Top reviews from the United States

• 

  Alex Rogers

  5 out of 5 stars

  Amazing

  Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2026

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  I have a set of Airpods pro, 1st gen, that have served me well for a good few years now.

  They were great for travel and for work, but not so good for sports. I also have a pair of Beats fit Pro which I use for workouts and for reading at night. These were almost as good in terms of sound quality, but much better than the original Airpods Pro in terms of battery duration and comfort and staying power for intense workouts.

  Lately, however, the battery of my old Airpods hardly lasts through a couple of work meetings, so it was clearly time to renew, and I decided to take advantage of a price drop on the Pro 3.

  I expected improvement, but I wasn't ready for how much vastly better than the original Pros these are!

  They're far more comfortable and hang far more tenaciously than the original pros, so they work well for workouts as well.

  But the sound quality is an enormous leap, and mind you, the original pros weren't bad at all!

  The noise cancellation is ... amazing. The way in which practically every noise just disappears, and you're fully immersed only into what's coming through the earphones was truly disconcerting at first.

  And I have no idea how this works, but without noise cancellation, it somehow manages to convey with greater clarity and sharpness, not only what other people say to me, but also what I say as well. It's like getting a good pair of glasses when you didn't realize you were somewhat myopic.

  I am far less sold on the instant translation feature, though.

  So far I have only been able to test it with a TV show, and the results have been less than great.

  The translation tends to get cut off a lot - I think you need to be very close to a real human speaker, or have the volume rather loud, for the microphone to pick sound well enough for the AI to translate.

  And the choice of words is not always accurate. I heard some very weird things that the speaker could not possibly be saying in the context given - plus I know enough French to know that some if it was just plain wrong.

  I assume that will improve with time.

  Othewise, I am delighted with my new Airpods.

  Read moreRead less

  64 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Rico Jimenez

  5 out of 5 stars

  Outstanding Upgrade from Original AirPods Pro!

  Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2026

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  After six years with my first‑generation AirPods Pro (purchased back in February 2020), they finally started showing their age. Considering how well they held up, upgrading to the AirPods Pro 3 was an easy decision.

  The shape is slightly different from my originals, but the fit is just as good, if not better. Apple now includes additional ear tip sizes, which makes finding the perfect seal simple and quick. They are very comfortable to wear... I have yet to experience any ear fatigue.

  The updated tech features are where the upgrade really shines. The ANC is excellent for in‑ear headphones, offering stronger and more consistent noise reduction than my first‑gen pair ever did. I also love the new swipe gesture on the stem..adjusting volume with a quick up or down swipe is far more convenient than relying on my phone or watch.

  One small but meaningful improvement is charging flexibility. In addition to USB‑C, the case now supports MagSafe charging, and it snaps into place securely on my existing chargers. It sounds funny, but it's much better for me as I would knock my old AirPods off the charger too easily. (The magnets do make a difference!)

  The built‑in heart rate monitor is a surprisingly useful addition. I compared readings against my Apple Watch Series 11 and found them to be just as accurate, which adds extra value during workouts or quick checks throughout the day.

  Overall, this is a fantastic upgrade from the first‑gen model. The fit, features, and everyday convenience improvements all add up and catching them on sale made the purchase even better.

  Read moreRead less

  2 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Michael Federer

  5 out of 5 stars

  Wow, I am amazed by these things, best Active Noise Cancellation I have experienced

  Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2025

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  These are amazing, and it almost feels like I am in a Black Mirror episode with how futuristic these are. First of all the sound quality is fine, I feel like it does great for in ear headphones, but I would say it doesn't blow me away like some IEM's I have used. The connectivity is amazing, and with all my Apple products it makes this more than worth it for people that have a bunch of Apple products, and it will switch between my MacBook Air and iPhone seamlessly without having to manually switch. The noise cancelling is the thing that blew my mind. I put them in, turned on the noise cancelling and listened to music. I then blasted a video through my speakers, and although the table was shaking because it was so loud, I couldn't hear it. Almost dangerously good, and if there were no way to turn off noise cancelling I probably wouldn't recommend them because of lack of situational awareness. On that note, the transparent mode is really good, and sometimes I will wear these and listen to music in transparent mode, and it's almost like there is a background track in your life. I like that there is a bunch of rubber tip size options that come with it, and there is a setting that lets you test the noise leak to see if the ear tips are the right size. The live translate was one of the reasons that I bought it. I have some in-laws that do not speak English, so I thought it would be a great feature to converse with them. I used these to translate Brazilian Portuguese to English, and it worked well, but it needed a small break after the person was done speaking to read it back to me. I don't know why but I feel like with the noise cancellation they could have it so that it would translate while the person was still talking, but it really worked best when the person would say a sentence or two and give a brief pause to let it read it back to me. It also worked better when I was speaking English and translating it to BR Portuguese for my fiancé, and the translation seemed to be pretty immediate. I bet this will get better as it is still in Beta. I also really like the potential they have as hearing aids, as I am hard of hearing, and I could see myself using these for audio amplification. I had regular Airpod 2's and these blow those away. The main reason that I made the switch is actually because of the charigng ability. I hated that my old ones were still charged by lightning and couldn't wirelessly charge. These are USB-C and charge wirelessly, and so now I only have to bring my Belkin 3 in 1 wireless charge when I travel, and I can charge my iPhone, Apple Watch Ultra, and new air pods with only one cord. Overall I would and recommend these to anybody and everybody that enjoys in ear headphones, and I have shown them off to a bunch of friends and family who bought them immediately.

  Read moreRead less

  56 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  HJeffK

  5 out of 5 stars

  A subtle but significant upgrade for iOS users.**UPDATE**

  Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2025

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  I am an ear bud junky and have been on a quest for the perfect set for a long time. I have owned and own a lot of the big names from Apple, B&0, B&W, Sony, Bose, Klipsch, Devialet, Technics, many off brands, and more. I use both iOS and Android devices and don’t have a particular favorite so I can speak to how ear buds interact with both.

  This is an interesting update. I almost passed on it and I probably should have as my AirPod Pro 2’s are just fine. However, they don’t fit me perfectly and there has been a lot made of the new fit these have. My oldest son will be getting the 2’s. These look and feel a lot like the 2’s. The physical design is nearly identical. However, the upgrades, while subtle, are mostly notable. I will break these down below and try to help those that are deciding on whether the upgrade is worth your money.

  Sound: Those that have read any of my other reviews on buds, know I always start with sound. It is the primary function of an ear bud. Apple has a new retuned driver here and it is a good one. The sound is natural and has good definition. You will feel the bass and highs are crispy. It is hard to define how much better these are from the 2’s but they seem louder and have more clarity. A lot of this probably has to do with the new seal these give you in your ears as well (more on that later) but these are well tuned and are noticeably improved. This was an area that needed to improve as most other high end buds were better. Sony, Technics, and Bose were all better sounding at similar prices. Some of them offer higher end codecs for more lossless streams which Apple appears to still be avoiding. I still think there are better sounding buds out there but Apple has closed the gap in meaningful ways. Well done.

  Calls: This is a space that Apple has always dominated and still does. Calls are crisp and loud. These also do a great job of isolating your voice and washing out other noises around you so you can be heard even in noisy environments. It just is so good. Every manufacturer should be benchmarking Apple with call tech.

  Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): This is an area that Apple has always done well with but Bose and Sony both did better. I think they caught up to Sony but the latest Bose Ultra 2’s are still better. That said, Apple deserves a lot of credit. In spite of using the same chip set as last year, between the retooled fit of these, a new mic set, and some software upgrades, they were able to significantly improve ANC here. If you are looking for a reason to upgrade from the 2’s, this is probably the biggest improvement to me. It is immediately noticeable.

  Form Factor: As mentioned, Apple did a subtle tweak of their design here and it pays off big. These do not move in my ears. The foam tips are softer and more grippy. The angle of the buds assists in staying put as well. Subtle but significant! I would often have my 2’s pop out if I was exercising or cleaning the house. Anything that got a little sweat going with movement. These have fixed that issue. Still, if I am looking for a place to hit Apple on, it would be nice to see a refreshed design or maybe just some color choices. These look basically the same as the first gen even if they have been completely refined.

  The Case: This is always a big one for me as you interact with the case more than the buds themselves. This case, once again, is outstanding. It’s actually a bit larger and maybe thinner than the last gen case. As always, Apple does a great hinge and STRONG magnets to keeps things where they should be. You also get an improved “Find My” chip with greater range. The little speaker onboard seems to emit a slightly louder chime as well. Wireless charging is also onboard and good. The battery status LED is also a lot brighter which was a needed improvement.

