Apple still leading the way with AirPods 3rd generation
Apple AirPods 3rd generation. Pic: Noel Campion.
I remember my demo of the original AirPods before they were released back in 2016 and thinking, these are something special. When they were finally released later that year, many mocked them for how they looked. Fast forward to 2021 and AirPods are the most popular earbuds around. I’ve been testing the third generation of AirPods to see if they’re a worthy upgrade.
Apple hasn’t strayed too far from the iconic AirPod design while borrowing a lot of cues from AirPods Pro. The charging case is a slightly smaller version of the AirPods Pro case and includes wireless charging as well as magnets that allow it to be compatible with MagSafe. You can also charge them wired using the supplied Lightning cable.
The buds themselves have shorter stems like the Pro but don’t have silicone ear tips. The shape is closer to the original AirPods although they’re much larger and are designed in such a way as to sit in your ears and not go as far into your ear canals.
This change in shape design is intriguing since I’ve always loved the originals for how well they fit in my ears and for their comfort. The AirPods 3 are just as comfortable but unfortunately, in my case at least, initially, I didn’t find them to be as secure. I’ve had them fall out on the left or right while talking, eating or just moving around. After using them continually since launch, I figured out that if I push them into my ears and twist the stems forward they are more secure. Perhaps this is the way Apple intended them to be worn but one size fits many means they won’t work for everyone.
The new earbuds have the same pressure controls as the AirPods Pro. The pressure-sensitive stems allow for intuitive and responsive controls. Unfortunately, there’s still no way of controlling volume — you have to ask Siri or use your phone. However, if you own an Apple Watch you can use the Digital Crown to change the volume.
Apple does of ease of use like no one else and they revolutionised Bluetooth pairing with the original AirPods. The gen 3 are the same and while other brands have copied their method, none have managed to do it as well. Once paired, you can seamlessly use your AirPods on all of your Apple devices. Open the AirPods case near an Apple TV and it will ask you if you want to connect. If you’re in the Apple ecosystem this is reason enough to get any AirPods model.
What’s new to the 3rd gen AirPods are features like Spatial audio and head tracking that were only available on the Pro models.
The new AirPods and case now have an IPX4 rating, which means they are now splash and sweat resistant. I never had any problems with the originals but it’s comforting to know they can now handle a little rain and perspiration.
Like the Pro models, you get Apple’s adaptive EQ which uses the mics and some clever AI wizardry to analyse the shape of your ears to tune the music for the best listening experience. Honestly, I can’t say this works because there’s no way of turning it on and off to compare. What I can say is that AirPods 3rd gen is one of the best sounding earbuds you can buy right now.
Spatial audio is an interesting feature that I think a lot of people will enjoy. I love using the AirPods to watch movies or TV shows on the Apple TV, iPad or even iPhone. Spatial audio makes genres like action, thrillers and big blockbuster movies come to life by making the soundstage more three dimensional. However, dramas and dialogue-heavy shows are better with it turned off.
Apple Music also supports Spatial audio but I found it very hit or miss. To be fair, I am more of a purist that prefers a two-channel reproduction of my music so your mileage may vary.
One of the most interesting new features is incredibly clever and just shows Apple’s attention to detail. Like all AirPods, taking them out of your ears will automatically pause playback. You can turn this off if you don’t like the feature but a new skin-detect sensor replaces the proximity sensor found in the previous AirPods including the AirPods Pro. The new sensor knows if it’s in contact with skin rather than inside your trousers pocket. This should result in no more accidentally drained batteries.
You can now use the Find My app to locate your AirPods even if they’re in their case. You can ‘play a sound’ that emits a beeping sound in the buds or also use the locate feature to find them the same way you can with the AirPods Max. This is a handy feature but it’s not the same as tracking an AirTag nor is it as accurate at pinpointing the location of your AirPods.
I’m a big fan of headphones with good ANC but I believe it’s not necessary for everyone or at least in many situations. If you like listening to audio in noisy environments then ANC is a massive benefit. However, a lot of the time I don’t need or want to block out the sounds around me. Being aware of what’s happening around you can be a good idea for safety but also staying connected to what’s happening around you.
A lot of earbuds have good passive noise isolation so even with ANC off, they’ll naturally block out sound. This isn’t the case with the AirPods 3 which are a more open design. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but rather that it’s a matter of personal preference.
AirPods have never been class-leading in battery performance but the 3rd gen gets a massive bump in this regard. You should expect up to six hours from the buds and up to 30 hours including the charging case. If you have Spatial audio enabled, listening time is reduced to five hours.
You can now tap on the case when it’s charging to see the state of charge — amber for charging and green when it’s fully charged.
AirPods 3rd gen also features optimised charging. This learns from your daily charging habits and will wait to charge the buds past 80% until just before your need to use them. This will improve the longevity of the batteries, but the feature can be turned off if you’d need maximum battery performance.
I still have a perfectly working set of the original AirPods so I compared them directly with the latest gen 3s. The difference is night and day. In all areas the new generation is superior. The bass response is excellent now and the soundstage is much wider, in fact, it’s even broader than the AirPods Pro. This may have something to do with the open design but either way, it’s a welcome upgrade.
The sound imaging is also far better with good and well-defined instrument separation as well as greater clarity in the mid and high frequencies.
If you’re in the Apple ecosystem then buying AirPods is a no-brainer. The ease of using them between Apple devices is something you won’t get anywhere else.
Choosing between AirPods and AirPods Pro all depends on if you need ANC or not and if battery performance is paramount to you. If you have an older set of AirPods and you’re looking for an upgrade then the choice is a little easier since the AirPods 3rd gen offers a host of new features, dramatically improved sound quality and better battery life.
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