Apple officially launched the AirPods Pro 3 on September 9, 2025—marking three years since the previous generation hit the market. This isn’t just an incremental refresh. The latest Pro earbuds bring substantially improved active noise cancellation, a redesigned physical structure, and for the first time, an integrated heart rate sensor supporting over 50 workout types through the iPhone Fitness app.

Perhaps most notably, Apple maintained the same price point despite these upgrades. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade, the AirPods Pro 3 deserve serious consideration based on what they actually deliver.

Release Timeline and Availability

Apple unveiled the AirPods Pro 3 on September 9, 2025, during the same event that introduced the iPhone 17 series, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. Official sales began September 19, giving the company just over a week of pre-order availability.

Pricing Structure Remains Unchanged

The AirPods Pro 3 retail for $249, matching previous generations. This consistent pricing means you get all the new capabilities and improvements without budget adjustments. For anyone considering an upgrade, the financial barrier stays level while the feature set expands considerably.

Physical Design Evolution

Apple followed its typical approach with the AirPods Pro 3, prioritizing internal improvements over dramatic external redesign. The familiar rounded-square charging case in clean white remains, and since the second generation already transitioned to USB-C, the third generation continues with the same charging standard.

The earbuds themselves underwent significant changes. Apple analyzed over 10,000 ear scans and invested more than 100,000 hours in user research to make the AirPods Pro 3 their most secure and comfortable fit yet. This involved completely reworking the internal construction—each earbud became physically smaller, with the outer eartip geometry shifted toward the center of the housing for improved stability.

The new foam-filled eartips now come in five sizes, including a new XXS option, providing an even more comfortable and reliable in-ear seal across different ear shapes.

Apple also increased durability with IP57 sweat and water resistance, allowing the AirPods Pro 3 to handle intense workouts and unpredictable weather conditions without concern.

Hardware Specifications and Core Features

The AirPods Pro 3 continue using the H2 chip from the previous generation but incorporate several notable improvements around it. They feature a new multi-port acoustic architecture that precisely controls airflow within the ear, improving spatial audio performance for more immersive music experiences. Combined with a next-generation adaptive equalizer, the earbuds enhance bass response, expand the soundstage, and deliver clearer vocal reproduction during music listening, shows, and calls.

Meanwhile, the personalized transparency mode makes the wearer’s voice and surrounding sounds more natural, maintaining connection with the environment when needed.

Active Noise Cancellation Performance

The AirPods Pro 3 deliver up to 2x more effective active noise cancellation than the AirPods Pro 2, eliminating 4x more noise than the original AirPods Pro. This improvement results from ultra-low-noise microphones, advanced audio processing technology, and the foam-filled eartips providing enhanced passive isolation. With ANC enabled, music playback now reaches eight hours—a 33% increase over the previous generation.

Fitness Tracking Capabilities

Fitness functionality receives a major boost through Apple’s smallest heart rate sensor yet and a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor that pulses invisible infrared light 256 times per second to measure blood flow. Combined with accelerometers, gyroscope, GPS, and a new built-in AI model on the iPhone, users can track up to 50 workout types, monitor heart rate and calories burned, close their Move ring, and earn achievements in the Fitness app.

The Workout Buddy feature leverages Apple Intelligence to provide personalized insights based on user data and workout history. Apple Fitness+ subscribers can also view real-time metrics on screen, including heart rate, calories burned, Move ring progress, and Burn Bar.

Live Translation Feature

The live translation function launches in beta, enabling hands-free in-person communication across select languages. It uses computational audio and Apple Intelligence to translate speech in real-time during conversations. An on-screen transcription option displays on iPhone for users who need visual support.

Supported languages include English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish at launch, with Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese arriving later this year.

Hearing Health Protection

AirPods Pro 3 continue emphasizing hearing health, expanding the comprehensive hearing protection introduced last year. The earbuds help reduce exposure to loud ambient noise, with hearing protection features now available to users in the EU and UK.

Battery Performance Analysis

The AirPods Pro 3 deliver noticeably improved battery performance compared to the previous model. With noise cancellation enabled, you can listen to music for up to 8 hours—a welcome improvement over the 6 hours offered previously. Switching to transparency mode shows even more dramatic gains: up to 10 hours without recharging, representing a 67% increase.

These battery improvements happen alongside the enhanced ANC performance, which typically drains batteries faster. Apple achieved this through optimization across the H2 chip’s audio processing and power management systems.

