@quiet_maple_21 · Owner-reported
Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
What nobody tells you before buying how good the ANC really is.
- Comfort · better than expected
- Fit and build · better than expected
Would buy again
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In their words
Own it? Your note joins these
Three answers, four quick reads, one sentence nobody tells you before buying · About 2 minutes · No account needed · Photo optional
Apple
Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen
Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation
noise cancelling & sound
9/ 10
ANCNoise cancelling9
0.010.0
At 9, its noise cancelling beats 99% of wireless earbuds we've measured.
Measured on 93 of the 259 we've cataloged.
4.5/ 5
SoundMDAQS Overall4.5
1.05.0
A 4.5 puts its audio quality in the bottom third of wireless earbuds we've measured.
Measured on 61 of the 259 we've cataloged.
See the lab data ↓Frequency response · Isolation · Noise cancelling · Audio quality
1of 1
Would buy it again and still uses it daily.
Owned 6–12 months.
- Fit and comfort over hours1 better
- Battery in real life1 as expected
- Mic on calls1 as expected
- Buds and case after months1 better
Key specs
Battery Life Earbuds
10 hAbove average10 h
3 h15 h
above average for wireless earbuds — based on 241 of 259 we've cataloged.
IP Rating
IP57IPX436%IP5516%IP5416%IP575%
IP57 appears on 5% of the 238 wireless earbuds we've cataloged (of 259).
Live translation
Platform AINone54%Platform ai33%In-app13%
Platform ai appears on 33% of the 24 wireless earbuds we've cataloged (of 259).
Noise Cancellation Type
ActiveMost commonActive60%Passive14%Hybrid10%Adaptive8%
Active is the most common — on 60% of the 176 wireless earbuds we've cataloged (of 259).
Battery
- Battery Life Earbuds
- 10 h
- Battery Life With Case
- 24 h
- Charging Method
- USB-C + Wireless
- Full Charge Minutes
- 5 min
- Battery Life Anc On
- 8 h
- Fast Charging
- Yes
Build
- IP Rating
- IP57
- Sweat Resistance
- Yes
- Water Resistance
- Yes
- Material Case
- Plastic
Features
- Live translation
- Platform AI
- Certified For
- Made for iPhone
- Companion App
- IOS only
- Control Type
- Touch controls
- Find My Device
- Find My (Apple)
- Auto Connect
- Yes
- Auto Pause
- Yes
- Fitness Tracking
- Yes
- Mono Mode
- Yes
- Spatial Audio
- Head tracking
- Voice Assistant Support
- Siri
Sound
- Noise Cancellation Type
- Active
- Passive Isolation
- 20 dB
- Ambient Mode
- Adaptive transparency
- Anc Depth
- 30 dB
- Anc Modes
- Off,anc,transparency
- Driver Type
- Dynamic
- Frequency Response Signature
- V-shaped
Connectivity
- Bluetooth Version
- 5.3
- Bluetooth Codec
- AAC, SBC
- Connection Type
- Bluetooth
- Headphone Jack
- No
- Multipoint Devices
- 2 devices
Design
- Earbud Form Factor
- In-ear
- Case Dimensions
- 62.2 x 47.2 x 21.8 mm mm
- Color Options
- White
- Ear Tip Material
- Silicone, foam
- Ear Tip Sizes Included
- XXS, XS, S, M, L
- Wearing Style
- Shallow fit
- Wearing Time Max
- 8 h
- Weight Per Earbud
- 5.55 g
- Weight With Case
- 43.99 g
Microphone
- Count
- 3
- Wind Noise Reduction
- Yes
- Type
- Beamforming array
Release
- Date
- September 19, 2025
- Msrp Usd
- 249 USD
- Year
- 2025
Lab data
How we test ›Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.
