Apple never puts its newest products on sale, especially not something as new as the AirPods Pro 3 which came out just a few months ago. But Amazon has taken matters into its own hands and cut prices on almost all of Apple’s products right before Christmas. For instance, you can get these third-generation AirPods Pro for $219 instead of the usual $249 which is the same price as the lowest price we saw on Black Friday. You might be tempted to buy the older AirPods Pro 2 because they are cheaper, but this newer model has so many more features powered by Apple Intelligence that if you don’t upgrade, you’ll miss out on features that change the way you use wireless earbuds.
Efficient Noise Cancellation
Apple says that the AirPods Pro 3 block out twice as much unwanted noise as the already-great Pro 2 model – and it means that subway rumble, airplane engine drone, and coffee shop chatter almost completely disappear. The active noise cancellation changes in real time based on the shape of your ear canal and the fit of the ear tips and keeps changing to keep out as much outside noise as possible. The box now comes with five different ear tip sizes instead of the three it used to have to make sure you can find a snug fit that makes the best seal for the best noise cancellation and bass response.
The audio architecture was completely changed to focus on what Apple calls “three-dimensional sound,” which makes music feel like it’s happening around you instead of inside your head. Bass hits with more depth and power without drowning out the midrange, and high frequencies give you clear detail that lets you hear each instrument in a complicated arrangement. The vocals are very clear and present, putting the singers right in front of you in the soundstage. When you turn your head, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking keeps sound sources anchored to your iPhone or iPad which makes for an immersive experience that is especially fun when watching movies or playing games.
One of the most useful new features of the AirPods Pro 3 is heart rate sensing: It turns your earbuds into workout partners that can track your heart rate and calorie burn for 50 different types of exercise. This information syncs with the Activity app on your iPhone, adding to your Move ring and step count. It also gives you useful information through the new Workout Buddy feature powered by Apple Intelligence.
Live Translation uses Apple Intelligence to process speech and give instant translations that sound natural: This breaks down language barriers in real-time conversations. Think about going to another country and being able to talk to people there without having to pull out your phone or look for a translation app: The feature works with many languages and gets better as Apple Intelligence learns from more interactions. Active Hearing Protection keeps an eye on the noise levels in your environment all the time and it lowers the volume when you’re around sounds that could hurt your ears, like construction work, concerts, or loud traffic.
The Hearing Aid feature uses the great fit and noise processing to work as a clinical-grade hearing aid, complete with automatic Conversation Boost to boost speech frequencies. You can even use your iPhone and AirPods Pro 3 to take a hearing test at home which will give you personalized audio profiles that make listening to music, calls, and media more enjoyable. With active noise cancellation turned on, the battery lasts for eight hours and with Transparency mode and hearing aid functionality turned on, the battery lasts for up to ten hours.
It might not sound like much, but Apple products don’t usually go on sale this soon after they come out, so this price is very good by Apple’s standards. You can get flagship earbuds at a lower price before the holiday shopping season ends because Amazon matched the Black Friday record low in mid-December. You’re buying earbuds that work as fitness trackers, hearing aids, translation devices, and high-end audio equipment all in one package which makes the price worth it even before the discount is taken into account.