Apple AirPods 3 review
Our Verdict
With solid upgrades to pattern, functionality, and sound, the AirPods 3 comes upward slightly short of perfection.
For
- Adaptive EQ with well-counterbalanced audio
- Spatial audio support
- Enhanced ergonomics
- Best-in-course controls
- Numerous high-terminate features
- Stellar iOS integration
Against
- No ANC or Transparency style
- Open design lets in as well much noise
- Unstable fit
Tom'southward Guide Verdict
With solid upgrades to blueprint, functionality, and sound, the AirPods 3 comes up slightly brusque of perfection.
Pros
- +
Adaptive EQ with well-balanced audio
- +
Spatial audio back up
- +
Enhanced ergonomics
- +
Best-in-class controls
- +
Numerous loftier-end features
- +
Stellar iOS integration
Cons
- -
No ANC or Transparency way
- -
Open design lets in besides much noise
- -
Unstable fit
Apple AirPods 3 specs
Toll:$179
Colors:White
Battery life (rated): vi hours, xxx hours (with charging instance)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5
Processor: H1
Size: 1.21 x 0.72 x 0.76 inches (earbud), 1.83 x 0.84 x 2.14 inches (charging case)
Weight: 0.15 ounces (earbud), i.34 ounces (charging instance)
After countless leaks, tons of speculation, and reported production setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the AirPods 3 has finally hitting the market. And it turns out a considerable number of predicted upgrades have made their mode onto this threequel.
An all-new contoured blueprint? Bank check. Adaptive EQ? That'south here. Force bear on sensor? Yes. Spatial audio? That too. All the latest iOS fifteen-suppored features? Absolutely. Active racket counterfoil? Almost had you lot in that location. Remember, I said a considerable number, acknowledging that not every prediction or rumor came to fruition.
- The best wireless earbuds overall
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These buds also receive a few enhancements not found on the AirPods 2 or AirPods Pro, such every bit skin-detect sensors and (finally) longer battery life for both the earbuds and charging case.
Allow's jump correct into our total length Apple AirPods 3 review and see why Apple'south latest creation is 1 of the best headphones you can buy.
Apple AirPods three review: Price and availability
The AirPods 3 is sold for $179 at major online retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy, or directly from Apple. Color options are express to one: White. Within the box are a MagSafe charging instance, Lightning-to-USB-C cable, quick start guide, and other standard documentation.
These buds are less expensive than the AirPods Pro ($249), but cost more the AirPods ii, which recently dropped to $129. Regarding other competitors, the AirPods 3 remains pricier than popular mid-tier options similar the Beats Studio Buds ($149) and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 ($149), two models that come with ANC for a lower MSRP.
Before you lot take the plunge, bank check out our AirPods 3 vs Jabra Aristocracy Active 75t showdown to encounter if the AirPods 3 can shell a love pair of wireless earbuds.
Brand certain to bank check out our AirPods sales page, as well every bit our Black Friday headphones deals page for all of the latest sales and discounts on Apple products.
Apple AirPods 3 review: Design and comfort
Remove the AirPods Pro's eartips and you practically have the AirPods three. Small details such equally the extra mic grille on the meridian and slightly shorter stems (shrunk downwardly 33 percent from the AirPods 2) make this version more identifiable, though information technology is still longer than the AirPods Pro. Something else the AirPods 3 shares with its ANC counterpart: IPX4 h2o resistance. The AirPods 3 is also congenital from recycled materials.
The AirPods iii'due south charging case is smaller than the AirPods Pro's case, just that'south virtually the only artful difference between the ii. They each boast an all-white exterior with LED on the front, charging port on the bottom, and pairing button on the back. Yous can engrave the charging case for free when purchased through Apple tree.
The magnets in this case are strong, keeping the lid shut and each bud locked in when stored and charging. And much like its predecessors, this instance is a scratch-and-scuff magnet, so consider purchasing some form of protective covering.
Apple is trying hard to convince its fanbase that these buds will stay put on your ears, no thing what. Just reference the video demonstration shown during the AirPods three announcement at the Unleashed Event, the one where break-dancers are seen wearing the buds and performing wild trip the light fantastic toe moves. I'g here to tell you lot not to believe the hype.
Yes, the AirPods 3 do provide improve on-ear stability than the AirPods two, because though Apple chose to stick with the open design it too implemented a few tweaks for optimal fit.
Simply while the contoured sound port allows the buds to sit comfortably on the ear and nestle into the canal, they don't get all the manner in like the AirPods Pro. And since in that location'southward no tight seal formed due to the lack of ear tips, they accept a high probability of falling out.
