True Wireless
Apple AirPods Pro 3
86Outstanding
$180
Full review dataApple AirPods Pro 3 vs Nothing Ear 3a: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Apple AirPods Pro 3 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 86. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Apple AirPods Pro 3 - Outstanding overall at around $179.
True Wireless
Nothing Ear 3a
81Outstanding
$100
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Apple AirPods Pro 3 leads on 4 of 7 measures.
- Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Nothing Ear 3a
HearWiki score
86
81
Sound
8.6
8.0
Noise cancelling
9.3
8.0
Battery
7.3
8.5
Calls
7.4
7.1
Value
8.3
9.4
Price (USD)
$180
$100
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
New platform
Nothing Ear 3a (2026) against Apple AirPods Pro 3 (2025). The Nothing Ear 3a is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 6.0 against 5.3 and Top codec LDAC against AAC. The Apple AirPods Pro 3 answers on convenience features: it adds Wireless charging and Water resistance IP57 against IP54.
- AirPods Pro 32025
- Ear 3a20261 yr newer
What differsAirPods Pro 3Ear 3a
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 6.0
- Top codec
- AAC
- LDAC
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- No
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IP54
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Wear detection, Transparency mode, Companion app.
Specifications
AirPods Pro 3Ear 3a
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $180
- $100
- HearWiki score
- 86
- 81
- Released
- 2025
- 2026
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 10.7 mm dynamic
- 12 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 10.7 mm
- 12 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- 20 Hz - 40 kHz
- Sound signature
- -
- bass-heavy
- Impedance
- -
- 32 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 110 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 6.0
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC
- SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- -
- 15 m
- Battery life
- 8 h
- 10 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 8 h
- 6 h
- Battery incl. case
- -
- 42 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 60 min
- Quick charge
- -
- 5 min → 1 h
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- -
- Yes
- Wear detection
- Yes
- Yes
- Controls
- touch
- touch
- Voice assistant
- Siri
- ChatGPT
- Weight
- 5.5 g
- 4.5 g
- Case weight
- 44 g
- 40.9 g
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IP54
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 3
- 6
- Microphone type
- beamforming
- -
- Call noise reduction
- -
- Yes
- Call NR technology
- -
- AI ENC
What reviewers said
Apple AirPods Pro 3
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are premium true wireless earbuds that combine adaptive active noise cancellation with a comfortable, secure fit. They deliver clear calls, robust battery life, and a balanced sound profile, all wrapped in an IP57-rated design that handles water and dust. With Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint connectivity, and wireless charging, they offer a polished experience for Apple and non-Apple users alike.
- Pro:Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
- Pro:Clear call quality with beamforming mics
- Pro:Strong battery life of 8 hours with ANC on
- Con:Fit may be tricky for some ears
- Con:Premium price point
- Con:Limited codec support (SBC, AAC only)
Nothing Ear 3a
The Nothing Ear 3a earbuds deliver a bass-forward, engaging sound signature in a comfortable, lightweight design. With adaptive noise cancellation, clear call quality, and a robust feature set including LDAC and multipoint, they offer strong all-around value for the price. The companion app adds useful extras like sound recording and call capture, making these a versatile pick for everyday use.
- Pro:Engaging bassy sound
- Pro:Effective adaptive ANC
- Pro:Clear call quality with 6 mics
- Con:No wireless charging
- Con:Battery life drops to 6 hours with ANC
- Con:Average build quality for the price
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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