Apple sells two very different AirPods right now, and a new comparison from SoundGuys lays out exactly who should buy which one. The site's testers spent time with both the $249 AirPods Pro 3 and the $129 AirPods 5 and concluded the Pro model wins on nearly every measurable front. The real decision, they argue, isn't about money. It's about whether you can tolerate silicone tips sealing your ear canal.
That seal is doing most of the work. SoundGuys says it's what gives the AirPods Pro 3 their noise cancelling edge, quieting airplane cabins, subway screech and office chatter in a way the open-fit AirPods 5 simply can't. The AirPods 5, according to the review, still offer the best active noise cancelling SoundGuys has measured on open earbuds, and its reviewer found them cutting enough street and commute noise to skip cranking the volume. Results varied by fit, the outlet notes, since the AirPods 5 have no seal to fall back on.
Bass, battery and the fit problem
Sound quality splits along the same line. SoundGuys' MDAQS panel-prediction testing found listeners are more likely to prefer the AirPods Pro 3's default sound, crediting the sealed fit for deeper bass that's felt as much as heard. The AirPods 5 still produce audible bass guitar and kick drum, per the review, just quieter than many listeners expect. Both earbuds apparently push treble a touch too hot out of the box, something SoundGuys says it corrected with the treble slider in the iPhone's EQ settings. Neither lets you disable the loudness-based EQ that keeps tonal balance steady across volumes.
Battery life is where the gap turns stark. Apple rates the AirPods Pro 3 for up to 8 hours with ANC running, SoundGuys notes, against 4 hours for the standard AirPods 5 and 5 hours for the $149 version with a wireless charging case. For a daily commute, either works. For a transatlantic flight or a full workday, only the Pro model is built for it.
There's a real tradeoff on the other side, though. SoundGuys' reviewer writes that the AirPods 5's hard plastic housing can rub during long sessions depending on ear shape, since Apple designed the open fit to suit as many ears as possible rather than to seal perfectly. A poor fit there costs you both sound quality and noise cancelling, the review warns, so trying the AirPods 5 before committing matters more than it would with a sealed earbud.
Both models share Apple's H2 chip, dual beamforming microphones for calls, and the usual iPhone extras including live translation, spatial audio and conversation awareness. Only the AirPods Pro 3 add hearing aid and hearing protection modes along with a heart rate sensor, features SoundGuys says help justify the $120 price gap. Volume swipes on the stem, meanwhile, come standard on the Pro model but only on the pricier $149 AirPods 5 case option.
SoundGuys' bottom line: if ear tips have never worked for you, buy the AirPods 5 and spend the extra $20 on the wireless charging case. If they don't bother you, the AirPods Pro 3 earn their price with better noise cancelling, deeper bass and nearly double the battery life.
RRFiled by The Reviews Roundup Desk
What the reviews are saying: verdicts on new devices from the outlets that tested them, summarised and credited to each. This desk does not test products itself.
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