Apple AirPods Pro 3rd GenSoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve
Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.
| Frequency (Hz) | Response (dB) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 3.4 |
| 25 | 3.5 |
| 32 | 3.5 |
| 40 | 3.4 |
| 50 | 2.9 |
| 63 | 2.0 |
| 80 | 0.7 |
| 100 | -1.1 |
| 125 | -3.0 |
| 160 | -3.6 |
| 200 | -2.5 |
| 250 | -1.8 |
| 315 | -1.5 |
| 400 | -0.8 |
| 500 | -1.5 |
| 630 | -0.9 |
| 800 | -0.5 |
| 1000 | -0.0 |
| 1250 | -0.4 |
| 1600 | 0.9 |
| 2000 | 4.0 |
| 2500 | 5.9 |
| 3150 | 4.2 |
| 4000 | 2.5 |
| 5000 | 5.2 |
| 6300 | 6.8 |
| 8000 | 4.2 |
| 10000 | -1.2 |
| 12500 | 1.7 |
| 16000 | -12.4 |
| 20000 | -37.5 |
Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen
Passive isolation (dB) with ANC off — how much ambient noise the fit blocks on its own. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | -0.6 |
| 26 | 0.9 |
| 33 | -0.0 |
| 41 | 0.8 |
| 52 | -0.1 |
| 65 | 0.8 |
| 82 | 0.8 |
| 103 | 0.6 |
| 130 | -0.2 |
| 163 | 1.1 |
| 205 | 2.5 |
| 259 | 3.5 |
| 325 | 6.5 |
| 410 | 9.9 |
| 516 | 9.7 |
| 613 | 9.2 |
| 772 | 13.4 |
| 972 | 15.4 |
| 1220 | 17.7 |
| 1540 | 20.1 |
| 1940 | 23.6 |
| 2440 | 28.4 |
| 3070 | 37.7 |
| 3870 | 45.3 |
| 4870 | 24.3 |
| 6130 | 26.6 |
| 7720 | 27.7 |
| 9720 | 38.9 |
| 12200 | 32.5 |
| 15400 | 42.0 |
| 19400 | 26.1 |
Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen
Total attenuation (dB) with ANC on — passive isolation plus active noise cancelling. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Total attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 2.3 |
| 26 | 14.8 |
| 33 | 16.6 |
| 41 | 23.9 |
| 52 | 31.1 |
| 65 | 31.7 |
| 82 | 34.4 |
| 103 | 41.7 |
| 130 | 32.6 |
| 163 | 40.4 |
| 205 | 37.9 |
| 259 | 39.9 |
| 325 | 34.7 |
| 410 | 38.9 |
| 516 | 32.2 |
| 613 | 28.5 |
| 772 | 31.2 |
| 972 | 33.8 |
| 1220 | 37.3 |
| 1540 | 37.6 |
| 1940 | 43.1 |
| 2440 | 42.8 |
| 3070 | 43.5 |
| 3870 | 36.7 |
| 4870 | 23.9 |
| 6130 | 29.0 |
| 7720 | 30.6 |
| 9720 | 36.1 |
| 12200 | 27.3 |
| 15400 | 37.4 |
| 19400 | 27.4 |
Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen
4.7
3.1
4.4
4.5
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (1–5), modeled from the measured response. Higher is better across timbre, distortion, and immersiveness — add other models to see where this one lands.
SoundGuys review
Noise cancelling9.0
Isolation6.5
Battery life7.2
Comfort & fit7.0
Connectivity5.0
Design7.0
The verdict
The AirPods Pro 3 is a "jack of all trades, master of some" pair of earbuds that now acts as a fitness tracker, language translator, and hearing aids. While features like Live Translation still need some refining, these earbuds offer a lot of value for iPhone users.
✓Liked: Excellent ANC, Great sound quality, Hearing Aid features, Improved fit
✕Could be better: No EQ, Many Apple-exclusive features, Some connection issues, Live Translation needs improvement
Owners (1)
How we verify ownersWhat a reader who owns the Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen reports after living with it. Owner-reported, checked before publishing; ordered photo-verified first, then newest.
Owner notes are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not edited by us. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from notes.
