As a marathon runner, I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with Apple’s AirPods Pro. I love the sound quality when I’m running into the wind, trying to listen to a podcast, but I’ve always struggled with the fit — my earbuds slowly slipping out of my ears as I get further into my run has never failed to annoy me.
That is, until the AirPods Pro 3 dropped onto my desk. I was more excited about Apple’s new headphones than I was about either the Apple Watch 11 or Apple Watch Ultra 3. The AirPods Pro are a huge upgrade on the AirPods Pro 2 — they have a new design for a better fit, a heart rate monitor, and longer battery life.
I’ve worn them for a week’s worth of workouts, from running workouts in the rain to sessions in the gym, and pretty much everything in between over the past week. Here’s the highs and lows.
They fit really well
Apple has finally done it. They’ve created a set of AirPods that stay put in my ears, no matter how much I skip, hop, or jump through my workout. I found the new fit a lot more snug than the previous AirPods Pro sets, and I was able to switch to a smaller earbud easily. I also appreciate Apple’s fit checker — here’s how to use the fit checker with your AirPods Pro 3.
The biggest tactile change to the AirPods Pro 3 is the squishy tips at the end of the buds. This foam infusion feels different from the silicone used on the older models, and makes them a lot more comfortable for hours of wear.
The sound quality is fantastic
Apple says the Pro 3’s Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) is twice as effective as the previous model. I decided to test the AirPods in one of the noisiest environments I know (the London Underground) on my morning commute. The Pro 3 did an excellent job of filtering out unwanted noise so I could hear my audiobook with perfect sound. I’m sorry, readers, I tend to listen to books and podcasts non-stop, but here’s what my audio editor colleague thought of the sound quality in more detail.
One time I do switch to music is the final miles of a long run, when I need the extra motivation to keep my legs moving. I tend to avoid using ANC when running for safety reasons, but on one windy day on the Thames Path, I switched it on, safe in the knowledge I wasn’t going to encounter any traffic. It was truly brilliant, and I could definitely notice the difference compared to the AirPods Pro 2.
The heart rate monitor is excellent
I’ll admit, I was skeptical about the on-board heart rate monitor, having tested that in the Powerbeats Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3, however, was pretty much spot on during workouts when I compared it to my Apple Watch’s data. I was also able to head out for a dog walk, watch free, and use my AirPods to ensure I continued to close my rings.
My colleague Nick Harris-Fry tested the heart rate monitor of the AirPods Pro 3 against a chest strap while running and was also impressed.
There’s not a lot to complain about
I haven’t tested the Live Translation features yet, but all in all, I’m impressed with the AirPods Pro 3. Would I invest if I already had a pair of AirPods Pro 2 in my ears? I think the answer lies in how much the heart rate tracking means to you. If you have an older pair of AirPods, however, or you’re looking for a pair of in-ear buds that’ll cope with the sweatiest of workouts, these are hard to beat.
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