Elly Awesome reviews Apple AirPods 3

Apple’s AirPods 3 are out and they have a feature that makes them much easier to wear than their predecessor.

REVIEW

Apple has released its third generation of AirPods, changing the design, majorly improving the sound quality and taking a few cues from AirPods Pro.

Unboxing

Inside the box you’ll find the quick start guide, AirPods 3 and a lightning to USB-C charging cable. Although a charging cable is provided, these AirPods can also be charged wirelessly and most excitingly now have MagSafe support, Apple’s fantastic magnetic puck charging system. The buds can be controlled with a force sensor, where you squeeze the stem of the AirPods to pause, play and skip tracks (but no ability to control volume on the buds).

AirPods 2 and AirPods 3. The AirPods 3 have a slightly bigger case.

Design

In comparison to the previous generation (AirPods 2), the design is very different. The stem is now 33 per cent shorter, meaning there’s less to hang out of your ears and they have a new contoured ear piece, which is meant to offer a better fit and improved audio quality.

I’ve already seen people mistake these for AirPods Pro because the design is so similar, however, a major difference is that AirPods Pro have silicone ear tips which assist with its ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) feature. Whereas these new AirPods 3 have the ‘open’ design so they instead rest in your ear canals instead of creating a seal.

AirPods 3 and AirPods 2. TheAirPods 3 have the shorter stems.

For me, although they’re less customisable because they’re lacking ear tips, this design is welcome because I prefer the feeling of regular, open, earbuds over the in-ear style. You don’t have the feeling or wearing earplugs, or dare I admit it, get sweaty ear canals as there’s room for some air flow. I much prefer this for prolonged use around the house and office.

And in my ears, even though they feel loose when compared to AirPods Pro, they do stay in my ears securely even while exercising or shaking my head around.

Sound quality

Even though these buds don’t have active noise cancellation (again, that’s what the AirPod Pros are for) they aren’t lacking in sound quality. The previous AirPods 2 only had stereo sound, and although the quality was impressive, the AirPods 3 have really outdone them. There’s now an Adaptive EQ feature, where each earbud uses an inward facing microphone to ‘listen’ to the shape of your ear so that it can optimise the listening experience to suit the individual’s ear.

Elly Awesome trying out the AirPods 3.

The AirPods 3 also have dynamic head tracking, spatial audio and support for Dolby Atmos which means sounds aren’t just heard in stereo. Instead it feels like the sound is totally immersive, coming at you from all angles. It’s an awesome experience which a lot of people miss out on due to using cheaper earphones with lack of support for these kinds of sound mixes, which are industry standards for most feature films.

Battery life

Overall, the buds have great battery life with an improved battery of six hours from the AirPods themselves and up to 30 hours of battery life with the case – an extra hour compared to the previous generation. Additionally, the buds are now IPX4 sweat and water resistant giving you some peace of mind if the weather suddenly changes while you’re out and about.

Worth it?

At $279, the 3rd Generation AirPods may seem like an investment but they’re within the average price range for these kinds of ear buds. If you don’t need the silicone ear tips for fit or comfort or the active noise cancellation that the AirPods Pro offer at $399, they’re well worth the price especially compared to the previous generation.

Elly Awesome is an Aussie tech and lifestyle vlogger | @ellyawwesome | YouTube