Apple AirPods Pro 3 Specifications: Full Specs, Price and Key Features

Apple AirPods Pro earbuds with their open charging case.

Apple announced the AirPods Pro 3 at its Awe Dropping event on September 9, 2025, and the earbuds went on sale ten days later on September 19, 2025.

They replace the AirPods Pro 2 as Apple's flagship in-ear earbuds, arriving three years after the second-generation model and keeping the same $249 launch price.

The headline upgrades are stronger noise cancellation, a new heart rate sensor for workouts, and Live Translation for real-time conversations across languages. Here are the full specifications, key features, and price of the AirPods Pro 3.

Key Highlights of AirPods Pro 3

1. Twice the noise cancellation. Apple says the AirPods Pro 3 cancel up to twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2, and up to four times as much as the original AirPods Pro.

2. Heart rate sensing during workouts. A new in-ear sensor measures heart rate and calories across more than 50 workout types in the Fitness app, turning the earbuds into a light fitness tracker.

3. Live Translation in real time. Powered by Apple Intelligence, Live Translation translates conversations as they happen, with the other person's words played in your ears and your replies shown on your iPhone.

4. Up to 8 hours per charge. Listening time rises to up to 8 hours with noise cancellation on, and the charging case extends total listening time to up to 24 hours.

5. A redesigned fit with five ear tip sizes. Apple reshaped the earbuds using data from thousands of ear scans, and the foam-infused silicone tips now come in five sizes, including a new extra-small XXS option.

6. IP57 dust, sweat, and water resistance. Both the earbuds and the charging case are rated IP57, so rain, sweat, and dusty workouts are no longer a worry for everyday use.

Design and Fit

Apple redesigned the AirPods Pro 3 around comfort, shrinking the earbud housing slightly and angling the tips inward so they sit deeper and seal more securely in the ear.

The design work drew on more than 10,000 ear scans, according to Apple, which helped shape a fit that stays put during runs, workouts, and long commutes.

Each earbud weighs just 5.55 grams, so they stay light enough to forget about during all-day wear, even with the added heart rate sensor inside.

Smaller buds, a better seal, and a case that still fits in any pocket.

The silicone ear tips now use a foam-infused layer that gently expands to match the shape of your ear canal, improving both comfort and the acoustic seal.

Five sizes are included in the box, from XXS to L, and the new XXS size is a welcome addition for listeners who found earlier AirPods Pro tips too large.

The charging case is taller and wider than before but slimmer front to back, and it keeps the speaker and lanyard loop for Find My tracking.

One change divides opinion: Apple removed the physical setup button, so resetting the case now requires a double-tap-and-hold gesture on the back.

Sound Quality and Noise Cancellation

Apple claims the AirPods Pro 3 deliver up to twice the noise cancellation of the AirPods Pro 2, thanks to a faster H2 chip and a new multi-port acoustic architecture.

In practice, reviewers report that street noise, engine rumble, and office chatter fade further into the background than on the previous model, making these earbuds easy to recommend for commuters.

Sound quality also improves, with a custom high-excursion driver and a custom high dynamic range amplifier producing louder, cleaner audio with deeper bass and clearer vocals.

Adaptive EQ tunes the sound to the shape of your ear in real time, while Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking keeps movies and music feeling wide and immersive.

Transparency mode remains one of the best in the business, letting the outside world in so naturally that conversations feel almost unfiltered when you need to hear them.

Adaptive Audio blends noise cancellation and Transparency automatically, and Conversation Awareness lowers your music the moment you start talking to someone nearby.

Battery and Charging

Battery life is one of the biggest practical upgrades, with up to 8 hours of listening on a single charge when Active Noise Cancellation is switched on.

That figure drops to around 7.5 hours with Spatial Audio and head tracking enabled, and to about 6.5 hours when heart rate sensing is running during a workout.

Switch to Transparency mode with the Hearing Aid feature and Apple rates listening time at up to 10 hours, which comfortably covers a full working day.

The MagSafe charging case adds two extra charges for up to 24 hours of total listening time, and a quick five-minute top-up in the case provides around one hour of playback.

Charging is flexible: the case works with USB-C, MagSafe, Qi-certified chargers, and even an Apple Watch charger, so most Apple owners already have a compatible cable at home.

One thing to know before you buy is that Apple no longer includes a USB-C charging cable in the box, so you will need your own cable or charger.

Features and Connectivity

Beyond music, the AirPods Pro 3 double as health earbuds, with the in-ear heart rate sensor tracking workouts in the Fitness app and sharing data with the Health app.

Hearing health features return as well, including a Hearing Test, a Hearing Aid mode for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, and Hearing Protection that reduces loud environmental noise.

Live Translation is the standout software feature, translating face-to-face conversations in real time for travelers, students, and anyone working across languages at launch in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Siri is always a phrase away, and hands-free controls let you answer calls, skip tracks, and adjust volume by pressing or swiping the stem, with touch control built into each earbud.

Connectivity runs over Bluetooth 5.3, and the H2 chip keeps pairing instant across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, with automatic switching between your Apple devices.

The case carries a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for precise Find My location, while the built-in speaker helps you track down a misplaced case by playing a sound.

Android users can still use the earbuds for basic Bluetooth audio, but the headline features, including Live Translation and heart rate tracking, need an iPhone running iOS 26.

AirPods Pro 3 Full Specifications

Price and Availability

Apple announced the AirPods Pro 3 on September 9, 2025, and they went on sale on September 19, 2025, at a launch price of $249 in the United States.

That price matches the AirPods Pro 2 at launch, so buyers get the new heart rate sensor, stronger noise cancellation, and Live Translation without paying more than the previous generation cost.

In the United Kingdom the earbuds cost £249, while European pricing is set at €299, and they are sold through Apple stores, Apple's website, and major retailers worldwide.

Retail discounts appear regularly now that the earbuds have been on sale for over a year, with the price dropping as low as $179 during Amazon sale events in October 2026.

For iPhone owners, the AirPods Pro 3 remain the default premium earbuds to buy, combining class-leading noise cancellation, genuinely useful health features, and battery life that finally lasts a full day of heavy use.

If you already own the AirPods Pro 2, the upgrade is worth it for the fit, the noise cancellation, and the heart rate sensor alone, while first-time buyers get Apple's best earbuds at the same price as before.