Which Airpods should you get?

With such a wide range of AirPods available at various price points, it can be overwhelming to try to figure out which one you should purchase. We’ve put together this guide comparing the models to each other so you can find the right fit for you.

AIRPODS LINEUP COMPARISON

The AirPods 3, like the AirPods Pro, are sweat and water-resistant, unlike the AirPods 2 (and the Max). That means you don’t need to worry about them during an intense workout or when it rains. The AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro also have shorter stems than the AirPods 2, while the AirPods Pro come with replaceable silicone ear tips in three different sizes.

The AirPods Pro versus the AirPods Max

In contrast to the small plastic AirPods earbuds, the AirPods Max are a large over-ear pair of headphones that offers stainless steel earcups with a curvy mesh headband. While the earbuds only come in white, you can buy the Max in a variety of different colors, including silver, space grey, sky blue, pink, and green.

All of the AirPods are compatible with the latest iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs. However, the AirPods 2 are also compatible with older devices, like the iPhone 5s, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, and the 6th-generation iPod touch.

The over-ears AirPods Max come with a Digital Control knob similar to the one on the Apple Watch and another button you can use to alternate between the Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes. However, there is no power button.

The earbuds rely solely on touch controls. To play a tune, skip forward, or answer a phone call on the AirPods 2, you need to double-tap. However, with the AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and the Digital Crown on the AirPods Max, you just need to click once to pause, play, or answer a call. Meanwhile, you can press twice to skip forward and three times to skip back.

The AirPods 3 offers spatial audio with dynamic head tracking and Dolby Atmos in Apple Music. 

AUDIO FEATURES

All of the AirPods in the lineup offer great sound quality. Each new earbud model offers iterative improvements that enhance the audio experience.

Of course, the AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max offer a lot more in comparison to the older AirPods 2 when it comes to audio technology. While the AirPods 2 featured limited spatial audio through Apple Music only, the other three include spatial audio for group FaceTime calls, Netflix, and other content as well. The AirPods 3 also offer spatial audio with dynamic head tracking across all Apple devices, as well as Dolby Atmos in Apple Music.

The AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max all boast features like Adaptive EQ, which customizes your audio experience, and an intuitive force sensor for media control. The AirPods Pro and AirPods Max offer Active Noise Cancellation, which silences background noises so you can better focus on what you’re listening to. These models are also the only ones that offer the option to switch to Transparency Mode, which makes it possible to hear the sounds around you.

As far as call quality is concerned, the AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro all offer dual beamforming microphones which basically means every set has two mics in each ear cup, with technology designed to reduce outside noises and better focus on your voice.

However, unlike the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro, the AirPods 2 doesn’t offer inward-facing microphones. That means it’s not able to listen inside of your ear to reduce internal sounds. The AirPods Max offers nine microphones for active noise cancellation and for voice pickup.

The AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro all offer motion-detecting accelerometers that detect taps and speech-detecting accelerometers. The latter recognizes when you’re speaking, working with the beamforming microphones to silence outside sounds and pick up only your voice.

Both the AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro offer dual optical sensors that help detect when they’re in your ears, although the AirPods 3 doesn’t. Instead, it offers a skin detect sensor, which uses your skin to determine whether your AirPods are in your ears or not and, thus, whether it should play or pause audio. On the other hand, both the AirPods 3 and the Airpods Pro offer an intuitive force sensor for media control, something the AirPods 2 lacks.

As might be expected, the AirPods Max outperform the rest of the AirPods when it comes to battery life. Apple says they offer up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation or Transparency mode on. With spatial audio enabled, the AirPods Max also offers up to 20 hours of movie playback on a single charge. Apple also says five minutes of charging provides around 1.5 hours of listening time.

In contrast, Apple claims the AirPods 2 offer up to five hours of listening time on a single charge, while the AirPods 3 offer six hours. The AirPods Pro also offer the least amount of listening on one charge, only 4.5 hours and up to five hours with Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency turned off. The Pro additionally offer up to 3.5 hours of talk time with a single charge, while the AirPods 3 offer up to three hours of talk time. In contrast, the AirPods 2 beats both, offering up to five hours of listening time with one charge.

When it comes to charging case battery life, the AirPods 3 also differ from the AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro, offering up to 30 hours of listening time compared to the Pro and AirPods 2 providing over 24 hours of listening time. The AirPods 3 also offer up to 20 hours of talk time versus over 18 hours of talk time for the Pro and up to 18 hours of talk time for the AirPods 2. Apple claims both the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro, take five minutes to provide about an hour of listening time or an hour of talk time and the AirPods 2 need to be in the case for 15 minutes to provide up to three hours of listening time or up to two hours of talk time.

WHICH SHOULD YOU BUY?

No matter which you buy, each model in the AirPods lineup should offer great sound and call quality. However, which model you should purchase depends upon your needs and budget.

Firstly, if you want over-ear headphones, obviously the AirPods Max are the ones you should buy. They are also the top choice for sound quality and offer features the others don’t, ranging from active noise cancellation to an H1 chip and sensors in each ear cup.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a great pair of earpods, pick up the AirPods 3 or AirPods Pro, especially if you often engage in intense workouts, both of which offer sweat and water resistance. And if you’ve had trouble in the past with earpods slipping out of your ears, you may want to choose the AirPods Pro for their replaceable and customizable ear tips, which is something the AirPods 3 don’t offer. If you’re on a tight budget, consider the AirPods 2. They have amazing battery life and are great earbuds.