Alongside new MacBook Pro models, the AirPods 3 are set to launch on Tuesday, October 26, and ahead of tomorrow's official release date, reviewers and YouTubers have shared reviews on Apple's latest earbuds.

AirPods 3 Feature Red
We've highlighted video reviews of the ‌AirPods 3‌ in a separate article, and excerpts and details from written reviews can be found below.

Design

Gizmodo reviewer Andrew Liszweski said that the ‌AirPods 3‌ "look and feel almost identical" to the AirPods Pro, just minus the silicone tips. They're a little bit smaller

airpods 3 gizmodo

Image from Gizmodo comparing AirPods 2 (left), ‌AirPods 3‌ (middle), and ‌AirPods Pro‌ without silicone tip (right)

Reviewers also highlighted the Force Touch stems that are already present on the ‌AirPods Pro‌, noting that the Force Touch feature is a nice improvement for control input, but that there's still no physical volume control option.

Fit

The Verge's Chris Welch said that the new AirPods shape works better, and that while ambient sound is still audible, the closer fit cuts out some of the outside noise.

They're staying put so well that I no longer feel the same anxiety about them tumbling onto the ground and down a sewer grate. That worry was always present with the older AirPods. The healthy dose of ambient sound remains, and I'm just someone who prefers earbuds that offer some quiet from the outside world.

Gizmodo's Andrew Liszweski also said that the ‌AirPods 3‌ had a better fit in the ear. The ‌AirPods 3‌ are "ever so slightly heavier" than the original, but the shorter stem and the more streamlined design orients the main speaker "at a better angle feels like it offers better weight distribution."

TechCrunch's Brian Heater said that the ‌AirPods 3‌ are "unquestionably" more comfortable than older AirPods, but the ‌AirPods Pro‌ are still better.

The more contoured third-generation buds are unquestionably more comfortable than their predecessors, but the gulf between them and the Pros feels like night and day. That's likely to be even more the case for people with smaller ears -- having different-sized, removable tips is a lifesaver for some. The seal those tips provide also create passive noise canceling through a physical seal that effectively keeps in more audio frequencies and blocks out ambient noise.

Pocket-lint's Britta O'Boyle found the ‌AirPods 3‌ to be too big for her ears, and said that they do fall out of her ears occasionally.

Sound Quality

Apple told The Verge that it aimed to give the ‌AirPods 3‌ the same sound profile as the ‌AirPods Pro‌. The Verge reviewer Chris Welch said that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ do indeed sound similar to the ‌AirPods 3‌, and compared to the AirPods 2, they're "fuller." There's no "striking difference" between the AirPods 2 and ‌AirPods 3‌, but among other earbuds with a similar design, Welch says the AirPods are "up there with the best."

airpods 3 the verge
Other reviewers expressed similar sentiments about the sound. Gizmodo's Andrew Liszweski said that the ‌AirPods 3‌ don't sound better than the ‌AirPods Pro‌, but they're a definite improvement over the prior-generation AirPods. "I'm legitimately surprised at how good they do sound," he wrote.

The separation between high and low frequencies isn't as pronounced and distinct as it is with the AirPods Pro and other wireless earbuds that use silicone tips--sometimes the highs get a little lost if bass notes are really thumping in a track--but the new AirPods' sound quality is a huge improvement, and because they're so comfortable to wear, I keep choosing them over my AirPods Pro for most of my daily listening.

Engadget's Billy Steele said that the AirPods sound "so much better" than prior models.

I don't want to mince words here: the new AirPods sound so much better than the previous two versions. Like almost night and day better. Apple didn't make any significant changes to sound quality from the first model to the 2019 version. But for gen three, Apple paired a custom driver with a high-dynamic-range amplifier to improve the audio chops. The company says that the duo work together to produce "rich consistent bass" and "crisp, clean" highs. From the moment I fired up the first song, this was all immediately evident. I don't think I've ever audibly said "woah" with the first note from a guitar on any review unit, but given how average older AirPods sound, it was involuntary this time.

Steele highlighted the Adaptive EQ feature of the AirPods, which customize the sound to the individual ear. The feature and other sound quality updates make the AirPods something he "actually wanted to listen to music with" rather than a listening device to choose just because they're more convenient than other earbud options.

