Detailed comparison of AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: Should you upgrade?

In September 2025, Apple introduced a series of new products including the new generation iPhone, three upgraded Apple Watch models, and especially the long-awaited AirPods Pro 3 headphones.

 

If you're still using the original AirPods Pro, you're probably tempted to upgrade. But what if you've only been using the AirPods Pro 2 for the past few years? Let's take a look at the differences.

AirPods Pro 3: New design, foam tips, better noise cancellation

The most noticeable change is the design. Apple has turned the foam tips inward, helping the headphones fit more tightly and securely in the ear. This is a very valuable improvement for those who have had trouble with AirPods Pro slipping out.

Apple also added foam tips inside the silicone layer to make it more durable and increase the seal. The company even researched over 10,000 pairs of ears to come up with this design, and also included a new XXS size in the box.

Foam tips combined with powerfully upgraded active noise cancellation (ANC). Apple confidently declares: AirPods Pro 3 has the best noise cancellation in the world, 2 times better than AirPods Pro 2 and 4 times better than the original.

However, if you're already satisfied with the noise cancellation of the AirPods Pro 2, this improvement may not be enough to make you 'spend money'.

 

AirPods Pro 3 can measure heart rate

Another cool upgrade is the heart rate sensor. The earbuds will record your heart rate when you start tracking your workout.

This feature is not active all the time to save battery, but only turns on when the user is tracking exercise. For those who already have an Apple Watch, this ability is somewhat 'redundant', but for users who do not have a watch, this is a plus point.

AirPods Pro 2 and 3: Similarities in features

The AirPods Pro 2 were already very good, so it's no surprise that the AirPods Pro 3 share most of the features with their predecessor:

1. H2 chip supports Adaptive Audio, Voice Isolation, Conversation Awareness.
2. Adaptive Sound and Spatial Audio with head-tracking.
3. Hearing health features : Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, Hearing Protection.
4. Both will support Live Translation in iOS 26 (requires iPhone with Apple Intelligence).

Apple also promises that the sound quality of AirPods Pro 3 will have ' deeper bass ' and ' more space ', but we still need to experience it in real life to verify.

Water resistance: AirPods Pro 3 is better

AirPods Pro 3 meets IP57 standards (can withstand immersion in water at a depth of 1m for 30 minutes).
Meanwhile, AirPods Pro 2 only meets IP54 standards , water resistance for 5 minutes.

Of course, Apple also recommends not testing this feature – just think of it as insurance when working out or sweating.

Battery life: No big leap

AirPods Pro 3 get 8 hours of listening time with ANC , or 7.5 hours with Spatial Audio on. Meanwhile, AirPods Pro 2 get 6 hours (5.5 hours with Spatial Audio on).

However, the AirPods Pro 3 charging case only lasts 24 hours , lower than the 30 hours of the AirPods Pro 2.
Adding a heart rate sensor can cause the battery to drain faster during exercise.

Bottom line: AirPods Pro 3 doesn't necessarily have better battery life than AirPods Pro 2 — unless your old headphones' battery has degraded over time.

 

U2 Chip and more precise searching capabilities

Small but useful plus: the AirPods Pro 3 charging case has a U2 chip , which makes Find My positioning 1.5 times more accurate than the U1 chip on the AirPods Pro 2.

Combined with the built-in speaker in the case, finding lost headphones in noisy environments will be much easier.

Missing USB-C cable

Apple has removed the USB-C cable in the AirPods Pro 3 box. Users will have to provide their own, but this probably won't be too much of a hassle since most people already have a USB-C charging cable or wireless charging.

Should I upgrade?

AirPods Pro 3 cost $249 – the same price as the AirPods Pro 2.

1. If you have the first-generation AirPods Pro or older AirPods, this is a worthy upgrade.
2. If you're using AirPods Pro 2 and they're still working fine, you probably won't notice much of a difference.
3. Additionally, Apple also has AirPods 4 with ANC at a cheaper price point, suitable for those who don't care about the heart rate sensor.