Evaluating Real-World Performance

Our assessment framework for premium wireless earbuds examines several key dimensions:

Sound Quality & Acoustic Architecture: The multi-port acoustic design demonstrates measurable improvements in spatial audio rendering. Bass response feels fuller without overwhelming mid-range frequencies, and vocal clarity benefits from the adaptive EQ adjustments. The soundstage expansion creates more convincing immersion, particularly with Apple Music’s spatial audio content.

Noise Cancellation Effectiveness: The 2x improvement claim holds up in practice. Testing across different environments—commuter trains, coffee shops, airplane cabins—reveals substantially more ambient noise reduction compared to AirPods Pro 2. The foam-filled eartips contribute significantly to passive isolation, creating a complete seal that lets the active cancellation work more effectively.

Fit and Comfort: The redesigned geometry and five eartip sizes (including XXS) address previous fit complaints. The shifted eartip position improves stability during movement, and the smaller earbud size reduces pressure points during extended wear. The foam tips provide better seal consistency across different ear canal shapes compared to silicone-only designs.

Fitness Integration Value: The heart rate sensor performs reliably once you achieve proper fit. Testing across cardio workouts, strength training, and outdoor runs showed consistent readings that aligned with chest strap monitors. The 50+ workout type support through iPhone integration makes the AirPods Pro 3 viable fitness companions for users already invested in Apple’s ecosystem. However, dedicated fitness trackers still offer more comprehensive metrics and don’t require iPhone proximity.

Battery Life Practicality: The 8-hour ANC battery life changes daily usage patterns meaningfully. You can now handle a full workday without recharging, whereas previous generations required midday top-ups. The 10-hour transparency mode extends this further for users who prefer ambient awareness.

Translation Feature Limitations: The live translation beta shows promise but requires realistic expectations. It works adequately for basic conversations in supported languages but struggles with complex vocabulary, rapid speech, and noisy environments. It’s useful for simple travel interactions but shouldn’t replace dedicated translation devices for important communications.

Comparison Context

Within Apple’s current lineup, the AirPods Pro 3 sit at the premium tier. The standard AirPods 4 offer solid performance at lower cost but lack noise cancellation, custom fit options, and fitness tracking. The AirPods Max provide superior sound quality through over-ear design but cost significantly more and lack portability.

Against competitors like Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3 excel in ecosystem integration for iPhone users but may lag in pure audio quality for critical listening. The fitness tracking features create differentiation unavailable in competing premium earbuds, though fitness-focused options like Jabra Elite 8 Active offer more ruggedized designs for intense training.

Who Should Consider Upgrading

Current AirPods Pro 2 owners: The improvements justify upgrading if you frequently experience fit issues, need longer battery life for daily use, or want integrated fitness tracking without wearing additional devices. If your Pro 2 still serve you well and you don’t need fitness features, waiting for the next generation remains reasonable.

Original AirPods Pro users: The upgrade represents substantial value. The 4x noise cancellation improvement, significantly better battery life, improved fit, heart rate monitoring, and modern USB-C charging make this a worthwhile investment after four years.

New to AirPods Pro: The AirPods Pro 3 represent the most refined version of Apple’s premium earbud vision. The $249 price point sits high but delivers comprehensive features for users deeply embedded in Apple’s ecosystem.

Fitness enthusiasts: If you already use Apple Watch for workout tracking, adding AirPods Pro 3 creates redundancy in some metrics. However, for users who prefer minimal wrist wear during exercise, the heart rate monitoring and workout tracking provide genuine utility.

Technical Specifications Summary

• Chip: H2
• Battery Life: 8 hours (ANC), 10 hours (transparency mode)
• Charging: USB-C
• Water Resistance: IP57
• Eartip Sizes: Five options including XXS
• Noise Cancellation: 2x better than Pro 2, 4x better than original
• Heart Rate Sensor: PPG sensor, 256 Hz sampling
• Workout Support: 50+ types via Fitness app
• Translation Languages: English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish (launch), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese (coming later)
• Price: $249

Where the AirPods Pro 3 Excel

The AirPods Pro 3 succeed most clearly for iPhone users seeking comprehensive wireless earbuds that integrate deeply with Apple’s ecosystem. The fitness tracking features work seamlessly if you’re already using the Fitness app, the spatial audio implementation pairs perfectly with Apple Music, and the overall user experience maintains Apple’s typical polish.

The improved noise cancellation addresses one of the most common upgrade motivations, and the extended battery life eliminates a practical pain point from previous generations. The redesigned fit with multiple eartip sizes should accommodate more users comfortably.

For anyone who found previous AirPods Pro generations almost perfect but lacking in specific areas—fit, battery duration, or fitness integration—the third generation directly addresses those gaps while maintaining the same price as before.