As I sat on my computer today, perusing options to buy another set of Apple’s AirPods Pro, it dawned on me: it’s about time I write a review for these bad boys, because I’ve used mine almost daily for the past year-and-a-half.
If you’re new to the world of Apple’s headphones and earbuds, you may not realize that Apple offers three options that will suit your needs much better than the standard, wired ear buds that come with some Apple products, like iPhones and iPods:
1: Airpods, which are the wireless companion to the standard earbuds the you’ll find accompanying some Apple devices. These Airpods are the size of the standard earbuds, if you were to cut the cords off at the very base of the earbud stems. They come in a small, square-shaped charging case with round corners, which serves as a convenient storage location for your AirPods, and accepts the standard Lightning USB cable to charge.
2: AirPods Pro, which have all of the features at the standard AirPods, plus a more comfortable fit, better sound quality, and two modes of sound augmentation, being a noise-canceling mode and a “Transparency mode”, which allows you to listen to your surroundings while you listen to your music, podcasts, or other media.
3: Lastly, Apple added the Airpods Max to their fleet this year. These are over-the-ear headphones that offer similar features to the AirPods Pro, minus the charging case. You’ll find that these headphones have better noise-cancelation and sound quality than the AirPods at the cost of a larger profile and price tag.
Please note: While the cases for the AirPods and AirPods Pro accept the lightning cable to charge, they can also be placed on a mag-safe charging pad to charge. With that said, I’ve only btested the AirPods Pro with the lightning cable, as I do not own a wireless charging pad.
So, Let’s Focus on the AirPods Pro
Keeping in mind that this post has no ties to any outside entity, so my opinions aren’t being skewed with the intent of pleasing an advertiser, I absolutely love my AirPods Pro, and I take them with me just about everywhere. I’m on my second pair, because they are easy to lose due to their compact case, but that small profile is also a big part of why I love these earbuds, so it’s a bit of a paradox. If you can see, this won’t be much of a problem for you, but if you’re visually-impaired, it’s another story. With that said, the AirPods Pro are capable of being used with Apple’s “Find My” app, but you have to be pretty close to the case for this feature to be beneficial if you have a visual impairment. Keep in mind that I’m also deaf in one ear, so your mileage may vary here, but I just don’t think the sound is strong enough to truly tout this as an outstanding feature; I’d say the “FindMy” capability is more of an afterthought that Apple added to increase the length of the “features” list for these earbuds. But I’ll save the rest of my opinions until the wrap-up at the bottom of this post. Let’s get into some facts.
What’s in the box?
First of all, the packaging for the AirPods Pro lives up to the standard we’ve come to know as Apple has grown into the Titan of a company that it is. It’s sleek, compact, and satisfying to open. Inside the box, you’ll find your AirPods Pro and accompanying charging case, three different sizes of the silicone tips that form the seal necessary for effective noise cancellation, one lightning to USB-C cable, and some documentation.
Features
With the price being around 80dollars more than the AirPods with charging case, it’s a no-brainer that the AirPods Pro are the better choice, whether you’re in need of noise cancellation or you just have an extra 80 bucks burning a hole in your pocket, and you’re about to see why.
Comfort and Convenience
Being someone who owns a pair of ears that don’t cooperate with standard Apple earbuds very well, the comfort and secure fit provided by the silicone tips of the AirPods Pro are almost at the top of my list when it comes to benefits of these earbuds. With only three size choices, you may feel that two different sizes provide the same level of comfort and sound quality, but the AirPods run a “fit test” during setup to determine which of the tips are the perfect fit for you. The only feature that tops the comfort of the AirPods Pro is their ability to seamlessly alternate between the noise cancellation and transparency modes.
On top of these two stand-out features, Voiceover users won’t notice any latency between executing gestures on-screen and their devices’ TTS output, which is a somewhat common occurrence with other Bluetooth headphones.
Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode
Living in the heart of the city, I constantly switch between the two modes while I travel with my cane, as I come to street crossings and need to hear traffic, or when I’m on long spans of uninterrupted sidewalk, where I can block-out the sounds of the city while I make my way to my next crossing. And, while the noise cancellation of the AirPods Pro is incredible for their size, I do want to note that they don’t provide as much soundproofing as an over-the-ear headphone, like the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones. And if you’re curious, you can find my review of those headphones here.
On the other hand, when in transparency mode, the AirPods utilize both their inward and outward-facing microphones to bypass the sound-masking that comes with having standard earbuds in your ears, leaving ones’ ability to hear their surroundings unimpeded. And when I say unimpeded, I mean it; when it comes to listening to my surroundings, the transparency mode provides a level of clarity I haven’t experienced with another pair of earbuds- and especially not with over-the-ear headphones.
Sweatproof
I also wear my AirPods Pro when I lift weights, and on my way both to and from my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym: Two times when there is a lot of sweat and a lot of movement, and so far, their sweat/splashproof design has withstood everything I’ve subjected them to. It’s not uncommon for me to wash them under a faucet, and again, they still work just fine. I haven’t submerged them into a vessel of water though, and Apple has outlined that this would surpass the limits of the AirPods resiliency.
Battery life and Charging case
While I haven’t been able to find any specific details as to the battery life of the charging case itself, one comparison article I found stated that the standard AirPods can be used for 4.5 hours before needing to be charged by their case, while the AirPos Pro will survive for 5.5 hours. Do keep in mind that these measurement are approximate, as the battery life may vary greatly, depending on distance from the connected device, volume level, mode, and many other factors.
Alright, but how do they sound?
My AirPods Pro deliver a surprising level of sound quality, whether I’m listening to audiobooks, podcasts, or music. They are undeniably the best pair of earbuds I’ve ever owned, and I’ve had a hard time transitioning back to standard Bluetooth earbuds at times when my Airpods Pro are charging. Spoken-word content sounds crisp and professional, with no fuzziness looming around the speaker’s voice, so I’m not often distracted by poor audio quality, unless I have an unstable wi-fi connection. And, the AirPods Pro even add an extra layer of depth to stories that have occasional music or sound effects entwined throughout their duration.
Finally, when listening to music, the AirPods Pro have a surprising amount of power; I haven’t had the feeling that I’m missing any part of a song because of their bass output when in noise cancellation mode. However, When in noisier settings with other music in the background, like at a public gym, I do find myself longing for my aforementioned, over-the-ear Bose headphones, because I can hear too much of the gym’s music over my own.
Wrapping Up
If you know you want to buy a pair of wireless earbuds, I can’t recommend the AirPods Pro enough. While I do believe they are a tad pricey, inflated prices come with the territory when it comes to Apple products, and I feel like I’ve gotten my moneys worth from these earbuds. With that said, if you’ve decided it’s time to track-down a pair for yourself, I suggest shopping around. While prices fluctuate everywhere, several articles I’ve skimmed mentioned that Amazon occasionally offers much-better AirPods and AirPods Pro deals than Apple.
