There are several reasons to upgrade from the previous AirPods Pro:
new and vastly enhanced noise cancelling additional speakers in the case increased transparency mode for chatting with your friends
However, although they share the same official price as the previous AirPods Pro, in practice the price of the older model has dropped significantly and will continue to drop as remaining stock is sold, so if you buy today you will need to pay more for the fancier new features—so it will be up to you to decide if you really need them.
Price and Availability
If you are interested in purchasing the new AirPods Pro, you should plan on spending at least $249, which is equivalent to £349 and AU$399. Preorders for the AirPods Pro 2 are now being accepted in advance of the product’s launch on September 23. The official price of this model is exactly the same as the price of the previous generation, with the exception of the United Kingdom, where it has increased by £10. However, as was just pointed out, the older model is almost always available at a lower price these days via shops other than Apple; hence, even if both versions are on the market, the more recent one is more expensive to purchase. Apple’s decision to maintain the same official pricing despite the fact that nearly all other manufacturers of new flagship earphones have raised their prices is, contrary to appearances, a more bold and risky move than one may initially assume. They are expensive, without a doubt, but a lot of other major competitors are coming in at greater prices as well.
Design
Given how significantly the entire performance of these headphones has been enhanced, the AirPods Pro 2’s design modifications are surprisingly minor. Except for minor changes to the microphones and other little black covers, the AirPods Pro 2 headphones appear identical to their predecessors. While the casing has the same footprint as its predecessors, there are a number of significant modifications. First, there are four little dots on the bottom of the AirPods Pro 2 case, one to the right and three to the left of the Lightning charging connector. These are an acoustic vent and a speaker, so if you misplace your AirPods Pro 2, you can activate the ‘Find My’ feature on your phone to locate them. This is a useful step, given that we once lost a similar case for about a week since we couldn’t hear it in the house because it was so loud. The storage case, which is now IPX4 water resistant, now features a small lanyard clasp on the side, allowing you to pass the AirPods Pro 2 through a holder and suspend them from a bag or strap.
Sound Quality
Apple has made significant improvements to the sound quality of the AirPods Pro 2 by incorporating new drivers, amplifiers, and vastly improved active noise cancellation; the result is very striking. The remaining soundscape is vast and spacious. While it’s disappointing that they don’t support lossless audio despite numerous speculations to the contrary, the overall sound quality when watching film or listening to Apple Music is a significant improvement over the previous model. Additionally impressive was the aforementioned noise cancellation. While it remains quite good on the original AirPods Pro, it has been surpassed by other competitors in the three years since their release. However, thanks to the H2 processor on board, you can scarcely hear unwanted sounds when ANC is activated. The impact is quite stunning if you are listening to music while someone is speaking to you; you would normally be able to hear a portion of the discussion, but suddenly it is almost inaudible. When testing with simulated airplane sounds, it was hard to hear them. It makes music so much more immersive, and Apple’s boasts that it has doubled the noise-cancelling effectiveness are totally credible.
Adaptive Transparency Mode
Additionally, improvements have been made to the Transparency mode, which allows the user to hear the outside world by holding down on one of the stalks while in use. Voice processing is now so much more natural that you can continue a conversation without even noticing you’re wearing Apple’s new earbuds, despite the fact that you may appear extremely unpleasant. This is a function that a growing number of companies are incorporating, including Sony, which does something similar automatically with its over-ear headphones, but it works well here.
“Adaptive Transparency”
Apple also claims that, thanks to the H2 chip, it can automatically provide “Adaptive Transparency.” Therefore, if you are using Transparency while strolling down the street and a vehicle with a siren passes you, the AirPods Pro will automatically adjust down the sound without eliminating it. Additionally, the stems have a new feature: you can now control the level of your music from your AirPods Pro. While grasping the stalks, move a finger up or down the ridge, and the capacitive surface will register your contact. Despite the fact that this feature is welcome and was one of our most anticipated additions, despite its small size, it is, as it turns out, the poorest addition. To change the volume significantly needs numerous “strokes” of the headphones, and it would have been ideal if longer strokes raised or lowered the level more quickly, or if you could stroke and hold for continuous volume adjustment. The AirPods Pro 2 feature Customised Spatial Audio, which scans your head and ear to give enhanced personalized sound. This capability was added to the most recent version of the’standard’ AirPods, and it will be fascinating to see if it performs better on the Pro 2 earbuds.
Battery Life
The battery life of the AirPods Pro has also been improved, with the Pro 2 earbuds now lasting for six hours on a single charge when utilizing ANC and seven hours without, all thanks to the more efficient H2 chip (compared to the original H1 in the older AirPods). The AirPods Pro 2 can be charged up to five times in their carrying case, giving you a total of 30 hours of use in ANC mode—a significant improvement over the 24 hours that were available before. The case may now be charged in a novel manner, by connecting it to an Apple Watch charger. It makes perfect sense to listen to and manage music directly from the Watch’s display, especially considering Apple’s emphasis on marketing the AirPods as an integral component of Watch ownership.
Early Verdict
The AirPods Pro 2 are not inexpensive, similar to their predecessors, but what they offer is a significant improvement. The ease with which they connect to all of your Apple devices would be enough to convince most people to purchase them, but the fact that they also offer significantly improved audio, noise cancellation, volume control, and more makes them an easy purchase. This content reflects the personal opinions of the author. It is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and should not be substituted for impartial fact or advice in legal, political, or personal matters.
