Gift guide: Apple AirPods Pro are the ideal luxe tech Christmas gift

(Image credit: Apple)

published 10 December 2020

Apple’s AirPods Pro are one of those gadgets that people may be hesitant to splash the cash on themselves, but would love to receive, making them the perfect Christmas present. The in-ear earphones are Apple’s latest and are designed to make music, podcasts and phone calls clearer thanks to noise-cancelling tech, (which you don’t get with the basic AirPods).

The gadgets include the company’s H1 chip, enabling low audio processing latency and real-noise cancellation, which basically means music sounds better. They have a new shape too, designed for comfort, fit and stability.

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Just like the standard AirPods, they can be charged wirelessly and offer 4.5-hours of listening time on a single charge, or 1-hour on just 5 mins of charging, making them brilliant for the super busy people we all know. If that’s not enough, you can also have them engraved free of charge, for a personal and thoughtful gift.

Who’s it for?

Busy workers: Workers who commute on public transport (in normal times) and those who work from home would love a pair of AirPods Pro. The noise-cancelling feature would be handy in a busy office, or when trying to block out family sounds when they are trying to focus on a task for work. The gadget’s voice controls would be useful too.

Runners: The ability to switch between the noise-cancelling mode and transparency mode is really useful for anyone who runs or exercises outside, as they will be able to choose to hear traffic when crossing a busy road, for example, while the customisable fit of the AirPods will keep them happy too by not falling out every five minutes!

Music lovers: Anyone who is into their music in a big way is always on the hunt for the beat speakers or headphones to do their favourite tunes justice. The AirPod Pro’s active noise cancelling tech promises to give music more depth and block out annoying noises from the outside world.

Age range:

There's no official age range for the Apple AirPods Pro, but at almost £250 they are probably a gift for grownups who will look after them well!

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What makes it the perfect gift?

Clearer sound: The big difference between Apple’s popular AirPods and the AirPods Pro is noise cancellation technology for clearer sound. These are in fact the only in-ear headphones with active noise cancellation that adapts to the geometry of the ear 200 times a second. They work by using an outward-facing microphone to detect external sound, which they counter with equal anti-noise, cancelling annoying disruptions for clearer music, a more relaxing workout or a more focused workday.

Customisable fit: For any fitness fanatic, the fit of wireless headphones is upper important, because there’s nothing more annoying than them continually falling out during a workout. The Airpods Pro model comes with three sizes of soft silicone tips so users can pick the best one for their ears. The tips form a seal on the ear, keeping the gadgets secure, while vents equalise pressure so wearers barely notice they are there.

Transparency mode: This is a really handy function that lets wearers hear what’s going on around them. This makes the AirPods Pro perfect for runners or people who exercise outside and might need to cross busy roads, as well as workers who might want to eavesdrop in the office, or hear what their kids are getting up to if they work from home. Wearers can let external noise in by simply pressing the force sensor on the stem of the AirPods.

Personal assistant function: Anyone who wants to keep their phone in their pocket or bag, which is pretty much everyone, will love the ability to control the AirPods Pro devices using their voice. They simply need to say Hey Siri to summon Apple’s PA, which they can use to choose tracks and adjust the volume of their music, for example. Easy Peasy!

Buy the Apple AirPods Pro here:

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A journalist with 10 years experience, Sarah specialises in Science and Technology, writing for the BBC, national papers and consumer magazines, including T3, of course. Sarah has reviewed a range of products for T3, from children’s electric toothbrushes to water bottles and photo printing services. There's nothing she can't become an expert in!