  The other stuff: Apple added heart rate monitoring this year and it works great. It mirrored the heart rates I saw from my Fitbit and Apple Watch. Given that I use both of those, I will never use this feature. It is fairly buried into the Apple health app for the time being but I think Apple is going to further develop this feature. Connecting is a breeze with Apple as always. They have the best integration in the business. Battery life on bud is improved to 8 hours which is a big upgrade that was overdue. I would find my old AirPods running out of juice often on long trips. However, Apple ruined some of the joy here because they peeled 6 hours out of the case. They giveth and taketh I guess. These will connect and operate multipoint devices as long as they are all Apple. So, for anyone using Apple and other devices, these will be lacking for you.

  The wrap up: So, should you buy these? It depends on a number of things. I think Apple has made the best ear buds for iOS users even better. The sound, ANC, and fit improvements make the upgrade worth it for me alone. The extra on bud battery is nice as well. If you have recent Pro 2’s that still have strong battery life, it would be hard for me to say that you should spend another $250 here unless you find those aforementioned upgrades to be necessary. The fit was HUGE for me. Compared to other competitors, specifically the latest from Sony, Bose, and Technics, things get more nuanced. All have multipoint connectivity that allows you to bounce between iOS and other manufacturers. The Technics buds, the AZ100’s, are really good there. In fact, those buds play so nice with iOS, Android, and Windows devices that they deserve your consideration as well if you run multiple devices. Prior to these newest AirPods, all of these competitors had better sound and the same if not better ANC. Now that has changed. I used to say that the AirPods weren’t the best at much, just good at everything. Now they are the best at more and still really good at everything which make these the best all around buds in the business for iOS users. This was a subtle but very well done upgrade. I will update with more as we go here. Recommend.

  **UPDATE**After a full week I am more inclined to recommend the upgrade here even to Pro 2 owners as long as they can stomach the cost. I would still call this an incremental upgrade, but the increments Apple upgrades here are critical. I appreciate the on bud battery increase more than I thought even with the case battery reduction. The fit is so darn good that the buds don’t move even a tiny bit…EVER, let alone fall out like the 2’s. The sound improvement is also better than I first realized and, while subtle, there is no doubt that these get louder, which is meaningful to me. If you have anything prior to the Pro 2’s and use Apple stuff, you really need to get these. If you use the Apple 2’s, can tolerate the cost, and have a loved one that needs an upgrade, you should buy these as well.

  Read moreRead less

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  HJeffK

  5 out of 5 stars

  A subtle but significant upgrade for iOS users.**UPDATE**

  Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2025

  Verified Purchase

  I am an ear bud junky and have been on a quest for the perfect set for a long time. I have owned and own a lot of the big names from Apple, B&0, B&W, Sony, Bose, Klipsch, Devialet, Technics, many off brands, and more. I use both iOS and Android devices and don’t have a particular favorite so I can speak to how ear buds interact with both.

  This is an interesting update. I almost passed on it and I probably should have as my AirPod Pro 2’s are just fine. However, they don’t fit me perfectly and there has been a lot made of the new fit these have. My oldest son will be getting the 2’s. These look and feel a lot like the 2’s. The physical design is nearly identical. However, the upgrades, while subtle, are mostly notable. I will break these down below and try to help those that are deciding on whether the upgrade is worth your money.

  Sound: Those that have read any of my other reviews on buds, know I always start with sound. It is the primary function of an ear bud. Apple has a new retuned driver here and it is a good one. The sound is natural and has good definition. You will feel the bass and highs are crispy. It is hard to define how much better these are from the 2’s but they seem louder and have more clarity. A lot of this probably has to do with the new seal these give you in your ears as well (more on that later) but these are well tuned and are noticeably improved. This was an area that needed to improve as most other high end buds were better. Sony, Technics, and Bose were all better sounding at similar prices. Some of them offer higher end codecs for more lossless streams which Apple appears to still be avoiding. I still think there are better sounding buds out there but Apple has closed the gap in meaningful ways. Well done.

  Calls: This is a space that Apple has always dominated and still does. Calls are crisp and loud. These also do a great job of isolating your voice and washing out other noises around you so you can be heard even in noisy environments. It just is so good. Every manufacturer should be benchmarking Apple with call tech.

  Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): This is an area that Apple has always done well with but Bose and Sony both did better. I think they caught up to Sony but the latest Bose Ultra 2’s are still better. That said, Apple deserves a lot of credit. In spite of using the same chip set as last year, between the retooled fit of these, a new mic set, and some software upgrades, they were able to significantly improve ANC here. If you are looking for a reason to upgrade from the 2’s, this is probably the biggest improvement to me. It is immediately noticeable.

  Form Factor: As mentioned, Apple did a subtle tweak of their design here and it pays off big. These do not move in my ears. The foam tips are softer and more grippy. The angle of the buds assists in staying put as well. Subtle but significant! I would often have my 2’s pop out if I was exercising or cleaning the house. Anything that got a little sweat going with movement. These have fixed that issue. Still, if I am looking for a place to hit Apple on, it would be nice to see a refreshed design or maybe just some color choices. These look basically the same as the first gen even if they have been completely refined.

  The Case: This is always a big one for me as you interact with the case more than the buds themselves. This case, once again, is outstanding. It’s actually a bit larger and maybe thinner than the last gen case. As always, Apple does a great hinge and STRONG magnets to keeps things where they should be. You also get an improved “Find My” chip with greater range. The little speaker onboard seems to emit a slightly louder chime as well. Wireless charging is also onboard and good. The battery status LED is also a lot brighter which was a needed improvement.

  The other stuff: Apple added heart rate monitoring this year and it works great. It mirrored the heart rates I saw from my Fitbit and Apple Watch. Given that I use both of those, I will never use this feature. It is fairly buried into the Apple health app for the time being but I think Apple is going to further develop this feature. Connecting is a breeze with Apple as always. They have the best integration in the business. Battery life on bud is improved to 8 hours which is a big upgrade that was overdue. I would find my old AirPods running out of juice often on long trips. However, Apple ruined some of the joy here because they peeled 6 hours out of the case. They giveth and taketh I guess. These will connect and operate multipoint devices as long as they are all Apple. So, for anyone using Apple and other devices, these will be lacking for you.

  The wrap up: So, should you buy these? It depends on a number of things. I think Apple has made the best ear buds for iOS users even better. The sound, ANC, and fit improvements make the upgrade worth it for me alone. The extra on bud battery is nice as well. If you have recent Pro 2’s that still have strong battery life, it would be hard for me to say that you should spend another $250 here unless you find those aforementioned upgrades to be necessary. The fit was HUGE for me. Compared to other competitors, specifically the latest from Sony, Bose, and Technics, things get more nuanced. All have multipoint connectivity that allows you to bounce between iOS and other manufacturers. The Technics buds, the AZ100’s, are really good there. In fact, those buds play so nice with iOS, Android, and Windows devices that they deserve your consideration as well if you run multiple devices. Prior to these newest AirPods, all of these competitors had better sound and the same if not better ANC. Now that has changed. I used to say that the AirPods weren’t the best at much, just good at everything. Now they are the best at more and still really good at everything which make these the best all around buds in the business for iOS users. This was a subtle but very well done upgrade. I will update with more as we go here. Recommend.

  **UPDATE**After a full week I am more inclined to recommend the upgrade here even to Pro 2 owners as long as they can stomach the cost. I would still call this an incremental upgrade, but the increments Apple upgrades here are critical. I appreciate the on bud battery increase more than I thought even with the case battery reduction. The fit is so darn good that the buds don’t move even a tiny bit…EVER, let alone fall out like the 2’s. The sound improvement is also better than I first realized and, while subtle, there is no doubt that these get louder, which is meaningful to me. If you have anything prior to the Pro 2’s and use Apple stuff, you really need to get these. If you use the Apple 2’s, can tolerate the cost, and have a loved one that needs an upgrade, you should buy these as well.

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

  587 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again

  

  

  

  

  

