Review Apple AirPods Pro: The best wireless headset available

AirPods have always been the most attractive product in the world of headphones, but that hasn't stopped Apple from releasing a new product that's better in every way than the old version. AirPods Pro ($ 250 / 5,790,000 VND) is priced at $ 90 (2,084,000 VND) more than its sibling, but this difference helps you eliminate noise, sweat, and design. more security and improved sound quality.

If you're looking for a pair of wireless headphones and don't need the best sound quality, then AirPods Pro will top the selection list. If you already own AirPods, you don't need to upgrade. However, owning a better product is nothing.

AirPods Pro costs $ 249, $ 90 more than the original AirPods with a regular charging case, and $ 50 more than the wireless charging case.

You can buy AirPods Pro from major online retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart, or directly from Apple.

What is in the product box?

Apple offers AirPods Pro with wireless charging box, Lightning-to-USB-C cable and silicon headphone tips in 3 sizes (small, medium and large).

Design

AirPods Pro looks similar to AirPods but is improved in several ways.

Delicate curves and perfect white casing give the AirPods Pro great aesthetics. AirPods Pro has a larger case than its cheaper sibling and a cleaner shape that improves comfort, keeping headphones safe in the ear when used.

Users also like the look of AirPods Pro compared to cheaper models. Yes, AirPods Pro looks a bit funny, the smaller ear buds make it not as prominent as AirPods, but that's not the point. As the original AirPods demonstrated, as long as there are more than one people wearing something, no matter how awkward at first it will start to look familiar. Between the new design (which looks like toothbrush heads) and the popularity of AirPods, there's no reason to feel inferior about wearing AirPods Pro in public.

Basically, Apple has rotated the AirPods charging case from vertically to horizontally. The charging case is still much smaller and lighter than competing products, but now it looks like a dental floss. On the front of the case is a small battery LED and on the back is a pairing button.

Arguably the biggest improvement from AirPods to AirPods Pro is the new bud that offers IPX4 sweat and water resistance so you can use them in the gym.

Comfort level

Do not worry! AirPods Pro still feels comfortable like the original AirPods. You may be afraid of those silicon tips, but they won't go as deep as your ears can do with traditional headphones. Instead, the flat nozzle is just outside the ear canal and the silicon tips form a soft cushion.

Many people even prefer the AirPods Pro's fit to the original buds, because they are less prone to falling out. Instead of just dangling in the ear, AirPods fit into the groove of the ear with a simple operation. The headset doesn't move at all, even when you are rocking a rock song or working out at the gym.

In addition to its unique shape, what makes AirPods comfortable is that they are very light weight. Although a little heavier than AirPods (5.4 grams versus 4 grams), AirPods Pro is still very light, so you will quickly forget that you are wearing them.

Control features

Touch control on the earbud headset can be very difficult and the physical control features require you to press a button that can push the bud into the ear canal. Apple's smart solution to this conundrum is on the ear canal of AirPods Pro.

Instead of touching the touch sensor, you control AirPods Pro by squeezing the "force sensor" on the ear stem.

The new system works very smart. Pinch the peduncle once to play the music. Music playback can pause for you to receive incoming calls. The same action (pinching the ear canal) will help you answer the call. By squeezing 2 times, you can move to the next song, while the third squeeze will take you back to the previous song. Squeeze and hold the ear buds so you can switch between noise canceling and Transparency modes.

It will take some time getting used to the controls.

There are some annoying limitations that users hope Apple will address in an update or future versions. The first is that you cannot control the volume level directly from AirPods Pro. If you want to turn the music off or on, you'll have to do it from your smartphone or with Siri.

Noise and Transparency mode

AirPods Pro features active noise cancellation, which uses both inbound and outbound microphones to detect unwanted sounds and eliminate noise. The noise reduction function works well, but is it worth the price difference between AirPods Pro and AirPods? It also depends.

If you plan to wear headphones on flights, then the AirPods Pro will do a good job of eliminating the roar of an airplane engine. However, they will not help when a baby is crying in the next seat.

In the office, these headphones have completely eliminated the HVAC system noise in the building, but you can still hear colleagues talking or tapping.

What users like most about noise cancellation is how it works smoothly. Just put the AirPods in your ears and the noise will automatically be reduced. On average, it has been less than a second from the time you put the headset in until the ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) feature is active.

