Apple has continued to provide great first-party products for its users since its inception. From the seamless MacBook-iPhone integration, to the AirPod series, the apple family is difficult to match. After three years, Apple released the long-awaited AirPod Pro 3 in late 2025. Now that there’s been some time to sit with them, let’s see if they live up to the Apple name.
What You Get
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The AirPod Pro 3 is ready to use fresh out of the box. Its eartips are snug and comfortable; most won’t need anything from third parties. Connectivity to any iPhone or MacBook is incredibly easy and intuitive. The case is compact, maximizing portability for everyday use.
Build, Design, and Comfort
The Pro 3 looks very similar to the Pro 2 that came before it, with the only major change being the marginal increase in size. However, the case is still nice and compact, maximizing portability for everyday use.
The pods themselves look just as great as the other AirPods Pros that came before them, sporting the classic Apple minimalism that we know and love. A minor complaint of mine would be the lack of color customization. It’s pretty much standard practice for products to come in multiple colors for customer personalization. Apple, however seems resistant to this with AirPods, with the exception of the Max, for some reason. Many don’t like how much the white sticks out when wearing them, how easily they scratch, or simply want a pair in their favorite color. It doesn’t affect the functionality of the earbuds, but it would be a nice feature for consumers to have the choice.
Apple absolutely nailed the comfort here. With the right sized eartips, these are some of if not these most comfortable IEMs I have ever worn. Unlike most IEMs, which gradually make my ears sore or itchy, I barely notice the Pro 3s in my ear even after hours of use, with an even more snug fit than the Pro 2.
Sound Review
Sound Stage
The staging on the Pro 3 varies widely depending on the setting. On default, they sound very close-up and intimate like a typical IEM, and, with full noise cancellation, they can sound incredibly isolating. However, the Pro 3 also supports stereo imaging, making them sound much more like a typical pair of over-ear headphones. A great deal of space is offered with this feature, which significantly widens the sound for a more open and less intimate experience.
You may ask why this feature would be necessary: if you’re buying an IEM, wouldn’t you want the sound of an IEM. Well, the answer to that lies in the audience of the AirPod Pros. Most people buying them are not audiophiles, and simply want a way to seamlessly listen to music privately on-the-go. This is a great option for people that want the sound of an over-ear, but are inclined to wireless earbuds for their convenience
Sound Signature: A Comparison With the Pro 2
Rather than go beat by beat on the sound of the Pro 3 from Bass to Treble, I’m going to compare the sound to the Pro 2, as that’s the best frame-of-reference for this new sound.
The sound on the Pro 3 differs greatly when compared with the Pro 2. While the Pro 2 went for more of a reference-quality, true-to-life sound signature, the Pro 3 takes a significant departure, boosting the bass and treble significantly for more of a “wow factor” V-shaped sound. Some will love this and find the sound far more engaging, some will be disappointed in Apple for abandoning a sound they loved. I’m more in the middle on this issue.
While I appreciate the direction of the Pro 3, there is something lost in the mids through boosting the other two sides of the frequency spectrum here. White I wouldn’t say I dislike the sound of the Pro 3, I wouldn’t say it’s a definitive improvement either, making the upgrade for sound alone a harder sell
Features Comparison
The new features in the Pro 3 compared to the Pro 2 are actually quite impressive. The 3 boasts significantly better noise cancellation, an integrated feature to help prevent hearing damage, head movements for hands-free controls, a heart rate monitor, and all previous features included in the Pro 2. A spectacular new beta feature, which is also included on the Pro 2 with an update, is the live-translation feature, making language-barrier communication significantly easier. These improvements are genuinely commendable. It’s rare to see a single-generation leap this big in the world of modern tech.
Final Thoughts
At a $250 price tag, the Pro 3 is a great option for a wireless IEM for an Apple user. With full Apple Intelligence integration and a myriad of new features, it’s tough to beat at this price point. If you already have a Pro 2 and are looking to upgrade it is a harder sell simply due to the sound change. The sound of the Pro 3 may disappoint staunch fans of the Pro 2. Additionally, if you solely use your IEMs for sound alone, there is competition for sound quality both in the wired and wireless world at this price point, and I recommend looking into more options before jumping the gun on the Pro 3. However, if you’re already an apple fan and want something to add to your collection, it’s hard to go wrong here.
You can shop for wireless IEMs at Audio 46.
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