I wouldn't propose running downward the street to grab the bus or exercising with these dangling from your ears — although my colleague Kate Kozuch had a different experience when she went running with the AirPods iii.
Apple tree AirPods 3 review: Controls and digital assistant
Out go the touch controls and in comes the Force Sensor, which is located on the bottom as a tiny indentation and operates flawlessly. Playback, call management, and the digital assistant can all be activated through single/multi-press and press-and-concord gestures. I'thousand happy to report the sensor produces solid tactility and responds properly to intended commands. The volume slider is as well hands accessible by pulling down the Control Center from the top-right of your iDevice.
The peel-detect sensor accurately discerns whether the buds are in your ears to automatically play music or enable auto-suspension when removed.
Siri can be enabled manually, though if you're like me, firing her upward using "Hey Siri" vocalization activation is more gratifying. Apple's AI bot is on bespeak, interim on voice commands quickly and executing them fifty-fifty faster. Information technology'southward fun to employ the Announce Notifications feature and have Siri read incoming letters every bit well. The mics demonstrate splendid speech recognition, picking up every syllable and understanding long-winded requests.
Unfortunately, the feature isn't bachelor for Android, though it'southward possible yous tin manually plow on the digital assistant through third-party software (try your luck with Trigger Banana).
Apple AirPods 3 review: Audio quality
When information technology comes to audio, the AirPods three received the Pro treatment, engineered with the proprietary Adaptive EQ that adjusts frequencies in real time for listeners to hear music more than precisely. Apple tree also stuffed a new low-distortion driver into the buds for "powerful bass and well-baked, make clean loftier frequencies."
What you get are fantastic results that requite the AirPods Pro a run for its money, merely I wouldn't place them in the same league as sonic beasts such every bit the Sony WH-1000XM4 or the incredibly underrated Cambridge Audio Melomania i Plus.
At that place'southward a lot to unpack here, so allow'due south start with what the AirPods iii sounds similar out of the box.
Whether it was random songs on my Spotify playlists or Dolby Atmos-powered tracks on Apple Music, the AirPods iii kept audio well balanced. The synth action on the Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" is as vibrant as it gets, while the bones kick-and-snare design had oomph to it that would never be felt on the AirPods 2. Jazz records were a pleasure to hear likewise. Cannonball Adderley's "Fall Leaves" gear up the tone for a peaceful night in, with the Adaptive EQ delivering bully frequency range, highlighted by crisp, tinny hullo-hats and prominent double bass.
You can personalize sound through the iOS Audio settings, picking from over twenty reliable presets for a bit more performance based on the content selection. Audio sharing can too be used to hear music from an iPhone or iPad on ii pairs of AirPods or Beats wireless headphones.
While impressive, audio on the AirPods isn't perfect. Bass doesn't knock as hard equally it does on other wireless earbuds, and so if yous pull up a hip-hop banger like Snoop Dogg'due south "Pump Pump," you'll find the boom-bap drums tame compared to the thumping reproduction from the Galaxy Buds 2 and WH-1000XM4.
I strongly urge you to heed to music in the quietest environments possible, because the AirPods 3 do not isolate dissonance at all. Everything around me crept into the soundscape, from my infant kid crying to basic conversations taking place several feet abroad. This is where ANC and ear tips would have helped most.
Apple AirPods 3 review: Spatial audio
Apple tree's immersive, 360-degree sound engineering science is featured on the AirPods 3. For all the newbies who haven't tried information technology yet, spatial sound employs special algorithms and directional sound filters to adjust the frequencies that each ear hears, creating 360-degree sound in the procedure. This can be enjoyed when listening to select songs in Apple Music, watching content from supported streaming services (east.g., Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max) or taking a FaceTime call.
Freddie Hubbard'south "Weaver of Dreams" placed me right in the heart of the action. The channel separation was superb, as my left ear was fed serene trumpet play, while steady pulsate strokes carried well into the correct ear. Switching to movies, I watched Dune and was surprised by how engaging action scenes sounded. The dynamic head tracking made the viewing experience more enticing; sound effects and vocals adjusted accordingly to my head's positioning. That said, I practice believe the AirPods Pro uses the engineering meliorate, especially with movies, which audio more than immersive even so.
Apple AirPods iii review: Special features
It's best to address the elephant in the room ASAP. As previously mentioned, the AirPods three doesn't come with ANC, or even ambient listening. You know what else it doesn't have? Dual optical sensors or Ear Tip Fit Test back up. All four features are reserved for the AirPods Pro.
Despite these omissions, this model takes advantage of the H1 flake's fast functioning and wide variety of software perks. Many of these you're already familiar with, including the aforementioned Adaptive EQ, Announce Notifications, sound sharing, "Hey Siri" voice activation, and spatial sound. Allow me to impact the residual.
