Apple's first AirPods arrived back in 2016 together with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Within a couple of years they became Apple's most popular accessory with incredible success for the company thanks to the ease of use. use, especially with the charging case, but also for its minimal appearance, easy to wear and with good audio quality, especially in conversations. They have become a must have for Apple users but also for those who usually use Android.
Since 2016, however, there have been innovations that have involved the introduction of a second generation of AirPods which has seen a wireless case as well as a new latest generation chip and the activation of the Siri function. Then there was also the arrival of the more performing version: the AirPods Pro, i.e. the first Apple earphones with active noise suppression. Presented in 2019, they have added not only a new control mode via force sensors on the stems but also a transparency mode to hear the external environment without taking them off your ears and still charging without a cable.
Today, after a couple of years, Apple decides to introduce a new generation of earphones: the AirPods 3. They are earphones that only partially incorporate the specifications of the AirPods 2 (which are still in the catalogue), neither the characteristics change, proposing themselves aesthetically closer to the AirPods Pro, with a short stem and with a pressure sensor and with a completely more ergonomic polycarbonate conformation compared to the AirPods 2 version, while maintaining the absence of the silicone bulb. But they do add a few things like adaptive EQ and spatial audio.
But let's go in order and try to list all the differences between the three different types of AirPods that Apple currently offers on the market in our comparison.
DESIGN
Let's inevitably start from talking about the design, that is the aesthetic aspect that Apple's AirPods possess. There are important differences between the three AirPods models because on the one hand we have those with a long stem, on the other those with a short stem and again the Pro version with a short stem and silicone bulb.
AirPods 2 are the earphones that still have the aesthetic appearance that the very first generation AirPods had. As mentioned, they have a long stem that seems to give balance to the cap as well as allowing a firm grip with the fingers. In this case, they have a headset shape very similar to that of the EarPods, i.e. the historic Apple headphones that until a few years ago were included in the iPhone and iPod packages.
The AirPods 3 and the AirPods Pro, on the other hand, differ in this because they "cut" the stem by halving it in length and thus proposing a smaller earphone in size. And not only because the AirPods 3 are decidedly more squat in width right in the earphone area, proposing the body much less flat than what Apple did with the AirPods 2. In this case there is no silicone bulb, which instead we find on the Pro version, and the headphones seem lighter and smaller overall. The positioning in these two headphones is also similar of the various holes for the ventilation grilles as well as the microphones which instead differ with the AirPods 2.
Dimensions and WeightThe AirPods 2 are 40.5 mm long, 16.5 mm wide and 18 mm deep while the weight is 4 grams each. The AirPods Pro instead have a height of 30.9 mm, a width of 21.8 mm and a depth of 24 mm with a weight of 5.4 grams. Finally, the AirPods 3 which are 30.79 mm long, 18.26 mm wide and 19.21 mm deep with a weight of only 4.28 grams: they are the lightest earphones in the series.
To change especially in size, and somehow also in shape, there is also the charging and carrying case for the AirPods. The case is undoubtedly a characteristic element for this type of earphones. In all versions it remains faithful to the original in terms of materials and color: very resistant glossy polycarbonate in white just like the AirPods.
Dimensionally the largest is that of the AirPods Pro especially in width rather than in height. Exactly we are talking about 60.6 mm x 45.2 mm with a thickness of 21.7mm and a weight of 45.6 grams. The MagSafe case of the AirPods 3 is also close in size and above all in shape: the dimensions are 54.40 mm x 46.40 mm with a thickness of 21.38 mm and a weight of 37.91 grams. Finally there is the AirPods 2 case which is actually the smallest of all with a much more elongated shape in height since we are talking about 44.30mm x 53.5mm with a thickness of 21.30mm and a weight of 38 ,2.
ERGONOMICS
It is clear that the three versions of AirPods differ from each other in terms of ergonomics, that is, what turns out to be the comfort of use and stability once worn. In this case AirPods Pro and AirPods 3 are similar in their structure both proposing an identical shape and a curvature of the earphones designed to allow the best positioning in the auricle. Clearly on stability in this case the Pro version with its silicone pads allows you to achieve the maximum for the user by fixing the headset in the best possible way even during situations of physical activity and therefore exaggerated movement.
