Pro 3 sharpen sound and Spatial Audio using H2 refinements and repositioned internals.
- New foam ear tips boost Active Noise Cancellation but may need a break-in period for some ears.
- Built-in infrared heart-rate sensor improves workout tracking and complements Apple Watch data.
- Battery life per earbud increases (up to 8 hours with ANC), but total case runtime drops to ~24 hours.
Design and fit
The AirPods Pro 3 keep Apple’s compact silhouette while adding tougher seals and IP57 dust and water resistance. The charging case and earbuds feel more robust than previous generations.
Apple switched to deeper, softer foam tips that create a tighter acoustic seal. That improves isolation and ANC performance, but several users report initial discomfort until the tips seat properly. Run the fit test and try different sizes; many owners find the large tips fit better than expected.
Sound performance and Spatial Audio
H2-based tuning and clarity
Although the H2 chip remains under the hood, Apple altered internal layout and tuning to deliver fuller bass and clearer highs. Tracks reveal more detail over time — subtle instruments and backing vocals become more distinct, especially with Spatial Audio enabled.
Use cases
These earbuds handle music, podcasts, movies, and calls with low distortion. Spatial Audio enhances immersive listening on Apple devices, and the improved EQ makes long listening sessions more enjoyable.
Active Noise Cancellation and call quality
ANC benefits significantly from the new foam tips and software refinements. Apple claims a substantial improvement over previous models; in real-world use ANC blocks most ambient noise at moderate volumes, making flights and noisy commutes quieter.
Voice Isolation for calls is very effective, keeping callers focused on your voice even in busy environments, though sudden nearby speech can occasionally bleed through.
Health, fitness, and smart features
AirPods Pro 3 add an infrared heart-rate sensor that samples frequently during workouts and integrates with the Fitness app and third-party trackers. Runners and interval athletes report fewer dropped readings versus relying on Apple Watch alone.
Other features include on-device Live Translation, enhanced Find My with a second-gen UWB chip for Precision Find, hearing assistance modes, head-gesture controls, and intelligent battery management like Optimized Charge Limit.
Battery life and trade-offs
Battery life improved for the earbuds — up to about 8 hours with ANC on and up to 10 hours in transparency/hearing-aid modes. However, the case’s total runtime is roughly 24 hours, down from around 30 hours in the previous generation.
Optimized charging helps battery longevity by keeping the case near 80% most of the time, topping to 100% only when needed.
Verdict
Three months in, AirPods Pro 3 are a strong evolution: better sound, much-improved ANC, and a useful heart-rate sensor for workouts. The foam tips may take time to adapt, and the shorter total case life is a compromise, but for iPhone users seeking seamless integration and premium features, they remain among the best true wireless earbuds at their $249 MSRP.
