Is the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro worth the upgrade from the Apple AirPods 3?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro scores 8.0 points above the Apple AirPods 3. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. The gains are concentrated in value (7.0 to 8.5), sound (7.5 to 8.5) and battery (7.0 to 7.5). On paper: battery life 6 h to 10 h, active noise cancelling and codecs SBC, AAC to SBC, AAC, LDAC. Worth checking: case weight goes 37.91 g to 51 g. That costs $66 more, or about $8 per point of score - reasonable value for the jump. Worth doing if you're replacing anyway; harder to justify as a pure upgrade if what you have still works.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound7.58.5
- Battery7.07.5
- Calls8.08.0
- Value7.08.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | AirPods 3 | Liberty 4 Pro | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 6 h | 10 h | |
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC | |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 | |
| Multipoint pairing | No | Yes | |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IPX5 | |
| Battery incl. case | 30 h | 40 h | |
| Microphones | 3 | 6 | |
| Case weight | 37.91 g | 51 g | |
| Transparency mode | No | Yes | |
| Companion app | No | Yes | |
| USB-C | No | Yes | |
| ANC type | none | hybrid | |
| Controls | both | touch | |
| Frequency response | 0Hz-0kHz | 14Hz-40kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "AirPods 3 to Liberty 4 Pro". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across true wireless and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.