There is a newer version of this item:
Customer reviews
List of Features/Changes compared to Airpods (v2)
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2019
Like iphone 11 Pro, Macbook Pro, Airpad Pro; the "Pro" denotes a higher end product.Compared to the Airpods (version 2) highest end model (with wireless charging case*); the Airpods Pro is $50 more MSRP.Compared to the non wireless case version it's $90 more*Airpods Pro does have wireless charging case by default. Only one version.Let's go through the differences1. Physical Appearance:Shorter Stem, but larger bud or headThere's a large black airflow grillA mic inside and outside the AirpodsCase is same thickness, a lot wider, but shorter. Still uses lighting cable to charge, but it does come with a lighting to USB-C cable2. In-ear, instead of on-earIf your ear has a small cavum and the original airpods fit perfectly, then the Airpads Pro may be a tight fit/more uncomfortable, but seeing the in-ear design, the ear piece will go into the ear canal and the rest will float in place.Those with normal or larger cavum it'll fit well.Some may not like the ear piece going into their ear canalThese ear phones are more for a closed environment than an open oneSeeing that it's an in-ear design, you may feel this hollow air effect going on unless you turn on transparency mode (more on this later) or play music with active noise cancelling onSeeing that it's in-ear, it has a tighter grip, better for joggers, those who shake their head around a lot for some reason, or if you run up stairs often. If you have an intense workout regimen and/or do extreme sports and not mindful it still can fall outThere's a Ear Tip Fit Test on app. There's several ear tips in box. When you turn on this feature in app it'll calibrate and suggest what ear tips are best listening experience for youIf you lose the tips or get them dirty overtime, you can go to the Apple store and get replacement pair for around $4 or get cheaper 3rd party ones when they come out3. Squeeze instead of tapInstead of tapping on the earbuds, you are pinching or squeezing the stem.1x to play, pause, and answer calls2x to skip forward tracks3x to skip back tracksPress and hold to switch between active noise cancel and transparency modeStill able to say "Hey Siri" to do voice commands/adjust volume anytimeNo physical volume controls on buds4. Battery lifeBattery life varies depending on how far away you are from the device and volume you set. Battery depreciation over time. These are just rough estimatesPro in general has 4.5 listening time with active noise cancelling or transparency on. Airpods version 2 has 5 hours. Note Airpod version 2 does not have active noise cancelling or transparency mode. You can get 5 hours with noise cancelling and transparency off, but most likely you're not going to unless you're really desperate for batteryPro has 3.5 talk time. Airpods have 3 hoursCase both old 24 hours battery lifePro: 5 mins in case = 1 hour talk or listen time. Airpods 15min in case = 3 hours listen, 2 hours talk5. Water/sweat resistantNow you can go to the gym and do cardio with them on.As mentioned before, tighter grip seeing that it's in-earMay survive light rain. Do not recommended going in the shower or dunk in the pool with it though 6. Active noise cancellation, Transparency modeAirpods pro has 3 modes: Active noise cancellation, off and Transparency modeActive nose cancellation tries to block out outside noise while listening to music. I'd say it drowns out may 70%. If you focus to outside or aren't focused to music; you still may be able to pick out what's going on, but in general it does it's job.Off is just like the standard in-ear headphones, but with the hollow air sound when no music is playingTransparency mode. The black airflow grills let in outside sound so you're able to hear both outside sound and music same time. Think of it as open ear headsets.Unlike some in-ear headsets the black airflow grills prevent you from hearing yourself in your head when you talk7. Sound QualityBetter than the previous version seeing the active noise cancelling and in-ear with more focused sound direcly into your ear canal. It's not $250 audiophile quality sound. Better quality sound in lows and mids compared to non-pro version. If you ever tried the Power Beats Pro, it sound very similar to thoseYou can hear callers better in a noisy environment and less likely raise your voice--Conclusion:Other than that, all other features are the same. Meant to be used on Apple devices. Very good ease of use for Apple users, and is in-style these days (shows social status). Sound quality is better that the non-PRO version, and you do get noise cancellation. There are other headphones that do it better sound in this price range, but may not be as convenient with pairing to Apple devices.
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2019
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Amazon Customer
⚠️⚠️⛔⛔ DANGEROUS!! ⛔⛔⚠️⚠️
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 24, 2021
⚠️⚠️⛔⛔ DANGEROUS!! ⛔⛔⚠️⚠️
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 24, 2021
🚨🚨🚨 DANGEROUS 🚨🚨🚨 HEARING LOSSReviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 24, 2021
IM A MUSICIAN BUYER BEWARE
READ CAREFULLY (FULL REVIEW) ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Hello every music/tech lover i've bought the airpods pro for my birthday on the beginning of 2021 and i was so happy about the product!
Sadly In Less than 2 weeks of (regular use:low volume,calls) i've started noticing a small ringing (tinnitus) in my ears i let it slip because i tought it was only in my head because my ears were not used to the silence.
