Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods 3: Which one should you buy – Times of India

Apple didn’t sow the seeds of the true wireless category but it’s the company that’s responsible for the mad rush that we see in it today. Before the stupendous success of the AirPods, not many companies were really focusing on it but once the AirPods arrived, everyone ran helter-skelter to come up with their version of AirPods. The result? While others have pretended to be the hare, Apple has been the proverbial tortoise. What else do you call launching “just” four models in seven years when everyone else has been doling out new models as if it is confectionery? So when Apple does launch — like it did this month — a new model, there’s always a tad more curiosity. And what happens is that — at least iPhone users — end up deciding which model of AirPods to buy. This time it’s the choice between the third-generation AirPods (launched in 2021) and the second-generation AirPods Pro. We tell you which one could be the better buy

AirPods Pro: What’s different from AirPods 3 in design

The new AirPods Pro borrow their design philosophy from the original AirPods Pro. The AirPods 3 also did the same. The protruding stick design hasn’t been altered with the new AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro come with silicone tips whereas the AirPods Pro 3 come without them. Apple has given extra small-sized eartips for the first time. It’s a simple choice here — if you want the eartips then the AirPods Pro 2 are the way to go but if you aren’t a fan of that design, the AirPods 3 are more suitable for you.
The charging case is also more feature-rich of the new AirPods Pro. Apple has fitted a speaker into the charging case — no you can’t listen to music on it — which works with the Find My app. In case one misplaces their AirPods Pro charging case, using the Find My app, one can track it as it emanates a beeping sound, which is quite loud.

Noise cancellation, sound quality and more

The AirPods 3 — rather surprisingly — do not offer any sort of noise cancellation. On the other hand, thanks to the all-new H2 chip, the AirPods Pro 2 deliver excellent noise cancellation. Having tried the AirPods Pro 2 for a few days now, we can confidently say that its noise cancellation game of Apple is absolutely on point. Having said that, there are buyers who don’t like the block-one, block-all approach that noise cancellation offers. We have reviewed the AirPods 3 and can tell you that even without no active noise cancellation, the earbuds do a fine job of blocking outside sounds but at loud volume levels. If you want active noise cancellation, then the AirPods Pro 2 are the only choice for you.

Which of the two earbuds offer better battery life?

Compared to the original AirPods Pro, the AirPods 3 offered an improved battery. The AirPods 3 offer six hours of listening time along with 24 hours from the charging case. The AirPods Pro offer similar battery life but that’s with ANC on. So chances are that the AirPods Pro 2 will end up offering better battery life than AirPods 3.
With the AirPods Pro 2, you get support for MagSafe charging. What’s more, you can also charge the new AirPods Pro using the Apple Watch charger.
Which one should you buy?
There are a lot of similarities between the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 3. But being the ‘Pro’ model, the new AirPods offer a lot more features and cost a bit more as well. You can get the AirPods 3 at Rs 19,900 whereas the new AirPods Pro cost Rs 26,900. If you are looking for active noise cancellation, the AirPods Pro make more sense. The AirPods Pro are Apple’s latest and best true wireless earbuds right now. And for that reason alone, spending that Rs 7,000 does make sense.