Apple's AirPods Pro 3 offer the first redesign of the popular earbuds and add dedicated fitness features, but how do they compare to the previous generations and should you upgrade?


The AirPods Pro were introduced in 2019 as a high-end version of AirPods, offering a new design, touch-sensitive controls, and active noise cancellation (ANC). The second-generation improved ANC and introduced the H2 chip, Precision Finding, and much more. Apple refreshed it with USB-C a year later. This year, Apple debuted the third generation, featuring a new design and heart-rate monitoring. Each generation has added better sound quality and a range of new features.

The second-generation AirPods Pro have now been discontinued by Apple, but they can still be found for reduced prices at third-party resellers and second-hand. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to purchase second-generation AirPods Pro for a reduced price or the third-generation version.

The different AirPods Pro generations many of their features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the second-generation AirPods Pro to save money? This breakdown also serves as a way to see all the differences that the new AirPods Pro bring to the table.

AirPods Pro (2019)	AirPods Pro 2 (Lightning, 2022)	AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C, 2023)	‌AirPods Pro 3‌ (2025)
Optical IR sensors for in-ear detection	Skin-detect sensors for in-ear detection	Skin-detect sensors for in-ear detection	Skin-detect sensors for in-ear detection
			Refined earbud design
Three silicone ear tips (S, M, and L)	Four silicone ear tips (XS, S, M, and L)	Four silicone ear tips (XS, S, M, and L)	Five silicone ear tips (XXS, XS, S, M, and L)
Force sensor controls	Force sensors and touch controls for volume adjustment	Force sensors and touch controls for volume adjustment	Force sensors and touch controls for volume adjustment
Mechanical pairing button	Mechanical pairing button	Mechanical pairing button	Capacitive pairing button
	Lanyard loop	Lanyard loop	Lanyard loop
IPX4 sweat and water resistant earbuds	IPX4 sweat and water resistant earbuds	IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant earbuds and charging case	IP57 dust, sweat, and water resistant earbuds and charging case
H1 chip	H2 chip	H2 chip	H2 chip
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
2.4GHz connectivity	2.4GHz connectivity	2.4GHz and 5GHz connectivity	2.4GHz and 5GHz connectivity
		Lossless audio with Vision Pro	Lossless audio with Vision Pro
	U1 chip in charging case	U1 chip in charging case	U2 chip in charging case
	Precision Finding	Precision Finding	Precision Finding (1.5x further)
Active Noise Cancellation	Active Noise Cancellation (2x stronger)	Active Noise Cancellation (2x stronger)	Active Noise Cancellation (4x stronger)
Transparency	Transparency and Adaptive Transparency	Transparency and Adaptive Transparency	Transparency and Adaptive Transparency
	Hearing Test	Hearing Test	Hearing Test
	Hearing Aid	Hearing Aid	Hearing Aid
	Automatic Conversation Boost	Automatic Conversation Boost	Automatic Conversation Boost
	Hearing Protection	Hearing Protection	Hearing Protection
	Live Translation	Live Translation	Live Translation
			Heart rate sensing during workouts
Lightning port	Lightning port	USB-C port	USB-C port
	Compatible with Apple Watch charger	Compatible with Apple Watch charger	Compatible with Apple Watch charger
Up to 4.5 hours of listening time with ANC enabled	Up to 6 hours of listening time with ANC enabled	Up to 6 hours of listening time with ANC enabled	Up to 8 hours of listening time with ANC enabled
24 hours of total listening time with ANC using charging case	30 hours of total listening time with ANC using charging case	30 hours of total listening time with ANC using charging case	24 hours of total listening time with ANC using charging case

Overall, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ offer a relatively significant upgrade over the previous generation with valuable enhancements across the board, such as better fit, longer battery life, and improved dust and water resistance. Users who heavily use their AirPods Pro may be able to justify upgrading to the third-generation model due to the wide range of improvements, but this will not be the case for all existing users.

Those who recently purchased the AirPods Pro 2 may not be able to justify upgrading to the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ at the current time, unless they particularly want features like enhanced ANC and heart-rate monitoring, or hope for a better fit. The AirPods Pro 2 continue to get new features such as Live Translation and share the same chip as the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌; they are still a solid device in 2025.

Users who purchased their AirPods Pro in 2022 or earlier will almost certainly see more of a reason to upgrade, especially if the batteries in their existing device have significantly degraded and they want to transition to USB-C. First-generation AirPods Pro users, in particular, should consider upgrading. These customers will certainly benefit from the plethora of refinements that the third-generation model offers.

If you've been interested in purchasing the AirPods Pro for a while, now is still a good time to pick up the second-generation model for a hefty discount. Likewise, it is worth bearing in mind that the AirPods Pro are among the most-commonly discounted Apple products, so check out our Apple Deals Roundup for significant savings.
This article, "AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 3 Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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