I went running two times with them on and my ears hurted so much afterwards....
I should have stopped using them right at this moment but i was really loving the peace of mind and the quietness they procured me also the fact that my hands were free while i talked on the phone.
Then 3 weeks later the tinnitus is insane i cant go to sleep beacause of it it's the first sound i hear in the morning too.
Because i wanted to protect other people I've called apple and harrassed them for two hours they called their engineers and told me it was impossible their product would do that instead of investigating a possible faulty device.
So my ear are so messed up that i've went to the doctor today and he says he thinks it's been caused by the airpods he's scared to buy some now.
He scheduled me to see an audiologist and have hearing tests, he was concerned about the situation.
My hypothesis is that the noise cancellation is the reason for the this problem and that the reverse polarity wave output is probably too strong.
Be carefull before buying this product apple does bot care about your health or well being.
ALL THEY WANT IS YOUR $$$
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Arnoldo G.
Muy buenos en general, pero con ciertos detalles.
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on June 16, 2020
Muy buenos en general, pero con ciertos detalles.
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on June 16, 2020
Primero tengo que destacar lo rápido que fue la entrega del producto, llegó muy Bien empaquetado, se veía nuevo, al sacarlos del empaque se veía todo muy bien, pero ahí empezó el primer “detalle” al conectarlos decía “Arpods Pro de Ricardo” lo cual no entendí, porque si son nuevos, no entiendo porque tiene que tener otro nombre.Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on June 16, 2020
Total los eh probado 3 días han funcionado de maravilla excepto por un problema y MUY grave, se descarga mucho más rápido un airpods que otro.
Por lo que si se mantiene ese problema desgraciadamente tendré que devolverlos, espero que se arregle o que exista un cambio por otra unidad.
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Mr Big
Didn't think I would like them
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 16, 2020
Didn't think I would like them
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 16, 2020
First of all, I purchased this directly from Amazon. Look out for "Shipped & Sold by Amazon" - and you are guaranteed to receive a legitimate product. Other reviewers who are claiming that the product is counterfeit are probably purchasing from third party sellers.Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 16, 2020
Let's get to the review.
I am someone who does not enjoy the "in-ear" style earbuds. The ones with rubber tips that you jam into your ear canals. They are usually uncomfortable and give me headaches. For this reason, I have stuck with the traditional EarPods and AirPods design.
Taking the jump to purchase AirPods Pro wasn't easy. It goes against all my beliefs and preferences for earphones. However, I must applaud Apple - because this is now my main listening device (previously an AirPods 2nd gen user). I learned that in-ear style buds cause me pain because of the build-up of pressure in the ear canal. The AirPods Pro have vents that regulate the pressure inside your ear, making it feel almost like the regular AirPods - invisible. If anything, I can wear these for hours until the battery dies, whereas the regular AirPods hurt after maybe an hour or so.
Transparency mode and noise cancellation mode are easily switchable by holding the AirPods stem. I usually keep mine on Transparency mode, but it is nice to switch to noise cancellation mode for when my environment is too loud. FYI, the AirPods Pro come with different ear tips, so you will likely find one that will create the most optimal seal in your ear canal.
As of writing this review, I purchased this on sale under $300 CAD. The fact that Apple makes their products work so well with each other is another reason that this is a good buy. If you have an iPhone/iPad, AppleTV, or MacBook, you can switch between devices so seamlessly - without re-pairing the AirPods each time. That is to say, my wife has used this with her Windows laptop and has no issues.
Overall, I am glad I took the chance on these. Hoping to use this for many years to come.
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daniel
Produto sem garantia da Apple
Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on June 17, 2021
Produto sem garantia da Apple
Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on June 17, 2021
Anuncia um produto como NOVO e não tem garantia da Apple, e o produto veio danificado!!!
Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on June 17, 2021
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Gale Franey
These are REAL AirPods Pro, They Work and Sound Great!
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 31, 2020
These are REAL AirPods Pro, They Work and Sound Great!
