True Wireless
Apple AirPods Pro 3
86Outstanding
$180
Full review dataApple AirPods Pro 3 vs Xiaomi Buds 6: 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
Xiaomi Buds 6
72Good
$140
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 5 of 7 measures.
- Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Xiaomi Buds 6
HearWiki score
86
72
Sound
8.6
6.9
Noise cancelling
9.3
7.0
Battery
7.3
5.7
Calls
7.4
8.2
Value
8.3
7.3
Price (USD)
$180
$140
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?
Mixed generations
Both shipped in 2025. Neither is straightforwardly newer: the Apple AirPods Pro 3 brings ANC type Adaptive against Hybrid, while the Xiaomi Buds 6 answers with Bluetooth 5.4 against 5.3, Top codec aptX Lossless against AAC and LE Audio (LC3). The Apple AirPods Pro 3 answers on convenience features: it adds Water resistance IP57 against IP54.
- AirPods Pro 32025
- Buds 62025
What differsAirPods Pro 3Buds 6
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.4
- Top codec
- AAC
- aptX Lossless
- LE Audio (LC3)
- No
- Yes
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- Hybrid
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IP54
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: Multipoint pairing, USB-C.
Specifications
AirPods Pro 3Buds 6
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $180
- $140
- HearWiki score
- 86
- 72
- Released
- 2025
- 2025
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 10.7 mm dynamic
- 11 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 10.7 mm
- 11 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- -
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- 16 Hz - 40 kHz
- Sensitivity
- 110 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.4
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC
- SBC, AAC, LC3, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- -
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 8 h
- 6 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 8 h
- 3.5 h
- Battery incl. case
- -
- 35 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 90 min
- Quick charge
- -
- 10 min → 2 h
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- hybrid
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- -
- Companion app
- Yes
- -
- Wear detection
- Yes
- -
- Controls
- touch
- -
- Voice assistant
- Siri
- -
- Weight
- 5.5 g
- 8.8 g
- Case weight
- 44 g
- 34.5 g
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IP54
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Connector
- -
- USB-C
- Model code
- -
- M2540E1
- Microphones
- 3
- -
- Microphone type
- beamforming
- -
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)
Xiaomi Buds 6
The Xiaomi Buds 6 are true wireless earbuds with hybrid active noise cancellation and a compact, water-resistant build. They offer a versatile feature set including Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint connectivity, and support for high-quality audio codecs like aptX Adaptive and Lossless, with a total battery life of up to 35 hours using the charging case. Quick charging provides two hours of playback from a ten-minute top-up.
- Pro:Hybrid ANC for effective noise reduction
- Pro:Supports aptX Lossless and Adaptive codecs
- Pro:Multipoint connection for seamless device switching
- Con:Battery life with ANC is relatively short at 3.5 hours
- Con:Earbuds weigh 8.8 grams each, which may feel heavy for some
- Con:Frequency response extends to 40 kHz, but this is beyond human hearing range
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
Compare something else
Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.