No, AirPods Pro have significantly better and more balanced bass, especially the newer generations (Pro 2, Pro 3), than the standard AirPods 2, thanks to their in-ear design creating a proper seal and advanced drivers, while the AirPods 2 offer weaker, less impactful bass that often falls short of neutral. While some users find the Pro's default bass less "thumpy" than the standard AirPods' boosted but less detailed sound, the Pros offer deeper, clearer, and more controlled bass, especially with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) engaged.
Our Verdict. The Apple AirPods Pro are much better than the Apple AirPods (2nd generation). The Pro's sound profile is much more balanced, especially in the bass range, and their in-ear design and ANC provide significantly better noise isolation.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) modestly improves upon the first-generation AirPods Pro and features the same iconic look. Apple's upgraded H2 chip begets better active noise canceling (ANC) and battery life, while the case's U1 chip and integrated speaker lets you precisely locate it from the Find My app.
You can't beat the portability of AirPods and convenience of AirPods. While I wouldn't classify the AirPods Pro 2 as having great sound quality, it's pretty good. You're still beholden to AAC Bluetooth compression and all of its quirks. That includes a relatively small soundstage and pretty average detail retrieval.
The AirPods Pro 3 are our current favorite in the lineup and our Editors' Choice winners thanks to their crisp audio presentation, stellar noise cancellation, and durable design.
Audio Performance
The AirPods Pro 2 are the hands-down winners here. Sealed-off ear canals make for better audio balance and bass response, period. But, the AirPods 4 models both deliver rich bass and clear highs, continuing to improve upon what is already the best open-earbud audio performance we've tested.
Yet Gen 2 seems to have higher gain in the bass frequencies right up to the mids. The frequency sweep below shows a 3-5 decibel gain all the way to 1.3khz. Listening to some synthwave and RnB music, it also has a little more sizzle in the treble.
The AirPods Pro 3 offers improved sound with better bass/clarity, enhanced noise cancellation, better-fitting foam-infused tips (with an extra-small size), a new heart-rate sensor for fitness, longer earbud battery life (8 hrs vs. 6 hrs), and USB-C charging, while the AirPods Pro 2 has superior total case battery life (30 hrs vs. 24 hrs on Pro 3) and a more classic, comfortable fit for some users, making the Pro 3 an evolution for fitness/sound enthusiasts and the Pro 2 a strong value if battery life/fit are priorities.
Much like most wireless earbuds on the market, the and AirPods Pro Gen 1 & 2 and AirPods all have the same annoying yet solvable problem — occasionally falling out of the ear and pain after extended use. This is frustrating, especially for athletes, tella-workers, and your everyday person on the go.
Yes, Apple released the AirPods Pro 3 on September 9, 2025, with availability starting September 19, 2025, featuring significant upgrades like heart rate sensing for fitness tracking, Live Translation, improved noise cancellation, better battery life, and a redesigned, more secure fit. These new earbuds offer enhanced audio quality, better bass/treble, and new hearing aid capabilities, making them a substantial upgrade over the previous generation.
The "best" AirPod depends on your needs, but the AirPods Pro 3 are generally considered the top overall for features like superior Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), fitness tracking (heart rate), and sound, while the AirPods 4 (ANC version) offer great value and improved sound for those who prefer the open-ear design. For premium sound and design, the AirPods Max are the best over-ear choice, but the Pro 3 earbuds offer the best balance of features, performance, and fit for most users.
The AirPods and charging case for these models are sweat and water resistant for non-water sports and exercise, and have a rating of IPX4 under IEC standard 60529: AirPods Pro 2 with MagSafe Charging Case (Lightning)
Shortly after the release of the AirPods Pro 3, criticism has been flooding the blogosphere and YouTube-osphere that the new earbuds are overly bassy and that they cannot be equalized by, let's say by parametric eq (that thing with all the sliders, one for each frequency).
Yes, AirPods Pro 2 are worth it for most Apple users due to their stellar Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), excellent sound quality, seamless Apple ecosystem integration, great call clarity, and useful features like Find My integration for the case, offering significant upgrades over the first gen and a premium experience, though they're pricier than non-Apple options and have newer models now available.
The Pro 3 feel more comfortable and secure, unless your ears are sensitive to deeper-fitting in-ear designs compared to the AirPods Pro 2. That said, some people appreciate the less invasive in-ear fit of the AirPods Pro 2 vs the AirPods Pro 3's deeper fit that sits a little farther into the ear canal.
Yes, AirPods Pro 3 are generally considered worth it for most Apple users, offering significant upgrades in noise cancellation, sound quality, battery life, and comfort over previous generations, plus new features like heart rate tracking, making them a strong upgrade for those with older models or regular AirPods, though perhaps not essential for Pro 2 owners unless those specific new features are crucial.
Bass: Rumbly but well-controlled
By default, the bass is noticeably elevated, especially in the sub-bass. However, it doesn't sound nearly as muddy as in AirPods 3.
The 83% rule for speaker placement, popularized by Jim Smith, suggests that the distance between your two speakers (tweeter to tweeter) should be approximately 83% of the distance from the speakers to your main listening position (ear to speaker), forming an optimal stereo triangle for balanced imaging and spaciousness, with an ideal angle of around 49 degrees between the speakers from your chair, though room acoustics and speaker design mean it's a great starting point, not a strict law.
The AirPods 4 are better for an open, comfortable fit with good sound and features like Spatial Audio, while the AirPods Pro 2 offer superior Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), richer bass, louder volume, and volume control on the stem, making them better for immersive listening and noisy environments. Choose AirPods 4 for budget-friendly comfort and sound; choose AirPods Pro 2 for top-tier ANC, sound, and features, especially if you prefer an in-ear seal.
The AirPods Pro 2 offers excellent noise cancellation and sound, but the newer AirPods Pro 3 (or the latest gen, depending on the date of review) brings significant upgrades like enhanced ANC, improved sound quality with deeper bass, longer single-charge battery life (8 hrs vs 6 hrs), heart rate tracking, more water resistance, and USB-C charging, making the Pro 3 better for workouts and serious listeners, while the Pro 2 remains a strong value.
Yes, AirPods 4 are available in two models: a standard version and one with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), offering improved fit, the H2 chip for better audio/calls, IP54 dust/water resistance, and USB-C charging for the case, providing a seamless Apple ecosystem experience with features like Spatial Audio and Live Translation.