Apple Airpods Pro review

The AirPods Pro (1st generation) sound better than the originals and have a much better fit and active noise cancellation to boot. If you have an iOS device, just get these.

Apple is not the first company to make truly wireless earbuds, but there is no denying that it is the company that popularized them with its seemingly ubiquitous AirPods pro. Despite their popularity, we weren’t big fans of the first two models, so it’s surprising how much we like the new AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro delivers rich bass, clear highs and mids, and a dramatic improvement in both fit and audio performance. The AirPods Pro also offers powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) in a certified splash-proof design. We are here with our Apple Airpods Pro review you can read.

These wireless earbuds have become some of the most popular around the world, and if you own an iPhone, it’s easy to see why. The ease of setup, great sound quality, and the fact that you don’t have to untangle a pesky cable every time you want to listen to a podcast or album make them a top-notch user experience. And since Apple dropped the 3.5mm headphone jack from the iPhone lineup, you can still listen to music while your smartphone is charging with the AirPods. Although they’re no longer Apple’s newest earbuds, the Apple AirPods Pro are still considered the company’s best-sounding earbuds. While some find the in-ear design less comfortable, they are more stable and We have to say they have much improved audio quality.

Apple Airpods Pro review: Design

The AirPods Pro headphones are inserted into the case, attracted by magnets and immediately start charging. Charging can be done via a Lightning cable, wireless charger pad, or MagSafe charging puck. The design of the Pro is quite different from the original AirPods, although it has similarities to the AirPods (3rd generation).

The most noticeable difference is the silicone attachments that improve the fit or seal, while the thin stick that hangs out of the ear is not particularly long. This short length will certainly appeal to those who simply found the design of the originals odd. For comparison, the AirPods (3rd generation) have a shorter stem, but do not feature silicone tips.

Apple Airpods Pro review: Comfort

But how do you know which size is yours? Tap it and the earphone fitting test will appear. Once started, the AirPods Pro will play a song in your ear. As the sound plays, the built-in microphone will listen to how the sound hits your ear, taking into account the unique curvature and irregularities of your ear canal.

Somehow our small ears fit the medium size attachments well, so we didn’t have to exchange them. But if we did, they are relatively easy to take off. The new earbuds do click into place, but Apple intentionally shortened the attachment point and tapered the earbuds to better fit the unique shape of your ear.

Apple Airpods Pro review: Connectivity

Pairing is just as easy as with previous versions of AirPods. With an iPhone or iPad tablets, all you have to do is open them near your device and follow the instructions. Pairing information is then synced between all your Apple devices via iCloud, so you can seamlessly switch between iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, and even Apple TV.

They also work with non-Apple devices and support Bluetooth standard 5.0 or earlier. When the earbuds are in the open case, you can press the button on the back to pair them with other devices, such as a Windows PC or Android device. However, you need an Apple device to change settings and update the earphones.

Apple Airpods Pro review: Noise Cancelling

Apple isn’t the first manufacturer to incorporate active noise cancellation into wireless earbuds Sony has a few models that can – but the popularity of the AirPods means that these are likely the first wireless earbuds that many people will experience noise cancellation with.

Fortunately, Apple’s implementation isn’t that bad. The AirPods Pro do a great job of suppressing noise that surpasses most active noise cancellation systems: mid- to low-frequency continuous sounds like air conditioners, dishwashers, trains, traffic and airplane noise.

Background noise decreases noticeably when ANC is enabled – certainly more noticeably than most other ANC-enabled wireless earphones currently available. They struggle a bit with less regular, higher-frequency sounds like screaming children or certain types of power tools, but that’s to be expected with such small headphones.

Apple Airpods Pro review: Audio Performance

If you’ve tried the Apple AirPods before, you know what kind of sound profile to expect: very balanced, but absolutely not stingy in the bass department. All in all, they have a pretty neutral presentation, and that may be helped by the adaptive EQ .

That’s not to say that the sound is on par with the original AirPods – there’s a definite step forward here. The original AirPods sound great in a quiet room when you’re not moving, but finer details are easily drowned out by outside noise due to their loose fit. Thanks to better noise isolation – due to the fit – and active noise cancellation, you can enjoy the full effect here.

Apple Airpods Pro review: Call Performance

The AirPods Pro serves its purpose, but call quality is not outstanding. A colleague said that when I spoke through the AirPods Pro’s built-in microphone, our voices were loud but muffled. My voice was not very clear, but when a colleague called me outside the NYC office and we switched between three Buds to speak, the AirPods Pro sounded better than the Amazon Echo Buds and the Sony WF-1000XM3. I also had to wait for an ambulance and a bus to pass before continuing the conversation, and the AirPods Pro did a good job of blocking out the ambient noise.

Battery and Charing

SoundGuys recorded five hours and six minutes of continuous playback with noise cancellation enabled while the headphones were connected to an iOS device. That is above average for true wireless earbuds and better than Apple’s claimed battery life of 4.5 hours (ANC on). When the Lightning case is fully charged, you can listen to music for up to 24 hours before needing to recharge the battery.

Just five minutes in the charging cradle is enough for an hour of listening with the AirPods Pro. This time around, Apple has enabled Qi wireless charging by default, rather than forcing listeners to spend more money on something that Samsung, for example, offers for much less. With the release of iOS 14, owners of the AirPods and AirPods Pro will receive battery level notifications on their phone when the headphones need charging.

Conclusion

The Apple AirPods Pro are a brilliant pair of headphones. You can wear them all day, block out the noise of public transportation when you want, and switch to transparency mode when you want to connect with the outside world. They’re also great for the gym, thanks to their snug fit and waterproof design.

And perhaps most importantly, they sound great. Those who love particularly bass-heavy music may prefer Sony’s competitor earphones, but overall they offer fantastic audio performance. Yes, the price is steep, but if your budget allows, you won’t be disappointed with the AirPods Pro.

Amy Hinckley
Amy Hinckley
The Dell Inspiron 15 that her father purchased from QVC sparked the beginning of her interest in technology. At Bollyinside, Amy Hinckley is in charge of content editing and reviewing products. Amy's interests outside of working include going for bike rides, playing video games, and watching football when she's not at her laptop.

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The Apple AirPods Pro are a brilliant pair of headphones. You can wear them all day, block out the noise of public transportation when you want, and switch to transparency mode when you want to connect with the outside world.Apple Airpods Pro review