I’m Switching from AirPods Pro 3 to AirPods 5. Here’s Why.
These are the AirPods 5, and they’ve been a really nice surprise. I’ve used AirPods Pro for years and didn’t expect to switch back to regular AirPods, but I think I prefer them over the AirPods Pro 3. Not because they sound better or have more features, because they don’t. They’re just more comfortable in my ear. And now that Apple has brought more Pro features down to the regular AirPods, I’m not sure why I need the Pro anymore.
My complicated history with Apple earbuds
Going back to the original wired earbuds and EarPods, I could never use them; they weren’t comfortable. Even the original AirPods took me months before I could wear them for long, but the convenience (no wires, automatic connection, the charging case) was worth it, and eventually my ears adjusted. The AirPods Pro meant another adjustment to silicone tips, but active noise cancellation and transparency mode were like magic. I got comfortable with the Pro and Pro 2.
That changed with the Pro 3. Apple switched to a foam-infused ear tip, and even after months of trying different sizes and third-party tips, I still get ear fatigue pretty quickly. When the AirPods 5 arrived with just about all the Pro features I actually use, I tried going back.
Comfort
Everyone’s ears are different, but for me these fit securely, sound good, and are noticeably more comfortable than the Pro 3. After a day or two of adjusting, putting them in felt like taking off stiff dress shoes and slipping into comfortable sneakers. There’s no tip pressing on my ear canal, and I can wear them for hours without thinking about them.
Noise cancellation
I didn’t expect much without a silicone seal. I never used the AirPods 4 with noise cancellation, so I can’t compare, but coming from the Pro 3, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Most of the time noise cancellation, transparency and adaptive audio work really well. A couple of strange behaviors: occasionally noise cancellation turns on in one ear a second or two before the other, which is surprisingly disorienting, and sometimes walking through a store or outside I feel what’s almost a pressure change. I can’t reproduce it, and I’m not sure whether it’s the software or the fit. It doesn’t happen often, and I don’t think I had it with any Pro model.
I mostly leave them in adaptive mode unless I’m traveling. On a recent flight from Texas to Brussels, they sealed well enough that I could comfortably hear podcasts and shows from my iPad at 60–70% volume over the plane noise. My AirPods Max 2 definitely cancel more, cover your whole ear, last longer, and are more comfortable for really long flights, so I’ll still bring them for those. For a two- or three-hour flight, I’d be perfectly happy with just the AirPods 5, which is what I used to do with my Pros.
Sound
They don’t sound as good as the AirPods Pro 3. But for what I mostly listen to (spoken-word podcasts, YouTube, and occasionally music), voices are clear and I don’t find myself wishing for better audio. I use them every day around the house, at the grocery store, working out, and on walks, and there, comfort matters more than the best sound or noise cancellation. Sometimes we get so caught up in which product is technically better that we forget how we’ll actually use it.
Which model
$129 or $149. Don’t bother with the $129 one. For $20 more you get volume controls on the stem, wireless charging, a speaker in the case to find it, and somehow better battery life. The volume control alone justifies it for me; I use it constantly.
AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3
Both have the H2 chip, adaptive audio, transparency, live translation and IP57. The Pro 3 has better noise cancellation, heart-rate monitoring and hearing tests, which I don’t need. The AirPods 5 have everything I want and are more comfortable, a trade-off I’m happy to make. They’re the ones I reach for every day now. I’ll keep the AirPods Max for long flights, and the Pro 3 are probably destined for somebody else in the family.
Links
In this video
- 00:00 AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3
- 00:25 My History with AirPods
- 01:19 Why I Switched to AirPods 5
- 01:49 Active Noise Cancellation & Transparency Mode
- 02:05 AirPods 5 Noise Cancellation Issues
- 02:49 AirPods 5 on an Airplane
- 03:49 Sound Quality Compared to AirPods Pro 3
- 04:06 Everyday Comfort and Usability
- 04:22 AirPods 5 Pricing and Features
- 04:52 AirPods 5 vs Pro 3 Specifications
- 05:16 Why I Prefer AirPods 5
- 05:32 Are AirPods Pro 3 Still Worth It?
- 05:51 Which AirPods Should You Buy?
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