Apple AirPods 3 Review: An Audible Evolution

2023-01-10 | Yvonne

Tip: Better sound quality, better battery life, and better build quality paint a better picture, that costs a bit more money.

Apple AirPods 3 Review - An Audible EvolutionBetter sound, longer battery life and better build quality make for a better experience, but it costs a little more.

Apple AirPods 3rd Generation

We like this

Superior sound quality with improved audio
Battery life is longer
Solid construction with MagSafe charging and water resistance

The Things We Hate

Very expensive
Eartips made of silicone are not recommended
No active noise cancellation

Apple's AirPods, the most popular iPhone accessory, are undoubtedly the best.

Apple sent us a unit to review for one of the writers. For more information, please read on.

AirPods 3 combine the best from all generations. They have the more modern design and sound quality of AirPods Pro with the lower price of AirPods Pro.

The third generation of AirPods is a good choice for anyone who's on the fence about purchasing a pair. It offers a great set of features at a reasonable price. It's my fourth review of an AirPods product, so I was excited to finally get it in my hands. Here's what I found out after spending a few days working with them.

Design is a culmination of many things

In-ear AirPods' hanging-stem design has been almost universal in wireless earbuds. With a length of 1.5 inches, the first generation felt oversized.

AirPods Pro improved the design by tilting and shortening the stem to approximately 1.2 inches between bud and tip. This shorter and more angled stem is carried forward by the AirPods 3 to match their non-Pro range. The AirPods 3 look very much like AirPods Pro when worn.

The AirPods 3 are only visible from the outside of your ear. It is possible to describe the design by saying that the AirPods 3 earbud enclosure is very similar to the original AirPods and the stem looks similar to Pro models. There are no silicone tips. You will find a larger opening with a grill that houses the speaker driver.

While the earbud enclosure is identical to the AirPods original, the stem of the Pro model is more similar.

You can also find new bass ports around the enclosure that allow you to create a new sound profile. This tip-free design does have some consequences for comfort. I will discuss these in the following section. The AirPods 3 are an improvement on all the previous models. They have the same all-white and all-Apple look as the originals.

You will experience a different level of comfort depending on your mileage

Over the years I have reviewed many earbuds and developed a strong appreciation for those that fit comfortably in my ears. Apple's AirPods 3 fit is very similar to its predecessor. This has never worked for my particular ears, as I need a secondary point of contact—like a fin or a wing—to keep earbuds in my ears, particularly for active use. But, this design does work for some people, and it allows users to feel a bit of air around the earbud—resulting in breathability, ventilation, and a slightly more open sound.

The AirPods 3 do not offer the same fit as their predecessors. The earbud portion of the headphones is slightly wider than that in the previous version. The difference is not significant and those who are familiar with the original gen may still like the fit. But, I had my partner — who is a daily user of an original pair of AirPods — wear the AirPods 3 for some phone calls and she found the fit to be different enough that she doesn't like it.

This is the moral of this story: because the headphones do not offer interchangeable tips you are stuck with what they offer right out of box. It's likely to work for you if this design works well. This category could be problematic for you.

High quality and durability: Making the best of what you have

Apple's build quality is unrivalled. AirPods 3 are truly exceptional in terms of fit and finish. It feels premium and satisfying to touch, from the snapping of the charging case and smooth plastic earbuds, all the way down to the metallic accent at the stem's edge. The magnets that snap everything together are substantial, and the earbuds themselves don't feel irritating when you're wearing them—at least from a materials perspective.

This new round of AirPods has a noticeable improvement, making them an amazing buy. AirPods Pro's IPX4 sweat resistance and water resistance is in full play. This means that they can withstand almost all precipitation and most perspiration, even though they are not suitable for swimming.

It feels very premium and satisfying to touch the charging case and the smooth plastic earbuds.

The wireless charging case has been upgraded to IPX4-rated. It's a great addition as most of the premium earbuds in this space do not have waterproofing. This is a great addition, as most people take the case with them wherever they go. It also protects the buds from being damaged by rain, which can be a problem.

Sound quality: An upgrade for the masses

First, let me clarify: the AirPods 3 do not replace the AirPods Pro or other premium earbuds like the WF or QC lines from Sony. The AirPods 3 offer a lot of extras to fans of the original AirPods.

The first is the hardware upgrades. The third generation is said to have an upgraded speaker driver that allows for marginally improved bass response and generally louder sound. Some of that is thanks to the rear-firing bass port—which is essentially just an opening in the shell that allows for a better, bass-forward acoustic response for your ears.

There are a few other software features. Apple's AirPods 3 has an integrated microphone that can monitor and register the audio spectrum in your ear. The information is sent to Apple's Adaptive EQ engine embedded in the iPhone OS and Android apps. This molds the sound a little based on what music or environment you are listening to. Although the effect can be controlled only by turning it on and off, it is an excellent addition that will make music more enjoyable.