If you don't want to block all sounds from the world around, AirPods Pro can help you with Transparency mode. When this mode is on, the headset allows ambient sounds to come in, so you can hear any sounds around you as if you were not wearing them. This feature is great for runners or those who live in cities and want to get a feel for the surrounding traffic situation.

Pair and share audio

The H1 chip inside AirPods Pro makes pairing with iPhones easy. To connect the headset, simply open the AirPods Pro cover and press Connect when a pop-up menu appears on the iPhone screen.

To pair with a Mac device or non-Apple product (Android phone or Windows PC), press and hold the setup button on the back of the AirPods Pro cover, then connect via the Bluetooth settings of the corresponding device. .

The Audio Sharing feature is an interesting feature of iOS 13, allowing you to share audio with multiple pairs of AirPods or compatible Beats products. That way, you and a friend can listen to the same song together. You can think of Audio Sharing as an invisible headset splitter. In fact, the feature works exactly as expected.

When pairing AirPods Pro and Beats Solo Pros with iPhone 8 Plus running iOS 13, a new icon appeared on the volume control in Control Center. When the icon is clicked, two headsets are linked, so any music playing on the iPhone 8 Plus will output both headphones. Audio Sharing is compatible with all headsets that have an H1 or W1 processor, including AirPods, AirPods Pro, Beats Solo Pro, Powerbeats Pro, Studio3 Wireless, BeatsX, Powerbeats3 Wireless and Solo3 Wireless.

Sound quality

AirPods Pro sounds great. Wireless headsets competing at this price, like the Sennheiser Momentum, offer better sound quality, but the balance and clarity on the AirPods Pro will please most listeners.

The author started his test by listening to Daughter's "Youth". The sound was very clear through AirPods Pro. AirPods Pro handled the arrangement of complex instruments in "Youth" well. "by Glass Animal. The drums, guitar and Synthesizer are perfectly separated. Dave Bayley's delicate vocals are also extremely clear.

Call quality

AirPods Pro does not break any barrier of call quality. AirPods Pro sounds better than Amazon Echo Buds and Sony WF-1000XM3 when making calls outside the office. AirPods Pro has also made the blocking of surrounding sound better.

Battery life, charging and Bluetooth connectivity

Apple rated the battery life of the AirPods Pro as 4.5 hours for earbud headphones, which is only 30 minutes shorter than the normal AirPods uptime. The case charges the AirPods Pro 5 to 6 times before it needs to be recharged, helping to provide up to 24 hours of battery life for the headphones.

In the real test, the author used AirPods Pro to listen to music and stream videos online (with ANC enabled) for 4 hours, before the announcement of low battery life.

It was a good result, but it could certainly improve. Other wireless, noise-canceling headphones last a few hours on a single charge, such as the WF-1000XM3 (6 hours, 24 hours with the charging case) and Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus (10 hours, 40 hours with charging case).

When the battery is low, you can put AirPods Pro in the charging box and get an additional 1 hour of listening after only 5 minutes of charging. Unfortunately, the case uses Apple's proprietary Lightning input, not the universal USB-C port.

AirPods Pro uses Bluetooth 5, the latest standard, provides fast transfer speeds, longer battery life and a theoretical range of up to 800 feet (244m).

Conclude

AirPods Pro is better than AirPods in every way. The new antiperspirant design looks better and fits better in your ears, the sound quality has been slightly improved, and the standout feature - active noise cancellation - effectively reduces ambient sound. . Plus everything the user loved in the original AirPods - seamless pairing, powerful Bluetooth connectivity and maximum comfort - AirPods Pro is the best wireless headset available today.

But that may soon change. Battery life and sound quality are areas where rival headsets can beat the AirPods Pro. If Sennheiser, Sony or Master & Dynamic can close the gap in other areas, then there will be a real battle with Apple products. Until then, AirPods Pro is a product not to be missed for iPhone users and is the pair of earbuds recommended for everyone else.

In short, with effective noise cancellation, good sound quality and comfortable, sweat-proof design, AirPods Pro is a product to choose.

Advantages

1. Extremely comfortable
2. Paired seamlessly
3. Clear, balanced sound
4. Capable of noise cancellation
5. Anti-sweat IPX4

Defect

1. Not for the best sound quality compared to the price
2. Battery life may need more improvement
3. Expensive