Apple just gave me a huge reason to upgrade my go-to travel headphones

I was a bit hesitant to jump on the hype train when Apple announced the AirPods Pro 3 a couple of weeks ago. I love my Apple AirPods Pro 2, and have been using them for years. I don't go on international trips without it, as it helps me keep sane when I'm flying.

When the AirPods Pro 3 was announced – and we sort of expected them to launch – the company kept the specs light and the promises high. They have "twice as strong ANC," Apple claimed. There is in-ear heart rate sensing tech on board! We've already seen that in the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. To put it mildly, I wasn't immediately sold on the idea of upgrading.

Then, the AirPods Pro 3 landed on my desk, and as a thorough journalist, I popped them in my ears to see how they compare. But before then, I took some pictures of the cases of both generations side by side, which made me realise just how yellowish the AirPods Pro 2 case had become over the years. Shock horror!

Subtle tweaks, sharper details

Although the AirPods Pro 3 resemble their predecessor, the new noise-cancelling headphones appear different in real life. The air vents are larger, and the design is also significantly different. The stem appears to be the same size, but the head is shaped differently – it certainly looks thicker when viewed from above.

The ear tips are also positioned at a different angle, which is supposed to make them sit better in your ear canal. Speaking of the ear tips, the brand now supplies five sets to ensure the AirPods Pro 3 sit perfectly in your ears. I opted for the large tips (I have large, Dumbo-esque ears).

As well as having a new physical design, Apple's flagship in-ears also feature an updated acoustic layout. I have always been a fan of the sound of AirPods, and didn't mind the lack of customisable EQ. The sound engineers at Apple clearly know what they are doing.

As someone who has studied user-experience design in the past, that's one thing I have always appreciated about Apple. Instead of letting people ruin their listening experience by offering a million ways to change the sound, the company offers the same listening experience, fine-tuned to perfection.

The AirPods Pro 3 continue that tradition, delivering a crisp, well-tuned sound. Audiophiles might want to pick it apart, but as someone who listens to music all day while working, I can vouch for the quality.

A suitcase full of sound

How about noise cancellation? Well, I've only tried them indoors, but I put the TV on loud (K-Pop Demon Hunters all the way), and ANC sounds on point. I need to try them on the train or during a flight, but my initial tests fill me with confidence.

Another feature I'm very keen on trying is Live Translation. I can imagine it might be a bit clunky to use for direct conversations, but the feature will come in handy in public transportation or other areas where being able to understand your surroundings could be beneficial.

The available languages are currently limited to French, German, Portuguese (the Brazilian dialect, for a reason), and Spanish. However, even these limited options cover a number of areas where I usually travel.

Heart rate tracking is an obvious addition and something I expected to see in the AirPods Pro 3 once I learned that the Powerbeats Pro 2 is built on the Apple H2 chip. Moving the only Beats product with heart rate tracking back to Apple silicon felt like a prelude for Apple launching the tech in AirPods soon.

I'm a huge fan of performance wearables (currently testing the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED), and I can't imagine switching to the AirPods Pro 3 to monitor my workouts instead, but for casual tracking, I can see the benefits. Maybe not over smart rings, but still.

I have a few international trips (and plenty of daily train battles) ahead of me, and I’m excited to put the AirPods Pro 3 through their paces in the coming weeks. My promising first impressions make me hopeful I can finally retire my AirPods Pro 2. Farewell, friend!

The AirPods Pro 3 are available to buy now at Apple UK, Apple US and Apple AU for the recommended price of £219/ $249/ AU$429.