As someone who uses headphones every single day, finding the perfect pair has long been at the top of my priority list.
I’m a Social Media Editor, you see, so I spend a lot of my time editing videos and audio files. That’s why, when it comes to headphones, I’m particularly fussy – you can’t spend upwards of half of your day every day with pods that make your ears ache or fall out every time you move.
My headphone non-negotiables are pretty basic – they need to be noise-cancelling, comfortable to wear, and simple to set up and use. Which sounds straightforward, right?
Wrong. I’m yet to find the perfect pair. Which is why, when I was given the opportunity to review the Apple AirPod Pro 3s earlier this year, I jumped at the chance. Promising the world’s best in‑ear active noise cancellation, clearer audio and longer battery life, I couldn’t wait to pop them in and put them through their paces.
They’ve just launched several new features – more of which I’ll get into, below – but the ones I was most intrigued to test all centred around ear health. New roll-outs, including Loud Sound Reduction, a scientifically validated Hearing Test, and a clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature, all piqued my interest, as someone who’s long been conscious that hearing is one of our most precious senses (and one that’s often overlooked until it’s too late).
For my full review after two months of testing, keep scrolling – and don’t miss our edit of the best exercise headphones, while you’re at it.
Airpods Pro 3 Review: “A gamechanger for ear health.”
What’s so special about the new Apple Airpod Pro 3’s?
Earlier this year, Apple announced the AirPods Pro 3 launch, taking the already popular headphones and giving them an upgrade. The AirPods 3 claim to give the world’s best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation, removing up to 2x more noise than the AirPods Pro 2, and 4x more than the original AirPods Pro. On top of that, they also updated the design to ensure they fit even better in your ear and give more ear stability during workouts from HIIT classes to yoga sessions. Another brand new feature is that users are now able to measure their heart rate and track over 50 different workout types. The AirPods 3 promise to deliver an upgraded experience for their users, and I was excited to give them a try for myself.
@keltieoconnor I’ve spent the weekend testing the new AirPod pro 3s workout features! Some of my fav features so far: – the noise cancelling is niceeeeee, wore on an international flight and felt like peace, and blocked out hearing the gyms top 40s playlist when I needed a heavy bass – have not fallen out of my ears – i love the new workout app and being able to view your workout on your phone – ability for those without a watch to track distance & pace without downloading an additional app Extra thoughts: – the heart rate tracking seemed pretty accurate compared to the stats I normally see on my Apple Watch. Will take several weeks to know for sure, but as of now super impressed – I know I have lots of friends that hate wearing an activity watch, and turn to things such as activity rings. This is another great alternative! Will it be as accurate as a watch, no BUT it will give you a lot of features you want – no step counting, your phone does track your steps (as long as it on you) – In regards to making your watch more accurate, I can imagine it’ll mostly be your watch tracking so seems useless BUT I am excited for winter months when we wear bulky clothing and this can move your watch around resulting in loss of heart rate, your AirPods will take over Feel free to ask any questions you have about them and I’ll try to answer most!
What I thought of the Airpod Pro 3’s
Set up and fit
First impressions are key when it comes to tech, and in this case, that all starts with how easy it is to connect to your devices. I hadn’t had AirPods since the OGs, and when it came to using Bluetooth, I just assumed it would be the same situation. However, I was proved wrong. After about five minutes of trying to find the Bluetooth button, I finally Googled a video tutorial.
Note for the uninitiated – the newer model AirPods don’t have an actual button; rather, a touch panel on the front of the case, which you touch to turn on Bluetooth. I can’t blame the AirPods for this confusion, though, and can admit it was user error and my lack of up-to-date tech knowledge, and once they connected, it was smooth sailing.
In terms of fit, because these AirPods sit inside your ear, it’s super important that the earbuds fit properly so they don’t fall out, and the sound quality is optimal. Apple provides a range of different-sized earbuds so you can try them to get the best fit. Finding the right fit is particularly important, as the noise-cancelling feature won’t work if they aren’t inside your ear far enough – something I learnt the hard way on a noisy tube ride. All I had to do was size down, and problem solved.
Sound quality and noise cancellation
I feel like what really sets this model apart compared to the older ones is the sound quality and noise cancelling. In the past, when I’ve worn my 2nd Gen AirPods on the tube, I’ve had to pause my podcast – or ultimately just miss part of the episode – because I couldn’t hear it at all.
However, the AirPods Pro 3 have up to four times – yes, four! – the amount of active noise cancellation than the original AirPods Pro and AirPods 4, and it really shows. The noise cancelling isn’t only helpful on my commute but also in the office, to drown out the distractions around me.
When writing this article, in fact, I popped in my AirPods and turned on noise cancelling with no music, and it allowed me to fully concentrate on my work. And when I play music, I note a noticeable improvement in sound quality, thanks to the custom-built driver and amplifier that work with the H2 chip within the AirPods. The sound is super crisp and high-definition, meaning I can listen to old-school Justin Bieber with complete precision.
(Image credit: Maggie Joyner)
Charging and battery
Nothing is more annoying than hearing the low battery alert when you’re in the middle of a walk, or worse, in the middle of a one-woman concert. Thankfully, the AirPods Pro 3 have 67% more battery life compared with the AirPods Pro 2, which means up to eight hours of listening time on a single charge (enough to listen to the Lily Allen West End Girl album ten times).
In terms of charging, they only take one hour to fully charge – so if you’re like me and always forget to charge them, you only need to remember an hour before heading out, and you’re good to go.
Hearing Aid and Hearing Protection
What I was really excited about reviewing was the Hearing Aid function, and quite frankly, many people in my life were excited about the prospect of me getting help with my hearing as someone who’s complained about their hearing (or lack of) in the past.
Again, a bit of background info for you: the Hearing Aid function was designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, and is determined by a simple hearing test within the Health app on your phone. Once I updated my phone to iOS 18, I was able to take the test, and to my surprise, it claimed I did not, in fact, have hearing loss, which has given my partner endless ammunition to declare I just have selective hearing when it comes to him.
However, I was too interested not to try out the Hearing Aid function, so I gave it a go anyway. Once switched on, the mode acts to amplify the voices around you, helping you gain clarity in conversation. According to the experts I spoke to at Apple at the product launch, “Mild to moderate hearing loss affects millions of people in the UK, with research showing that untreated hearing loss can affect a person’s overall health and wellbeing, including an increased risk of dementia and social isolation.”
I think it’s so important that they’re dedicating more resources to ear health. Although the Hearing Aid function isn’t designed to replace a hearing aid, it’s perfect for someone who needs extra help with hearing in loud restaurants or other noisy places.
In the same vein, I also really loved the “Hearing Protection” feature, which is intended to protect your ears from excessively loud noise. Once I moved to London, I couldn’t believe how loud – and often overwhelming – the underground was, and this function has made my tube journeys far more pleasant. It’s great knowing that my ears are protected.
Final thoughts?
After testing the AirPods Pro 3 for two months, I can confidently say that I’m a fan – they are a massive step up from my old AirPods.
I love my over-ear headphones, but when I’m already lugging my laptop to and from the office, sometimes I prefer to keep my headphones as light as possible, and so the lightweight AirPods are the perfect addition to my daily routine.
They were a bit fiddly to get set up, but worth it in the long run. I also commend Apple for putting ear health on people’s radars and at the centre of their tech innovations.
So, if you’re looking for a pair of headphones to make your commute clearer, solo concerts louder, and simultaneously protect your ears, these could be the ones for you.
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