Best Overall
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Key details
- Charging
- USB-C
- ANC Battery
- Up to 8 hours
- Noise Control
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Notable Features
- Heart rate sensing, Live Translation
Eight hours of listening with active noise cancellation on a charge is the number that makes the AirPods Pro 3 the safest default here. That's long enough to cover a workday or a coast-to-coast flight without dipping into the case, and the transparency mode stretches to ten hours with the hearing-aid feature. The ANC is rated to remove up to twice as much noise as the Pro 2, and the feature set goes beyond listening: heart-rate sensing, Live Translation, and a hearing-aid feature are built in. We think that combination is hard to beat for iPhone owners, especially when you factor in the battery and feature set.
The catch is fit. The buds can work loose for some ear shapes, and a poor seal undercuts both bass and noise cancellation. We paid close attention to that in testing because it's the one thing that can make a great spec sheet feel ordinary. Try every tip size, and if they still feel loose, the Bose's nine fit combinations are the better bet. For everyone inside Apple's world, this is the pair we recommend first.
Pros
- Eight hours of ANC playback
- Strong ANC and transparency modes
- Heart-rate, translation, and hearing-aid features
Cons
- Apple extras are iPhone-only
- Fit can work loose for some ears
The best default for iPhone owners: strong ANC, eight hours of ANC battery, and useful Apple extras, as long as the fit suits your ears.