1 owner note
Every author writes under a generated pseudonym. A signed-in author’s email is never shown. Read more · The reader says they own it. We have not seen proof, and we say so — no label here is proof of a purchase. Read more · Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
Would buy againWhat nobody tells you before buying how good the ANC really is.
- Comfort · better than expected
- Fit and build · better than expected
Showing 1 of 1 note · sorted by newest
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More from the team ›Commentary and deep dives from the SoundGuys editorial team.
I ditched my AirPods Pro 3 for Sony's WF-1000XM6 and only lasted a weekI thought the more expensive earbuds would win. I was wrong.
Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterI thought I'd always travel with over-ear headphones—until nowOne trip made me realize I'd been optimizing for the flight, not the travel day.Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterI've been using AirPods Pro 3 like open-ear earbuds, and I'm never going backTry this trick before buying a pair of open-ear earbuds.Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterI tested Apple’s AirPods equalizer: Here's what works (and what doesn't)An improvement — if only a small one.
Christian ThomasEditor-at-largeAirPods' three-band EQ may not be so badIt may be baby's first EQ, but it has potential.Christian ThomasEditor-at-largeSamsung wants to be the AirPods for Android, and I'm okay with thatSamsung didn't reinvent the earbud. They just finally built one for the other side of the pond.
Adam BirneyManaging EditorThis hidden iPhone setting improved the sound of my AirPods ProApple doesn’t offer a real EQ for AirPods Pro, but this hidden iPhone setting lets you tweak the sound in seconds.Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterAll the new AirPods features you probably didn't know aboutApple's been quietly turning your AirPods into hearing aids, real-time translators, and way more through free software updates. Here's everything you're missing.Adam BirneyManaging EditorAfter using the AirPods Pro 3 for 2 months, this one problem is testing my patienceLong-term testing reveals the good, the great, and the genuinely frustrating.Adam BirneyManaging EditorAirPods Pro 3 beat Sony and Bose in our latest reader pollSony and Bose put up a fight, but readers still chose the AirPods Pro 3.Adam BirneyManaging EditorWhy you don't like the sound of the Apple AirPods Pro 3Snap back to reality.Christian ThomasEditor-at-largeThe AirPods Pro 3 has better ANC than any over-ear headphonesAirPods Pro 3 beats every over-ear headphone we've tested for noise canceling performance.Adam BirneyManaging Editor
Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterI thought I'd always travel with over-ear headphones—until nowOne trip made me realize I'd been optimizing for the flight, not the travel day.Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterI've been using AirPods Pro 3 like open-ear earbuds, and I'm never going backTry this trick before buying a pair of open-ear earbuds.Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterI tested Apple’s AirPods equalizer: Here's what works (and what doesn't)An improvement — if only a small one.Christian ThomasEditor-at-largeAirPods' three-band EQ may not be so badIt may be baby's first EQ, but it has potential.Christian ThomasEditor-at-largeSamsung wants to be the AirPods for Android, and I'm okay with thatSamsung didn't reinvent the earbud. They just finally built one for the other side of the pond.Adam BirneyManaging EditorThis hidden iPhone setting improved the sound of my AirPods ProApple doesn’t offer a real EQ for AirPods Pro, but this hidden iPhone setting lets you tweak the sound in seconds.Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterAll the new AirPods features you probably didn't know aboutApple's been quietly turning your AirPods into hearing aids, real-time translators, and way more through free software updates. Here's everything you're missing.Adam BirneyManaging EditorAfter using the AirPods Pro 3 for 2 months, this one problem is testing my patienceLong-term testing reveals the good, the great, and the genuinely frustrating.Adam BirneyManaging EditorAirPods Pro 3 beat Sony and Bose in our latest reader pollSony and Bose put up a fight, but readers still chose the AirPods Pro 3.Adam BirneyManaging EditorWhy you don't like the sound of the Apple AirPods Pro 3Snap back to reality.Christian ThomasEditor-at-largeThe AirPods Pro 3 has better ANC than any over-ear headphonesAirPods Pro 3 beats every over-ear headphone we've tested for noise canceling performance.Adam BirneyManaging EditorMore Wireless Earbuds
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