Is the Technics EAH-AZ40 worth the upgrade from the Apple AirPods Pro 3?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Technics EAH-AZ40 actually scores 16.0 points below the Apple AirPods Pro 3, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. It loses ground on sound (8.5 to 7.0) and calls (8.5 to 7.0). On paper: weight 10.1 g to 5 g, drivers per side 1 to 2 and case weight 43.99 g to 30 g. Worth checking: bluetooth goes 5.3 to 5.2 and driver size goes 10.7 mm to 6 mm. One caution: this steps down a line tier (AirPods Pro 3 to EAH-AZ40), 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 $103 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.
- Sound8.57.0
- Battery8.07.0
- Calls8.57.0
- Value7.57.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | AirPods Pro 3 | EAH-AZ40 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 10.1 g | 5 g | |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IPX4 | |
| Driver size | 10.7 mm | 6 mm | |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 2 | |
| Microphones | 3 | 1 | |
| Case weight | 43.99 g | 30 g | |
| Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
| Transparency mode | Yes | No | |
| Companion app | Yes | No | |
| Wear detection | Yes | No | |
| ANC type | adaptive | none | |
| Quick charge | 5 minutes in case = about 1 hour listening time | 10 min = 90 min | |
| Driver | dynamic | 6mm | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz | 20Hz-20kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "AirPods Pro 3 to EAH-AZ40". 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.