Looking for the best AirPods for you? Read the difference between the AirPods 2 and Airpods 3 here.
Maybe you already have AirPods and need a replacement, or maybe you’re interested and want to know which AirPods are best for you.
In 2021, Apple released the third generation of AirPods, the AirPods 3. These are now the latest AirPods. In this article you can read what the difference is between the AirPods 2 and 3 and discover which one is best to buy.
What’s the difference between AirPods 2 and 3?
The newer generation of AirPods is more expensive, but also has slightly more functions than the previous generation. The AirPods 3 are easier to operate and are water resistant.
In addition to the AirPods 2 and 3, there are also the AirPods Pro and Pro 2. This is the more luxurious variant with active noise cancellation, which is useful if you want to use the earphones in noisy environments. You can turn on this noise canceling yourself on your AirPods and turn it off again when you want. In addition, they offer just a few more options.
The AirPods 3 are in terms of those options between the AirPods 2 and the Airpods Pro. Below is explained what the differences are exactly.
Form
The AirPods 3 are a bit more similar to the AirPods Pro in terms of model. The stems are shorter and also pressure sensitive, while those of the AirPods 2 are not. This also allows you to operate the earphones better, just like with the AirPods Pro. As a result, the case of the AirPods 3 also has a slightly different shape, it is slightly shorter and wider.
In addition, the fit of the earphones is different from the previous generation, but they are not adjustable.
The AirPods Pro are still the only AirPods that have attachments in different sizes. Because the fit is something very personal, it may be that one is just a bit more comfortable for you than the other. So try it out!
Sound
The sound quality of both earbuds is basically the same, but the AirPods 3 do have an additional sound feature called “personal spatial audio with dynamic head tracking”.
This means that the earphones and your device from which you play sound measure their position in relation to each other and adjust the sound accordingly. If you have your laptop on your left, you will hear the sound more to the left and vice versa.
Do you not like this sound, and do you prefer that the sound is always constantly distributed over both ears? Don’t worry, you can always decide for yourself whether you want to enable or disable the dynamic head tracking.
Battery
The durability of your AirPods also depends on which type you buy. The battery life of the AirPods 3 is a bit better: the earphones last 6 hours outside the case when fully charged, while the AirPods 2 only last 5 hours. Moreover, a fully charged charging case will only guarantee 24 hours of listening pleasure with the AirPods 2 and 30 hours with the AirPods 3.
With the AirPods 3 you can choose which charging case you want. The MagSafe charging case that the AirPods Pro also have is wirelessly rechargeable. The regular charging case can only be charged with the cable. There is no difference in battery life between these two options.
Both earphones charge quickly when they are empty and you need them anyway. Apple indicates that the AirPods 2 last 3 hours after 15 minutes in the charging case and that the AirPods 3 perform for another hour after 5 minutes in the charging case.
The AirPods 2 come with a Lightning cable that connects to USB-A (the ‘old-fashioned’ USB version). The AirPods 3 come with a Lightning cable that connects to USB-C.
Features
You can only operate the AirPods 2 by tapping the earphones twice in quick succession. This allows you to play, skip to the next track and answer your phone when you receive a call.
The AirPods 3 have almost the same functions as the AirPods Pro 2. There is a button in the stem. Pressing this once will allow you to play, pause and pick up your phone. When pressed twice, you go to the next song. Press three times in succession to rewind to the previous track.
The only additional feature the AirPods Pro 2 have left is that you can adjust the volume by swiping up or down.
Waterproof
Both the charging case and the earphones themselves are water and sweat resistant with the AirPods 3, while the AirPods 2 are not. Handy if you want to be less careful with your ears.
Price
A big difference between the two models is the price. The AirPods 2 are available for €159 and the AirPods 3 cost €209 or €219, depending on which charging case you choose. If you don’t have a strong preference for one or the other, this might be the deciding factor.
How long do AirPods last?
How long do Airpods last ? Like all electronics, AirPods don’t last forever. After 2 or 3 years, the battery life often starts to deteriorate. It may then eventually be necessary to replace them after a few years.
Where can you best buy the AirPods?
The AirPods are always for sale on Apple’s website, but are also offered by third parties. Often there are better deals to be found on other websites and you can get them for a lower price than the prices mentioned above.
They are also for sale in stores such as the Apple Store, if you prefer to buy them in the store instead of online.
Other useful features of AirPods
Now that you know exactly what all the differences between the models are, the features that all AirPods have in common should also be mentioned. These are quite handy!
If you’ve lost your AirPods, you can use the “Find My AirPods” feature to see where they are. When the battery is empty, the last recorded location is shown. So you don’t have to worry if you can’t find them anymore.
If you just got new AirPods, you can pair them with all your devices, but you can always reset your AirPods again.
Finally, it can sometimes happen: your AirPods do not connect. Don’t worry, this is often easy to solve. If there is a problem due to a production error, you can contact Apple and customer service will help you further.
Conclusion
The AirPods 2 and 3 are the best choice for you if you’re not looking for good wireless earphones without noise cancelling. The AirPods 3 are a bit more luxurious and have more options, such as better and easier operation, and they are also waterproof.
Hopefully, this article has given you more clarity about the different AirPods. Let us know what you think of the AirPods!