Is the Apple AirPods 3 worth the upgrade from the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C)?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Apple AirPods 3 actually scores 8.0 points below the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C), so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. It loses ground on sound (8.5 to 7.5) and battery (7.5 to 7.0). On paper: case weight 50.8 g to 37.91 g and custom eq. Worth checking: active noise cancelling goes Yes to No and bluetooth goes 5.3 to 5.0. One caution: this steps down a line tier (AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C) to AirPods 3), and base models usually trade away tier features - check the codec and ANC rows above before trusting the score gap alone. It is at least $41 cheaper, so the lower score comes with a saving. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.57.5
- Battery7.57.0
- Calls8.08.0
- Value7.57.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C) | AirPods 3 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | No | |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.0 | |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IPX4 | |
| Case weight | 50.8 g | 37.91 g | |
| Transparency mode | Yes | No | |
| Companion app | Yes | No | |
| Custom EQ | No | Yes | |
| USB-C | Yes | No | |
| ANC type | adaptive | none |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C) to AirPods 3". 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.