HomeMacityAudio / Video / TV / Streaming AirPods have now become a pillar of Apple's offering. They are as iconic as a Mac, as widespread (almost) as iPhones and capable of producing a turnover not very far from that of the Apple Watch. No wonder the launch of the Airpods 3 . has aroused great interest not only in the world of Apple lovers but also in clothes less collateral to the universe that we have been dealing with since 1996. We are talking about the first important evolution of the original model the AirPods and very close relatives of the AirPods Pro. Earphones destined to be one of the flagship products of the gift season and to influence a mighty host of clones. We put them to the test, comparing them with the models we have already had the opportunity to test trying to understand how they differ from previous versions and how much they are worth in the context of a very crowded market.
AirPods 3 as they are made
At first glance, what one immediately thinks is that if by chance there was ever a marriage between an AirPods 2 and the AirPods Pro, the child would be a pair of AirPods 3 .
The design
After all, unless you rained from the moon three days ago, you cannot fail to recognize the style of all previous models in the AirPods 3. Apple's new earbuds look a bit like dad and a bit like mom – they're made of the same plastic as previous earphones. They lose a good stretch of the peduncle of the AirPods 2 and take the shape of the Airpods Pro, but they remain without rubber pads (which the Pros have) and the active noise suppression system .
We have not always been particularly convinced by the Bakelite effect that the AirPods give back to the touch and for some time now with their white color they have been making a little “âgé” product, something of the old school of design of the Apple. Now only the AirPods are characterized by the pure whiteness of the white plastic that appeared with the first MacBooks. Nothing to complain about the solidity and quality of the assemblies, but personally we are beginning to feel the need for a refurbishment.
The case is also not new. Although smaller and for “cubature” close to that of the AirPods 2 it is in fact identical in design to that of the AirPods Pro. Here too the materials are the same and if for the earphones the criticism of hard and glossy plastic could also be just the result of personal taste, the disapproval of the same plastic in the case has a very practical reason: after a short time it will inexorably scratch and lose its luster and become aesthetically unpleasant.
Nothing to say instead about the mechanical quality, the constriction and the solidity of the case, three aspects of perfection that are difficult to find in any other competitors we have handled in the past.
1 of 3 
The evolution of the species (in the middle the AirPods 3) 
The case of the AirPods 3 (always in the middle) is the smallest 
The direct comparison with the case of the AirPods Pro
The ergonomics
In relation to comfort, the first idea we had when looking at the Airpods 3 is that they would have been much less stable than the Airpods Pro due to the lack of rubber pads. In reality, while not as strong as the Pro version, the new AirPods do not even give the impression of falling with every movement of the head as happens with the AirPods 2 .
Earplugs for our tastes would have been welcome, but the shape given by Apple to the Airpods 3 still gives excellent results in terms of ergonomics, especially if you have the foresight to orient them correctly according to your conformation . Stability and absence of rubber pads for many who cannot bear the sensation of something entering the ear will be an important advantage over other similar products.
Considering that the AirPods 3 are IPX4 certified and resistant to water and sweat, they give the impression that they can be used with efficiency and satisfaction to enrich the look and accompany those who train in the gym with music . Finally, even if we doubt they can withstand shocks like those produced by a road bike training or, worse, a mountain bike, I can be excellent companions for commuters on two wheels.
1 of 3 
AirPods 2 
AirPods 3 
AirPods Pro
Pairing
The Airpods 3 have the Apple H1 chip inside them and it is not surprising to see the pairing take place in the blink of an eye . It only takes a few seconds to have the new earphones on the iPhone device list. Obviously the AirPods have all those functions of absolute compatibility with the iOS world that one would expect from them. Among these is the perfect transparency to the device we are using: the connection (like the other Airpods) migrates from an iPhone to a Mac without doing anything. A “magic” that no other device, even those that compete on the same level as the AirPods 3, is able to reproduce.
From this point of view the AirPods are practically perfect. The only limitation, if we want, is that the processor makes them openly and brazenly earphones for the iPhone . Let's be clear not with an Android mobile phone they are unusable but pairing the AirPods 3 with a phone that is not an iPhone is not as easy, transparent and fast as with an iPhone. More importantly, using the AirPods 3 on an Android phone you won't be able to switch between devices automatically, check the battery, use only one earphone, customize the controls.
The controls
AirPods 3 inherit from the father (or will it be the mother?) AirPods Pro the controls managed by the pressure on the stem. In some respects, such as the accuracy of the action is a step up in most cases compared to the touch controls that the Airpods 2 have, although the fact that it is required to locate and squeeze the plastic pedicle in other situations is less practical and intuitive. The best would be to have keys, but about this (we got it, Apple …) we don't even talk about it.
We have not yet given up hope of seeing a gesture to adjust the volume in the future. Today we still have to resort to the keys of the iPhone or iPad or the socially unacceptable commands to Siri. Since rummaging in your pocket or bag to turn the volume up or down is uncomfortable and seeing that saying in a crowded carriage, looking out a window, “Hey siri, turn the volume down” is at least embarrassing, we ask ourselves: is it really impossible to invent even for the AirPods what others have done (Bose with its Quiet Comfort Earbuds, for example) or a touch to adjust the power of music and audio?
Again to give another practical example, given that in the AirPods 3 there is no noise reduction system, because the ANC activation action of the AirPods Pro has not been transformed ( long press on the rod) in a “volume up” (right earphone) or volume down (left earphone)?
