AirPods Pro 3 review

The first thing you’ll notice is the new foam-infused ear tips. They look like standard silicone tips, but Apple has hidden a soft foam core inside. The result is a hybrid that seals more reliably, grips the ear canal better, and dramatically reduces the dreaded micro-leaks that used to drain energy from the sound. Or let whispers in for that matter.  In practice, it means no more buds launching themselves mid-lunch or while you’re flailing around in the gym. Apple ships five tip sizes this time, all the way from XXS to large. So, unless you’re part alien, you’ll find something that sticks.

The case itself remains familiar, although the LED indicator is now hidden under the plastic surface and the overall width has increased by a bit. MagSafe charging, lanyard loop, and a small built-in speaker for Find My pings. But Apple doesn’t include a charging cable in the box anymore, so either reuse your existing USB-C cable or prepare for a late-night hunt through your drawer of tangled wires. Still, the upgrade from the U1 to the U2 Ultra Wideband chip means it’s more precise than ever when you inevitably lose it between couch cushions. Durability has also been beefed up. The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple’s first buds with an IP57 rating, making them dust-proof and more sweat-friendly than the IP54-rated Pro 2. Throw all the HIIT classes and sweaty commutes at them and still, you’ll run out of energy before they do.

Apple hasn’t moved on from the H2 chip, but the acoustic architecture has been rebuilt to squeeze more out of it. A multiport venting system, repositioned inward-facing mics, and tighter integration between hardware and Apple Intelligence mean the Pro 3 can do a lot more with the same silicon. Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and smarter transparency all carry over, but voice isolation to record your voice via the built-in mics feels more confident thanks to the improved processing.

Noise cancellation itself is a big talking point. Apple claims it’s now up to twice as effective as the already-strong Pro 2 and four times better than the original Pros. Marketing hyperbole aside, they really do knock background noise down hard, especially on flights where low-frequency rumble used to creep in. 

Where things get interesting is in health and workouts. These are the first AirPods with an infrared heart-rate sensor built into the body, pulsing 256 times per second. Unlike the optical sensors on the Apple Watch or Powerbeats Pro 2, this IR system fuses accelerometer data to give surprisingly accurate readings. Paired with an iPhone, you can leave your Apple Watch at home and still get meaningful workout tracking.

Apple even throws in a ‘Workout Buddy’ coaching voice with three selectable personalities (two female, one male) that pipes encouragement and stats directly into your ears. Not all activities are supported though, so no pool sessions for now, but for running, cycling, or HIIT, it’s a neat motivator. You can set calorie, time, or distance goals, and Apple Music will even curate a playlist to match your chosen torture.

The other futuristic flourish is Live Translation. Stick the buds in your ear, press both stems tougher and have a chat with a foreign-language speaker while your AirPods will play back a translated version with about a two-to-three-second lag. It’s not instant enough for fiery debates, but for casual travel conversations, it works surprisingly well. Cleverly, the ANC suppresses the foreign voice so you focus on the translation, and a live transcript appears on your iPhone for reference. The language set is limited for now, but it’s a feature with obvious long-term potential even within India once regional language support comes through.

Finally, there are useful hearing features like personalized audio profiles, transparency mode that doubles as a makeshift hearing aid, and active hearing protection that suppresses ear-shredding volume spikes. It’s thoughtful tech, and if you ever need it, you’ll be glad it’s there.

All the design tweaks and acoustic wizardry mean little if the sound doesn’t deliver. Thankfully, it does. Compared to the Pro 2, the Pro 3 sound richer, more confident, and noticeably fuller. Listening to Christone “Kingfish” Ingram’s Truth, the bass had more texture and definition, mids sat more naturally, and the overall soundstage felt deeper. Imaging and separation benefit both from the better venting system and the superior seal of the new tips. They don’t just sound louder…they sound more alive.

Noise cancellation feels equally upgraded. On a flight, they all but erased the drone of the engines, leaving music and movies to shine without you having to crank the volume dangerously high. On the streets, traffic noise melted into the background, though the high-pitched whine of a construction drill still poked through here and there. Noises from the back of your head benefit the most from the new ANC algorithm and wearing them in the office almost feels like sitting in Steve Jobs Theater on a Sunday morning. They are quiet as a tomb! Transparency mode, meanwhile, continues to be the gold standard, sounding eerily natural. 

Battery life is another area where Apple has stretched things out. With ANC on, you now get up to eight hours per charge, a solid two-hour gain over the Pro 2. In real use, I consistently cleared seven hours without hitting the case. Speaking of which, the case now delivers about three full top-ups instead of four, so total runtime is a little less than the Pro 2’s marathon, but still enough to get through a long-haul flight with plenty to spare.

The heart-rate sensor proved surprisingly reliable during workouts, especially when synced with an Apple Watch for validation. It’s not medical-grade, but for everyday training and fitness, it’s more than good enough. Workout Buddy is charming if slightly gimmicky. Hearing your AirPods congratulate you mid-run isn’t life-changing, but it does make workouts less solitary. And while Live Translation isn’t perfect, the fact that it even works inside earbuds is an impressive signpost for where Apple is heading.

The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple at their most self-assured. They don’t reinvent the wheel, but they improve fit, boost noise cancellation, extend earbuds battery life, toughen durability, and throw in genuinely useful health and translation features. Compared to the Pro 2, the gains are real enough that frequent travellers, gym-goers, or any iPhone user who values absolute convenience will notice them immediately.

At ₹25,900, they’re undeniably expensive, but don’t diminish what is otherwise the most complete pair of AirPods Apple has ever made. If you live inside Apple’s ecosystem and want earbuds that don’t just sound great but also work as health trackers, travel tools, and workout partners, then the AirPods Pro 3 are worth every rupee.