AirPods owners who lose their buds often volition appreciate Enhanced Find My, a feature that tracks lost AirPods while they are within close distance of iDevices or a MacBook. Users can encounter how close they are in the Notice My app or Lost Mode, plus receive alerts if they're out of Bluetooth range. You tin can even play a sound to indicate where they are, if they're close.
Automated switching returns to seamlessly change your audio source from one Apple device to another, when they are connected to the same iCloud account. The Microphone setting lets you lot assign the AirPods mic to automatically alter from left to right or exist fixed to one side. AppleCare+ coverage availability and the Limited Warranty come up in the settings, too.
One feature that hasn't received much attention is Live Listen. What it does is let your iDevice to act as a mic that sends sounds to your AirPods, filling the office of Transparency Mode to hear what's happening effectually you. Turning on the characteristic in the Control Middle widget as well provides access to a Groundwork Sounds fashion (aka soundscape mode) that has five dissimilar profiles, each i producing a different nature sound to mask ambience noises.
Apple AirPods 3 review: Battery life and charging instance
Apple heard our pleas and increased the AirPods' playtime. A total charge equals six hours of listening time, an hour more than both the AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro, but however shorter than rivals like the Sony WF-1000XM4 (8-12 hours) and Master & Dynamic MW08 (10-12 hours). Either mode, any criticisms most the AirPods' bombardment life should exist water under the bridge, because you're getting more than what was offered previously.
What's more, Apple'south battery management is exceptional, with features like Optimized Battery Charging learning your charging routine and stopping charges at 80% to reduce clothing.
The MagSafe charging case increases bombardment life from 24 to 30 hours, another much-appreciated comeback. It'south part of the MagSafe ecosystem and works with the MagSafe charger, though information technology plain doesn't support MagSafe reverse wireless charging from iPhones. Y'all can also accuse it on any Qi-enabled wireless pad. Quick charging remains the same, generating 1 60 minutes of use on a 5-minute charge, one of the fastest results in the category.
Apple AirPods 3 review: Call quality and connectivity
The AirPods 3 is one of the best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls. Apple tree covered the mic with acoustic mesh to reduce wind interference, which shows when answering calls in gusty conditions. My wife could hear me loud and articulate when walking with the babe, and she barely heard any wind or whooshing from cars that sped past. Using the buds within was even more rewarding; clarity was increased, and callers heard me improve when moving around the house.
Withal, the mics can but fight off then much ambient dissonance before information technology breaks through, equally was the example when talking with my mother-in-law every bit I passed through a construction site. Simply experience confident knowing that it takes a lot of incidental sounds to interfere with your voice or video calls. Speaking of which, the AirPods 3 comes with AAC-ELD, a speech codec designed for full HD voice quality when jumping on FaceTime calls. I'm happy to report that my FT experience was clear sounding in several environments.
Pairing these buds to the iOS/macOS platform is seamless. The popular-upward confirmation screen will appear instantly on any iPhone/iPad running a current version of iOS, while Mac and MacBook users will meet the buds automatically appear on the available devices listing. On top of that, the AirPods three plays nicely with Android, something that couldn't exist said of previous versions. Information technology was easy pairing to both of my Android smartphones (Google Pixel 3XL, Samsung Milky way Note S20 Ultra).
Bluetooth 5.0 holds up strong, maintaining a steady range (up to 40 feet) and offer robust connectivity to minimize dropout during calls or streaming.
Apple AirPods iii review: Verdict
Apple played information technology smart with the AirPods 3, offer but enough upgrades to brand information technology a pregnant step up from the AirPods 2, while also keeping it a few steps below the AirPods Pro.
Essentially, these buds are the AirPods Pro minus the eartips and a handful of features (ANC, Transparency Manner, Ear Tip Fit Test). Several series hallmarks show up on the spec canvas, including Adaptive EQ, spatial audio, and force sensor controls. Apple even added some new tricks to make them more than distinctive, including skin detection for machine-pause/play, MagSafe charging, and recently launched iOS xv features such as Enhanced Find My. Allow'due south not forget the boost in battery life, either; granted information technology's but an hr more, but a win, nonetheless.
You might question whether a pair of $179 wireless earbuds without ANC is worth the investment, especially since the AirPods Pro has been seen on auction for the same price. Well, that's an statement we'll be settling over the next few days when breaking down both models. In the meantime, there's no denying the triumph that is the AirPods three.
- More: The all-time headphones with a mic for voice and video calls
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/airpods-3-production-reportedly-ramping-up-for-potential-fall-release
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