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22 hours ago
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I spend a good chunk of my day with AirPods Pro in my ears — in fact, I'm wearing them right now while writing this. I used to scoff at the idea of paying more than $30 for earbuds, but after nearly a year of daily use, my AirPods have become part of my holy trinity: phone, wallet, keys, earbuds (OK, I guess it isn't a trinity anymore). The noise cancellation saves me from my neighbor's 7 a.m. lawn mower, and transparency mode makes ordering my coffee a lot less awkward.
Now, Apple's brand-new AirPods Pro 3 promise twice the noise cancellation and better battery life compared with the previous model, plus a built-in heart monitor and translation mode. But with Amazon's October Prime Day around the corner, should you buy now or wait? Let's look at the price history for clues.
Want your earbuds to have better active noise cancellation, a heart rate monitor and — when paired with iPhones running Apple Intelligence — live translation? These are the ones you'll want.
The last time a new pair of AirPods Pro launched was back in 2022, right before October Prime Day (then called the Amazon Prime Early Access Sale — rolls right off the tongue, no?). AirPods Pro 2 debuted at $249, the same price as today's Pro 3. Within a month, they were down 10% to $223.
For more context, the AirPods Pro 2 hit an all-time low of $149 during Prime Day this past July — but at that point, they'd been on the market for nearly three years. A 10% discount on the AirPods Pro 3 seems possible, but I wouldn't bank on a price drop bigger than that so soon after their release.
So, should you buy them now? It depends. How badly do you want to save $26, assuming history repeats itself? Personally, if I were buying AirPods Pro for the first time, today's $249 AirPods Pro 3 feel far more tempting than the AirPods Pro 2 at $199, especially with added features like twice the noise reduction, a heart rate monitor and live translation (assuming that you have an iPhone that has Apple Intelligence). They also have better battery life — up to eight hours with noise cancellation on.
To me, it all comes down to when you need them. If you have the AirPods Pro 2 already, I'd wait. In fact, that's exactly what I plan on doing. That said, if you are rocking the first-gen AirPods Pro or are looking to make your first purchase, spending the extra money to get them now might make more sense. Have any travel on the horizon? Then I would definitely get them now. A peaceful flight is worth far more than $26 to me.
Are Apple's latest noise-cancelling earbuds worth the upgrade if you already have a pair of Pros? Maybe — and a better price may be coming down the pike.
(Amazon)
The AirPods Pro 3 have just gone on sale, so there aren't many reviews yet, but our tech-obsessed sister-site, Engadget, loves them. And here are some of the tens of thousands of rave reviews of the previous generation:
"They've exceeded my expectations in every way," one audiophile raved. "The sound quality is exceptional, with a rich, balanced audio profile that makes listening to music and podcasts a joy. The noise cancellation feature is also significantly improved, effectively blocking out background noise even in busy environments. ... I can wear them for hours without any discomfort."
"Wow, these things are next level!" said a lively listener. "The Bluetooth connection is seamless as always, and the active noise cancellation is ridiculously good — like, the world just melts away when you put them in. Perfect for noisy commutes or when you just want some peace and quiet. One feature that surprised me is the new hearing aid feature. If you need a little boost for conversations or specific sounds, it really helps. And when you don't want to be fully isolated, the transparency mode is super clear — lets you hear what's happening around you without having to take the earbuds out."
A third reviewer said, "I bought these mainly for the noise cancellation feature. It works great and much better compared to Beats. It's on par with Bose noise cancellation. ... A great pair of headphones, especially if you own other compatible iOS devices."
At $249, they're not exactly a steal, but to me, the upgrades are more than worth the $50 premium over the AirPods Pro 2.
If you don't want to shell out for the latest and greatest, there are a few other options:
Just because the AirPods Pro 3 are out doesn't mean these aren't worth your time. In fact, they might be the smarter buy. Last Prime Day, they dropped to $149, easily one of the best deals of the sale. The noise cancellation is still fantastic and the battery life hasn't let me down once. Why pay for the flashy new Pro 3 features if you're not going to use them (live translation, for example, needs an updated iPhone with Apple Intelligence)? Keep an eye on these during the October Prime Day sale — they could be a sleeper hit.
If you don't like that feeling of having something wedged in your ear and don't need active noise cancellation, it's better to not go Pro. How are the AirPods 4 different from the previous generation? The shorter stem gives them a cleaner look, and the new quick-press controls mean no more fumbling to pause your tunes or take a call. Plus, they fit better and stay put, so you won't have to keep adjusting them while you're at the gym or running to catch the train.
They also hit an all-time low of $89 last Prime Day, so if money is tight but you still want Apple buds, look no further.
"I decided to upgrade from my AirPods 2 and I'm impressed!" a happy listener wrote. "Sound quality is great! Wow! They don't feel like they're going to fall out of my ears and [are] very comfortable."
If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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