AirPods 2
AirPods 3
AirPods Pro
It goes without saying that the AirPods 2 are the least stable compared to the others and this is essentially due to a less ergonomic shape of the headset. Moreover, I don't have any type of rubber and this does not allow the firm positioning in the auricle especially in the case of important motor activity.
Given the lack of a silicone rubber on the AirPods 3, we would have expected less stability than the AirPods Pro. Instead, in practice we found that the ergonomics are respectable and that once inserted well into the auricle will hardly fall or at least they will do it much less than the AirPods 2. Moreover, the presence of an IPX4 certification against sweat or even water allows the AirPods 3 to be used in a less painstaking way than the other earphones and this certainly poses an advantage in their favor especially for those who use wireless headphones during their workouts.
CONTROLS, USABILITY and HARDWARE
AirPods 3 borrows the pressure controls of the AirPods Pro. Yes, forget in this case the touch controls which instead represented the idea of the original AirPods and version 2 from Apple. In this case the operation is the same in version 3 or in the Pro version. Using them is simple even if some users still prefer the pressure controls of the previous versions.
How are they used? On AirPods Pro and AirPods 3, you need to press once to listen to a song, pause it or answer a call. Then press twice to go to the next song and again press three times to go back to the previous song. And then there is the pressure or holding down it will also be possible to activate Siri for AirPods 3 while for the Pro version it will activate noise cancellation or switch to Transparency mode.
On all three models, however, Apple has decided to implement Siri and this means that it will be enough to say Hey Siri to ask to listen to a song, to make a call or even to ask for directions. Moreover, if the feature is activated, Siri will also be able to warn users (if the earphones are clearly worn) if messages have arrived, by reading them directly, and still warn who is calling. Unfortunately, and we hope that somehow Apple will think about integrating it, we cannot yet adjust the volume using the gestures on the stem of the earphones. This means that we will once again be forced to go through the iPhone or the iPad or through Siri with a specific command.
At the hardware level, the three earphones all have the Apple chip created specifically for the earphones. We are talking about the Apple H1 which not only allows you to better adjust the audio and music as well as activate the various features (Spatial Audio or Active Noise Cancellation) but also ensure immediate pairing between device and earphone as soon as an AirPods is worn .
The coupling is really immediate with any generation or version you are dealing with. It seems almost magical to remove the AirPods from the case, put them on and within a few seconds have the connection with the iPhone or iPad. The same thing happens with the first configuration: once the case is opened, in fact, the user will only have to bring the AirPods close to the smartphone or tablet and this will automatically recognize the devices and a pop-up will allow you to follow a guided configuration that it will guarantee not future pairing but also some initial tips on using the AirPods.
HOW DO AIRPODS SOUND?
One of the most important features of AirPods Pro is Active Noise Cancellation. Each earphone has two microphones: one on the outside to detect incoming noise which can be canceled by the anti-noise and one on the inside that detects any noise that passes through the filter while also analyzing how the music responds to the geometry of the ear cup . The most impressive thing is that the noise cancellation is adjusted continuously or up to 200 times per second unique in this respect according to Apple. Well this feature belongs only to this model of AirPods and therefore if you are looking for total silence during your listening certainly you will not be able to opt for AirPods 2 and 3.
However, what the AirPods 3 possess, as well as the Pro version, instead concerns the so-called Spatial Audio that the Cupertino company had introduced some time ago only on the more expensive version but which now instead has decided to integrate it also on the Latest generation AirPods 3 allowing you to give that something extra to this model compared to the AirPods 2 which do not have it. Spatial audio we know is nothing but a technology introduced by Apple in which a dynamic detection of the position of the head is implemented to simulate the surround sound experience. It is a very particular effect that is put into practice through an algorithm and above all when the music track or even video has been recorded in 5.1 or even in 7.1 and in Dolby Atmos. The system therefore puts the user at the hypothetical center of a three-dimensional space and offers an open and wide sound which adds to the bass enhancement sound by simulating subwoofers.