  
• 

  J

  5 out of 5 stars

  Much improved

  Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2026

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  I had to return the first pair because they kept randomly turning off and disconnecting, as well as pause especially when I was eating. My second pair hasn’t experienced any of those issues so I think I must have just gotten a faulty pair the first time! I have the AirPod pro 3s and really didn’t see the point in upgrading right away but now I get it. The battery life alone is worth it, my pro 2s always died around 4 hours even though it claims 6, so this is almost double that! I know the case holds less charge but that’s not an issue for me as I always have a charger handy for my phone. The tips are surprisingly good, I always switch to foam tips for my workouts so they don’t slip out but they aren’t necessary for these. When these eventually wear out though I will get the foam because they give a better seal. That being said the noise cancellation is phenomenal and as a flight attendant constantly on planes that is a must have for me! I’m not crazy about how they stick out more due to the design shape, aesthetically or functionality, as it does catch on my long hair more and I have small ears, but it’s not a deal breaker. The sound is improved from the 2s but nothing crazy. I’m looking forward to the ability to customize EQ with the next iOS update! The buttons are the same and work well. I would have probably just waiting for the the next release but those are rumored to have cameras and I don’t want cameras on my headphones. For the $179 prime day price I definitely think it’s worth it to upgrade from the 2s if you don’t want cameras in your headphones either but otherwise I would just wait because I think those are releasing soon.

  Read moreRead less

  37 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Geezer with Gadgets

  5 out of 5 stars

  Excellent Earbuds with great features

  Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2026

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  This is a replacement for my Airpod 2s.

  Pros:

  Great value for the money compared to other brands and cheaper than some earbuds I have purchased from other companies. I have high quality earbuds from JBL and Bose, and these exceed JBL and are comparable to Bose. They have excellent noise canceling, and good sound. When I am working in a noisy environment, I turn on the active noise cancelling, and it places me in a quiet environment. I can write without distraction. On meetings, they have clear voice for the other party as well. I often work in server rooms where there is a lot of background noise. This quiets the room and on calls, the other party also doesn’t hear the noise – only my voice.

  The battery life is amazing. I can get through most of the day on a single charge. Compared to the Airpods 2, I get about 25% more life.

  After the noise cancelling, my favorite feature is the automatic switching. I can listen to music on my MacBook, and if I get a call, it switches to my phone. If I am listening on my phone and get a video call, it switches flawlessly to my MacBook or iPad. My other devices can switch, but they are buggy going between devices.

  This also works with Android phones, but the best features are on Apple devices.

  The case holds several additional charges. It is also small, which makes it very portable and fits nicely in the pocket.

  The additional ear tips and app make adjustments simple. The app tested my hearing and set the sound levels to match my hearing in each ear. Setup was simple and quick.

  Cons:

  The only con I have is that the fit isn’t as secure as the Airpod 2. The earbuds are thicker, probably due to battery size and new tech, but it doesn’t fit as securely in my ear as the older model. Even when trying different sizes if eartips. I have to keep reseating the earbuds.

  Of course, this is based on my ear canal size. Other people may not have the same issue.

  These would not be good for running, but other than that, these are great Bluetooth earbuds. They are durable, and the last set I had lasted for years.

  Additional notes:

  One of the complaints I saw in another review was that these are not genuine Apple Airpods. I can confirm that these registered as genuine with Apple, including warranty.

  Another complain was that a defect was not taken care of. My experience is that while the product is under warranty, I have had no problems getting Apple support. While I did not have problems with this product, I have had good response on other products.

  Someone reported whistling or feedback. I have been using these for a couple of months and I have had no audio issues and no quality issues.

  Summary:

  I highly recommend the Airpod 3 earbuds. They are excellent quality, have great features, and are durable. The price of the Apple Airpod 3’s is well below what I paid for other brands, and the quality is as good, and in many cases, better.

  Excellent value for the money.

  Read moreRead less

  43 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Destini S.

  4 out of 5 stars

  Uncomfortable and not worth the upgrade

  Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2026

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  Just got these in today! After getting my AirPods Pro 2 stolen at their airport I was contemplating on buying another pair. I decided to wait a little bit but when I saw these on sale I jumped at the chance. I gotta say, I don’t know how I went almost 6 months without them. Definitely worth the money in my option. I will say they definitely fit better than the 2’s and the noice cancellation is noticeably better. If you’re debating on upgrading I would say it’s worth it.

  EDIT: It’s been about a week since I’ve had them. My only complaint and the reason I changed to a 4 star review is because of the comfortably. At first I thought the pro 3’s fit better but after a week of use they’ve really hurt my ears. I still have my left bud from my 2’s that were stolen, I put the old left bud in one ear and the right pro 3 bud in the other. The pro 2’s are significantly more comfortable. I used to wear them all day at work, 10+ hour shifts with no problem. I can barely wear the 3’s for more than a couple hours. Really wish they did not “upgrade” the design. If I still had my pro 2’s, I would not upgrade. But again I guess it all depends on the person 🤷🏼‍♀️

  Read moreRead less

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Destini S.