He also tested call quality, and he said that FaceTime calls are "crisp and clear." Phone calls are better, but not to the same degree as ‌FaceTime‌ calls.

Charging Case

Apple added a MagSafe Charging Case to the ‌AirPods 3‌, and according to reviewers, the case works identically to ‌MagSafe‌ iPhones, attaching with the same alignment to magnetic chargers. There's no reverse wireless charging, though, and Apple told The Verge that the ‌MagSafe‌ Case was intentionally designed so that it can't magnetically latch to iPhones to avoid confusing people.

airpods 3 magsafe

Battery Life

Pocket-lint's Britta O'Doyle said that in her testing, the battery life of the AirPods listed by Apple was "conservative." Apple says that the AirPods will last for up to six hours, but she got "more listening than promised." The ‌AirPods Pro‌ lasted for 4.5 hours of talk time (Apple says 4), and 5.5 hours with Spatial Audio enabled (Apple says 5).

Wrap-Up

Overall, reviews of the ‌AirPods 3‌ were highly positive. Reviewers like the new design, which is more comfortable and offers a tighter and more secure fit in the ears, and the improved fit also makes the sound quality better than before.

All of the great AirPods features like quick pairing and easy device switching are present, plus Apple has added Spatial Audio and Adaptive EQ to boost them even further. Reviews lauded the new IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating, and were satisfied with the battery life.

On the downside, some reviewers still missed the silicone tips and the Active Noise Cancellation feature available in the ‌AirPods Pro‌, but it's clear that these new AirPods are worth checking out, especially at the $179 price point.

Related Roundup: AirPods 3
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ? Avatar
19 months ago
I just wish it was offered in more colors, Apple.

Matte black? Sierra blue? Product red?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dz5b609 Avatar
19 months ago
Weird how the lack of (passive) noise cancellation is considered a negative, for me it's the feature why I'm getting these to replace the 1st gen airpods besides my Airpods pro. A lot of passive noise cancellation would totally defeat the purpose for me. It's also the differentiator between the Pro's and the normal ones, you want noise cancellation, get the pros.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lyngo Avatar
19 months ago
I, for one, am looking forward to getting my new AirPods tomorrow. I’m looking forward to better comfort within my ears.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smarch Avatar
19 months ago
I’ll be stocking up on AirPod 2s I think. I love that they are small and light and sit in the ear and feel like they are not even there and don’t cut ambient sound. I never had one problem with them falling out.

Don’t like the pros and suspect I won’t like these. I’m hoping for an airpod SE already.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smarch Avatar
19 months ago
I’m not looking for airpods that are “good headphones”. Airpods are in a different category.. they put your phone in your head. The comfort of the originals is key. I don’t want to feel like I have cotton balls stuck in my ears. I want to feel like my phone is just in my head magically. Original airpods did this so well.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dz5b609 Avatar
19 months ago

Thanks for the reviews. What about the microphone? This is arguably not the best side of the AirPods lineup. I own the AirPods Pro but when I have to make a phone call, especially if I'm outside, I tend to plug my usual earphones, as I get too many complaints from the people I talk to. I hope this gets improved in a future generation.
??
Airpods are considered the gold standard when it comes to earphone microphones, I would look and see if the grates aren't very dirty or something, blocking the microphones.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Gurman: iOS 17 to Provide Several 'Most Requested Features'

Sunday March 26, 2023 6:05 am PDT by
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT by
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:25 am PDT by
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Steve Jobs Theater dusk

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Sunday March 26, 2023 5:53 am PDT by
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
top stories 25mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Design Leak, iOS 16.4 Coming Soon, and More

Saturday March 25, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
We're still almost six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup, but it seems like every day we're learning more about what to expect from the next-generation models. Notably, this week gave us our clearest look yet at what appear to be some changes for the volume and mute control hardware. iOS 16.4 and associated releases are also right around the corner with some new ...
apple tv 4k red image

Apple Releases tvOS 16.4 for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD

Monday March 27, 2023 10:00 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 16.4, the fourth major point update to the tvOS 16 operating system that came out last September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, tvOS 16.4 comes two months following the release of tvOS 16.3. The tvOS 16.4 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ by going to System > Software Update....