AirPods Pro 3 Review - Awesome

Dave2D reviews AirPods Pro 3 and finds sound quality slightly worse than AirPods Pro 2 despite superior specs in every other category.

• Dave2D and his wife independently preferred AirPods Pro 2 sound over Pro 3 in blind A/B tests across most tracks.
• Measurements show AP3 has more sub-bass but a dip in mid-bass and an unexplained peak at 2.5 kHz absent on AP2.
• AP3 battery lasts ~9 hours with ANC on (claimed 8h), up from AP2’s 6h, but total case capacity dropped from 30h to 24h.
• A 3-year-old AP2 unit degraded from 6h to just over 4h, signaling aggressive battery degradation in small cells.
• Live translation runs fully on-device with no cloud upload; requires pre-downloaded language packs, works well in 1-on-1 conversations.
• Heart rate sensor works accurately from the ear canal but requires iPhone or Apple Watch nearby during workouts.
• AP3 costs $250 vs. competitors like Nothing Ears at significantly lower price with comparable audio.
• Dave2D recommends AP3 only for mic-heavy use cases; existing AP2 owners who just listen to music should skip the upgrade.

2025-09-15 · Watch on YouTube