  4 out of 5 stars

  Uncomfortable and not worth the upgrade

  Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2026

  Verified Purchase

  Just got these in today! After getting my AirPods Pro 2 stolen at their airport I was contemplating on buying another pair. I decided to wait a little bit but when I saw these on sale I jumped at the chance. I gotta say, I don’t know how I went almost 6 months without them. Definitely worth the money in my option. I will say they definitely fit better than the 2’s and the noice cancellation is noticeably better. If you’re debating on upgrading I would say it’s worth it.

  EDIT: It’s been about a week since I’ve had them. My only complaint and the reason I changed to a 4 star review is because of the comfortably. At first I thought the pro 3’s fit better but after a week of use they’ve really hurt my ears. I still have my left bud from my 2’s that were stolen, I put the old left bud in one ear and the right pro 3 bud in the other. The pro 2’s are significantly more comfortable. I used to wear them all day at work, 10+ hour shifts with no problem. I can barely wear the 3’s for more than a couple hours. Really wish they did not “upgrade” the design. If I still had my pro 2’s, I would not upgrade. But again I guess it all depends on the person 🤷🏼‍♀️

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

  4 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again

  

  

  

  
• 

  Nicholas Stines

  5 out of 5 stars

  5 stars, but hedge your expectations against Apple audio products

  Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2026

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  Best AirPods I’ve ever owned. I needed these for Spaces on X (Twitter), and the audio quality is the most pristine of all AirPods I’ve had. I am a bit of an audiophile, so they are not necessarily the “highest tier” audio quality you could purchase for this price. If you want something better for the price without caring if whether or not they are AirPods, you’re better-off looking at anything from Sennheiser. Thus, the value for the money is absolutely as inflated as you could imagine for a typical Apple product. I’ve noticed that these fit and stay in my ears much better than previous AirPods I’ve owned before. What actually makes these special is the ability to set up realistic spatial sound. If you take the time to set it up when you get these, you will be very happy with how insanely immersive these are. You turn your head in any direction, and you will hear the audio as if you are near it, and you will hear through one ear a little more than the other as you move your head in different directions. It’s a genius implementation for the purpose of immersive audio, and I love it very much. This can be shut off in Settings if you don’t want this feature. I should mention that this only occurs for the Music app (I’m not sure about Spotify or other streaming platforms, so DYOR), and not for other audio sources like YouTube or X Spaces.

  If you can afford this premium price, I would say go ahead and get them. However, it really needs to be said again that Apple product prices are inherently inflated. I have no intention of “testing” durability at all whatsoever because I ordered a shell for the AirPods case, but I will say that you definitely do not want to drop AirPods on hard surfaces. I dropped one AirPod several years ago when I owned the first generation, and that AirPod broke. Treat them with delicacy, because they generally are not very durable. Stay safe by purchasing AppleCare coverage for these AirPods. If you are already willing to spend this much on earbuds, then you have no excuse to not buy the coverage.

  They function as advertised, and they are definitely the best AirPods to-date. These have the best range amongst AirPods series I’ve previously owned, and I’ve gotten it to stay connected from around 50 ft. away in a highly-dense and obstructed environment. Overall, I would never ever buy AirPods that aren’t a part of the Pro series. For me, the silicone tips and higher audio quality are non-negotiable and therefore “must-haves.”

  I give these 5 stars because they genuinely shocked me with how crisp the audio is and how polished the ANC (active noise cancellation) is, because I routinely keep my expectations as close to the floor as possible when it comes to Apple audio products due to the lofty price tags and lack of ability to compete with the true audiophile brands (DYOR) that largely outperform any sort of Apple audio product. I have more good things than bad to say about these, but as someone who is relatively educated on the spectrum of headphones, earbuds, and IEMs, I always hedge my expectations against AirPods while respecting their extreme ease-of-use and sleek appearance. For the average headphones enjoyer/user, these are a real game-changer, and you will throughly enjoy them. PLEASE buy a case with a snap/clasp mechanism so they do not open on their own while toting them during your whereabouts. You have been warned about their delicacy, so it will largely be your fault for not protecting them. It is congruent to the objective importance of phone screen protectors and cases—fail to use one, and pay the price down the road if you accidentally drop them on a hard surface or spill a liquid on them despite being water and dust-resistant.

  Read moreRead less

  59 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again