Spatial audio is another option. The AirPods 3 don't have active noise cancelling, but Apple included their amazing Spatial Audio feature. This technology adds a little soundstage to the audio. it will "pin" the sound to your iPhone if enabled. When using compatible apps or viewing compatible content, the sound will move from ear to ear as you turn your head to make it seem like it's physically coming from your source device — like an iPhone or an iPad. Although it may sound a bit nebulous, this feature adds a sense of space and is great for viewing video content.

The AirPods 3's fit doesn’t depend on silicone-tipped sealing, which can lead to a lot more bleed from external sounds. While this can make the AirPods 3 feel more airy, it will not give you the same sonic characteristics as AirPods Pro. You won't find the isolation you are looking for here if you don't like rubber-tipped headphones.

Battery life: Very good

The battery life was one of my favorite features of the original AirPods. With six hours of battery life advertised for the headphones, the AirPods 3 deliver that torch well with 30 hours listening time when the case is attached. These numbers were consistent in my tests, so you can use your AirPods 3 almost for a week with no need to recharge the case.

MagSafe charging is now available on third-generation AirPods. You'll still get Qi-certified charging as you did with the earlier AirPod generation, however, if your MagSafe charging puck is present, the case can be snapped on immediately just like the newer iPhones. From a battery standpoint, this is an outstanding package.

Connectivity: Checking the box

AirPods 3 offer basically the same input/output options that every AirPods model. They can charge wirelessly, however they also have a Lightning port at the bottom. There is no USB-C yet. To keep up with market trends, Bluetooth 5.0 has been upgraded to provide a smoother and less laggy experience.

There are still no third-party codecs here like Qualcomm aptX, but in my testing, the sound lined up well with videos and games, and sounded really nice — thanks in large part to Apple's software-based audio processing.

Software and extras: seamless ecosystem integration

AirPods' extra features are primarily about how they integrate into Apple's ecosystem. The Spatial Audio, AdaptiveEQ and other features were already covered. But there's more. The H1 chip works in this case. This means that your iPhone, iPad or Mac will instantly recognize and connect to the AirPods 3, without you having to enter a Bluetooth menu. It also allows for intelligent transfer between devices.

However, I want to point out that iPhones will need the most recent iOS 15 update in order to access all of the software features. You can adjust certain spatial audio profiles (if Apple Music is used), as well as customize some controls. The inside has a skin sensor, which allows the battery shutdown and auto play/pause functions to be more precise.

The third-gen AirPods Pro is $179, which is a fair price, however they're still quite expensive than the original model, which is available at $129.

The Force Touch stems, which are now available in the third generation AirPods, is my favourite control feature. In the past, you could control music using different patterns of tapping on each stem. Although this was a good idea, it was not ideal for me. I also found that the fit was poor in my ears and I had to constantly press down on the earbuds while adjusting them.

To activate the control, your thumb and forefinger must be placed on each side of a stem. You will feel a click as you interact with the control. I find this method to be easy and intuitive for switching songs or pausing them, and it also helps you get Siri's attention.

Price: A surprising downside

Fair enough, Apple products tend to be very expensive. However, it was surprising to see where Apple put these AirPods within its product range. The third-generation AirPods Pro are less expensive at $179 than AirPods Pro but are much more costly than older AirPods models (which are still available for $129).

Even when you add in sound enhancements and additional features, the $50 price difference can be quite significant. If you want a more open fitting and some of the professional-level features, the price might not be too much.

Apple AirPods Pro vs. Apple AirPods 3.

It was difficult to determine the correct comparison between the third-generation AirPods. These have many similarities to the AirPods Pro and second-generation AirPods. The third-generation AirPods Pro is the most similar to it. Spatial Audio and AdaptiveEQ will still be available. Official waterproofing is also included.

The AirPods Pro may be a bit older so you might find them on Amazon or other third-party websites at a great price. The AirPods Pro are a great option if you want active noise cancelling and a snug fit.

Final Verdict

This is a really great update.

While it is easy to pick and choose the best features of the AirPods 3 iPhone, when you look at the entire package, it's difficult to recommend them. Apple's well-known stem-style design is back and has received improvements to sound quality, water resistance, MagSafe charging and longer battery life. While you will pay more than the previous generations, you get exactly what you pay. Apple's AirPods 3 is certain to be a huge success.

Specifications

Product name AirPods (3rd generation)
Apple Product Brand
MPN MME73AM/A
Prices from $179.00
Publication Date: October 20, 2121
Weight 0.15 oz.
Product dimensions 1.21x0.67x0.72 in.
Colour White
Water Resistance IPX4
Battery life up to 6 hours with earbuds, 30 hours when using a battery case
Wired /wireless wireless
Wireless range 30 feet
Limited Warranty of 1 Year
Bluetooth spec Bluetooth 5
Audio Codecs SBC, AAC

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