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 31, 2020
For the many people asking in the comments, the AirPods Pro sold directly from Amazon’s own warehouse (ie: NOT from a third party seller) ARE REAL. They are NOT fake. I have done a lot of research and it is quite easy to see whether or not your AirPods Pro are legitimate. I have uploaded 8 photos that show clearly features that only the REAL AirPods Pro have:Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 31, 2020
1.) The REAL AirPods Pro plastic wrapping does not have a messy seam. It is perfect with a pull tab with black arrow that can be pulled to easily remove the plastic. Some fakes have added a glued a fake tab, but it does not actually pull properly to easily open the package.
2.) When you open the box, the charging case is very neatly wrapped with a plastic wrapper that has a long horizontal gray line on the top pull tab. This wrapping comes off easily, whereas fake ones also have a similar wrapping but they do NOT have the horizontal line and are often tucked or glued in a messy way.
3.) Perhaps the easiest way to know if your AirPods Pro are REAL is that the insert that lifts out should be a hard, pressed “cardboard” molded insert, NOT plastic!! Every fake AirPods I’ve seen in YouTube videos has a “plastic” insert. The plastic insert is a clear indication of Fakes.
4.) When you lift the cardboard molded insert from the box to retrieve the extra ear tips and lightning-to USB C cord, you’ll see that the cord is perfectly aligned with the circular indentation. That is also made of hard pressed cardboard, whereas Fake ones are plastic. On the REAL Apple AirPods box, this inner insert cannot be removed. It aligns perfectly to the edges of the box, whereas with any FAKE version the inner insert can be removed, is not perfectly aligned. The fake counterfeit companies do not have the precision manufacturing equipment to make a proper box and also Apple’s precision packaging is costly so Fakes look cheap and messy when compared to REAL AirPods Pro.
5.) When you open the cardboard flap of the extra ear tips, you’ll see that the upper flap has round indentations that hold the tips securely in place. None of the fakes I’ve seen so far have these circular indentations on the inner flap that covers the ear tips.
6.) The first time you open your AirPods Pro case to pair with your iPhone, iPad or any other device, you’ll notice the light on the charging case is “white”, not green, red or orange. All the fake ones that I’ve seen in YouTube videos light up either green or orange. Also pay close attention to the Text within the pairing window that says “AirPods Pro” ... some of the fakes say “Not Your AirPods Pro”.
7.) In order to get the new AirPod firmware features you need to ensure that all your devices have been updated to the most recent iOS or OS software version. Then once you’ve paired your AirPods Pro, they also need to be updated to the most current firmware version. As of today, December 31, 2020 the most recent firmware is 3A283. I’ll explain how to update your AirPod Pro firmware in the next step:
8.) You will 100% know that your AirPods Pro are REAL if you are able to update your firmware to 3A283, which adds the new features such as Surround Sound and seamless transition between all of your Apple devices. Once you’ve paired your AirPods Pro to your device, go to your Bluetooth Settings where you’ll see your AirPods Pro listed. Click on the (i) on the right hand side, look the Firmware Version that appears in the list. Mine arrived at Version 2D27, but yours might be different. To update your firmware to the most recent version, place your AirPods in the charging case and plug in the case (or place on wireless charging pad). Open the charging case while the Airpods are inside it. Also plug in your device and keep it open. Within approximately 15 - 30 minutes, maybe longer if you have a slow internet connection, the Firmware Version should automatically update to the most current version. As of today’s date, the latest version is 3A283.
If you are able to update the AirPods Pro to Apple’s latest firmware, you can be 100% certain that your AirPods Pro are REAL. The fake AirPods Pro will NOT update to Apple’s latest firmware and will not provide Surround Sound (Spatial Audio) or any of the other newest AirPods Pro features. If you are reading this review at a future date, do a Google search to find the most recent AirPods Pro firmware number. When future firmware updates are released, there will be a new Firmware Version number. Enjoy your AirPods Pro :-)
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