AirPods Pro vs AirPods 3
Automatic detection
AirPods 3 like previous AirPods are able to automatically detect placement in the earphone cable and then automatically turn off and on when worn. The function works in a very precise way as before the rest. AirPods 3, however, use a new technology, explains Apple linked to an unspecified system that reads contact with the skin and therefore does not behave in the same way if they come into contact with other materials ( like the fabric of the pocket or the wood of a table, for example).
It is not clear how the technology works exactly but some “insiders” claim that the sensors are able to detect contact by analyzing the presence of natural skin moisture.
Technology aside, our experience with the new automatic detection is positive . While it still sometimes happens that AirPods try to play even when placed in a pocket, the event is less frequent than when we pocket an AirPods Pro.
Autonomy and recharge
The AirPods 3 officially have six hours of battery life. In our case in these days of use we have also managed to go beyond this listening limit. One night we went to bed with headphones on and after watching a streaming series for almost two hours, we fell asleep: the audio (at modest volume) stopped playing six hours and 40 minutes later startup . This is an all-time high when you think that AirPods Pro and AirPods barely make it to five o'clock. If you add to this that the case allows you to recharge the earphones four times, the AirPods 3 are “monsters” in terms of autonomy.
Magsafe recharge
An interesting aspect of the AirPods 3 is the c ompatibility with Apple's Magsafe devices and all the plethora of chargers born to exploit in a more or less authorized way the magnetic wireless charging system that debuted with the iPhones 12. With the AirPods 3 there are no formal advantages in terms of charging speed using a Magsafe charger instead of a normal wireless charger but this does not mean that we are faced with a useless exercise.
Magsafe compatibility (which has also been introduced in AirPods Pro this year) helps to perfectly align the case with a charger and therefore to immediately have the maximum charging efficiency. Secondly we can also use a vertical charger, which was impossible with the previous wireless case.
How do the AirPods 3 sound?
In the very first hours of testing we specifically focused on musical quality. We know that a couple of hours are not enough for a definitive judgment, but we are already certain that even after finishing the review we can only say that the AirPods 3 are obviously superior to the AirPods 2 .
Taking into account that we are talking about open earphones and devoid of any ambition to be an audiophile device (assuming that anyone could ever think that full wireless earphones could present themselves as such), the new Apple accessories defend themselves well by definition, extended sound range, stage effect. In addition, and this was certainly unexpected for us, they generate more than good bass .
Grasped this peculiarity in a couple of songs, with curiosity we then took a tour with songs rich in very deep frequencies such as It Ain't Hard to Tell by Nas, Silent Shout by The Knife or Metronimic Underground by Stereolab and the result on these songs that would bring the Airpods 2 to their knees was amazing. But as mentioned, it is the overall quality of the music that is of a high level, in relation to the fact that we are talking about open earphones and without a noise suppression system.
Basically, the Airpods 3, even without the seal of the earphone cable, are located not very far from the AirPods Pro in terms of general sound quality . This probably materializes for adaptive equalization, for the correct projection of the music towards the ear canal and for the new drivers.
Perhaps the only disadvantage shown by the Airpdos 3 compared to the Airpods Pro is that you have to listen to music at a higher volume due to the lack of noise reduction and the absence of the rubber seal on the ear cable lare. This also determines a high dispersion of sound . In practice, those around us will hear what we are listening to, and this bothers the writer a lot. This makes AirPods 3 less flexible and AirPods Pro that can be used without embarrassment or hassle in more situations.
Phone calls
We also made a couple of phone calls to see if one of the traditional strengths of the AirPods is confirmed; those who spoke with us confirmed that our voice comes very clear with no disturbance from background noise. Since the beginning of their history the AirPods have always stood out in the field of phone calls and even the AirPods 3 are no exception .
Provisional conclusions and a question
When we have finished the review we will also have other things to say about aspects such as spatial audio (another novelty of AirPods 3) that we have not even put into action yet, charging (wired and even wireless with a system compatible with Magsafe) and autonomy. Regarding shape, ergonomics, controls, musical quality as mentioned, even though these are impressions, we have already made a sufficiently precise idea on the basis of which we allow ourselves to venture the thesis according to which the AirPods 3 represent a clear step forward compared to the AirPods 2 and an equally clear challenge thrown to many competing mid-range products.
In that middle earth where until yesterday Apple struggled to be present beyond the super loyal customer, today with the AirPods 3 it becomes a good reference, not only for the iconic factor on which the AirPods 2 were already very strong, but also for overall quality and in particular in the reproduction of music. By purchasing the AirPods 3 you will continue to pay the inevitable surcharge typical of many Apple products compared to other headsets, but the extra cost is also justified by the substance therefore in the relationship between design, musical quality and functions.
There remains the problem of the internal challenge; here we already think we can say that while approaching them in different aspects, they still do not manage to equalize in significant aspects (in particular the comfort, stability, the ability to be used in a greater number of areas and the added value of noise suppression) of the AirPods Pro . This is not surprising given the fact that Apple places the AirPods 3 a step below the AirPods Pro as the price clearly states which is 80 euros cheaper.
But since the Pros are very often found at the same price (and sometimes even less) than the official price list of the AirPods 3, the question arises, it seems, spontaneous: who will be the customer Apple thought of when launching the AirPods 3 ? At the end of our review, deepening the considerations on the technical and functional aspects of these new earphones, we will hazard the answer. Even if we already have half an idea …
Price and availability
The AirPods 3 are on sale from October 26 in all Apple stores, at retailers, Apple Store on Line and even Amazon. They cost 199 euros.
