Buzz
I'm an AirPods Pro aficionado, but recently, I took a detour from my Pro journey to explore the realms of AirPods 3. It's a tale of two audio realms: one, with earbuds, the other, in-ear headphones. In this piece, I want to share some experiences transitioning from Pro to AirPods 3, especially for those pondering the purchase of AirPods 3.Comfortable Fit, Lightweight Feel
Comfort is the foremost sensation upon switching to AirPods 3. Just pop them in, no adjusting or readjusting like with AirPods Pro. Thanks to the comfort of AirPods 3, I wear them in various situations, from long work sessions to workouts and walks.
Many worry about AirPods 3 falling out, but in reality, I've never had them fall out while wearing them. In fact, with previous generations like the first and second, they never fell out even when I shook my head vigorously.
Alright, I understand that everyone's ears are different, and some struggle with keeping AirPods or earbuds in place due to them easily falling out. I've heard feedback about AirPods 2 and 3 falling out during workouts. However, I believe these users are in the minority, and they might be better suited for in-ear headphones.
However, there are those who can't tolerate in-ear headphones due to their sealed design, discomfort, and pressure differentials inside and outside the ear. Therefore, AirPods 3 will be an excellent choice for them, and they may overlook AirPods Pro.
For myself, as mentioned, I can wear both in-ear and earbud headphones. But I must admit that switching from AirPods Pro to AirPods 3 feels incredibly liberating due to its comfort and lightweight build. In some situations, you might even forget you're wearing AirPods at all.
Due to its design similarity with AirPods Pro, we'll need to change our tapping gesture to a two-finger force touch on the headphone stem to control music playback, answer calls, pause music, or activate Siri. Therefore, in some situations, if you press too hard, it might cause the earbud to shift because AirPods 3 aren't as secure as AirPods Pro, requiring you to adjust the fit manually.
Especially when the speaker mesh part of these headphones needs to align directly with the ear canal to deliver the best music listening experience.Sound Quality - No Difference Compared to AirPods Pro
Sound quality - or as some commonly refer to it, audio fidelity, is a point of interest for many on AirPods 3. For me, AirPods 3 deliver sound quality on par with AirPods Pro, especially with the inclusion of Adaptive EQ which adjusts the sound based on the user's music taste during playback. So, switching from AirPods Pro to AirPods 3 doesn't feel any better or worse, it's just the same. However, evaluating AirPods 3 independently, I find they perform well across various music genres, including vocals, instrumental, pop, electronic dance, and more. The bass response is particularly clear and punchy.
However, AirPods 3 lack active noise cancellation as well as transparency mode for users to use in some public settings. Simply put, these are headphones for music listening only; you have to endure outside noise during playback, especially since AirPods 3 are earbuds and are susceptible to external sound. But when it comes to calls, the speakers and microphone on AirPods 3 provide excellent wind noise reduction, ensuring you get the best call quality, with clear voice transmission between both parties.
AirPods 3 support Spatial Audio for an immersive surround sound experience, both when listening to music and watching movies. This is a significant improvement over the second-generation AirPods.Battery Life - Exceptional
The battery life of AirPods 3 has seen a significant improvement, surpassing that of AirPods Pro. According to Apple, we can now enjoy a total of 30 hours of usage when combined with the charging case. In practice, I've been using AirPods 3 for nearly 2 days straight without needing to recharge - counting from the last full charge.The current price for AirPods 3 is $4,990, almost reaching 5 million VND. Meanwhile, AirPods Pro in Vietnam are priced at 5.5 million VND, meaning there's only a 500k difference between the two generations of earbuds here. I believe many users will lean towards the Pro series, adopting the mentality of 'why worry when you can get something better'