For this and more, the AirPods 3 are superior to the AirPods 2. We clearly start from the assumption of being in the presence of open earphones and therefore without any desire to reach the quality levels of audiophile headphones. The latest version of AirPods really sounds very good both in terms of the sound range which is well extended but also for the presence of a good amount of bass which is not present in the AirPods 2. In general the level has increased compared to the past and the AirPods 3 return a good sound quality capable of beating many competitors.
Certainly the absence of a silicone bulb that tends to seal the listening is a disadvantage that we can find in AirPods 3 compared to the Pro version which prevails in listening, also thanks to the presence of active noise cancellation, which rewards clearly a quieter listening environment and therefore with the possibility of capturing more details of the music.
On calls we can only express our best opinion. AirPods 3 allow to improve the already high level of this functionality. Those who listen to us can only confirm the goodness of the AirPods 3 microphones which record a clear improvement compared to AirPods 2 but which in some way perhaps even surpass AirPods Pro with a voice that is always clear and a little more full-bodied. In this the AirPods have always stood out for their quality and stability and are actually still at the top of the rankings today.
AUTONOMY
A very important aspect concerns the autonomy of the three versions of AirPods. Let's start with the AirPods 2 which in this case do not have particular software features such as active noise suppression or even spatial audio. This means that you will have the opportunity to use the AirPods 2 for at least 5 continuous hours with a single charge and thanks to the case it will be possible to reach 24 hours of listening. In this case, the recharge can take place both via the classic Apple Lightning cable and via any wireless charging base, even if the MagSafe is not available as we will see instead it will be present for the other earphones.
AirPods Pro does not differ much from what was done by AirPods 2. In this case, however, the advantage is that of reaching about 4 and a half hours but with the noise suppression function active or even with the Transparency mode which in any case consumes more drums. With the charge of the case we reach 24 continuous hours just like it happens with the AirPods 2.
On the other hand, those who improve in autonomy are the AirPods 3. Here Apple allows users to reach an autonomy of 6 hours of continuous listening with a single recharge and we clearly mean also with spatial audio. With the case, on the other hand, we can even reach 30 hours of listening which therefore exceed the others by at least 6 hours. An amazing result which therefore undoubtedly rewards AriPods 3 compared to the other earphones.
CONCLUSIONS: which ones to choose?
AirPods 2, AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro: which ones to choose? The answer to this question is clearly not simple or unequivocal given that everything depends a lot on how you use it and also what you want to achieve.
AirPods Pro inevitably rank first for audio quality especially for the presence of features that other earphones do not have: active noise suppression. A not inconsiderable plus if you want to listen to music or audio in complete isolation. The silicone bulbs physically allow the auricle to be completely blocked and this means that they allow not only better stability but also better sound quality. An advantage that however comes at the expense of the price, AirPods Pro cost more than all the other versions since we are talking about 279 in the price list. Those who want the best in every sense from AirPods can't help but go to the Pro version.
However, there are also the new AirPods 3 that allow the user to take a big leap forward compared to AirPods 2 with advantages in terms of audio quality since they introduce spatial audio with dynamic detection of the position of the head and more high dynamic range amplifier. All features present in the Pro version but which are completely absent on AirPods 2. Moreover, there is an approach of the design of AirPods 3 to AirPods Pro which improves ergonomics and consequently also the use during sporting activities. And then there is an incredible autonomy that reaches 6 hours on a single charge and 30 instead with the case. This is also an important advantage to never run out during a trip. So they are the perfect headphones for those who want to have the latest technological breakthrough, quality audio with spatiality, still record-breaking autonomy among AirPods and IPX4 certification not to be underestimated. The price of 199 certainly places them at the center of a fight between AirPods 2 and Pro.
The AirPods 2 also survive and actually for those who do not have special needs, they are satisfied with the classic ergonomics of the first AirPods with a long stem and do not need to listen to extreme quality audio with space or even with active noise suppression, they can still make excellent travel companions especially at a price of 149.