Should you upgrade to the newly released AirPods Pro 3?

If you live in Apple’s ecosystem and wear buds most of the day, yes—AirPods Pro 3 feel like the “do-everything” pair. You’re getting meaningfully stronger ANC, an actually-better fit, on-bud heart-rate tracking for 50+ workouts, Live Translation, IP57 durability, longer battery life, and a handful of smart convenience features. With Canadian pricing at $329 CAD and availability September 19, they make a strong case for being your all-in-one daily driver.

What’s new with the AirPods Pro 3 (and why it matters)?

“The world’s best in‑ear
Active Noise Cancellation.”

• Stronger ANC: Apple claims the “world’s best in-ear ANC,” up to 2× more effective than Pro 2 (and 4× vs the original Pros). Cabin noise and office chatter fade into a hush, close enough to over-ears that stacking AirPods Max on top now feels unnecessary.
• Better fit & comfort: Redesigned buds are smaller, with foam-infused tips in five sizes (including a new XXS) and a new insertion angle. I actually went down a size and they finally “lock in” comfortably for all-day wear. Rated IP57, they’re sweat- and rain-ready.
• Heart-rate sensing on-bud: A tiny sensor pulses 256 times per second, fusing with motion data for accuracy across workout types. For quick runs when I forget my Watch, this is clutch.
• Live Translation (beta): Talk across languages hands-free. It worked shockingly well with fast Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish at home, keeping up with slang and rapid-fire speech.
• Hearing health: AirPods Pro 3 also fold into Apple’s hearing health suite, with an on-device Hearing Test and active Hearing Protection that helps reduce exposure to loud environments.

Real-world testing: workouts, flights, and edits

At Apple Park, Julz Arney, Apple’s Sr. Director of Fitness Technologies, demoed the new fitness features—showing how seamlessly HR data flows into the Fitness app. Back in Toronto, they became my all-day companions: voiceovers, edits, calls, gym sessions, even a flight test. The new fit didn’t budge during HIIT. On the plane, ANC plus the foam tips knocked engine hum down so far I didn’t crave over-ears. Battery stretched a full transatlantic.

Sound and calls

AirPods Pro 3’s multi-port acoustic architecture delivers stronger bass, crisper highs, and a wider soundstage. Spatial audio feels more immersive, vocals more vivid, and distortion-free volume higher than before. For calls, Voice Isolation cuts background noise cleanly—colleagues said I sounded clearer even in a café.

Fitness in your ear

Beyond HR sensing, the Workout Buddy AI coach pipes in real-time pep talks, comparing your current session to past workouts. It’s a subtle but motivating push mid-run. And with 50+ supported workout types—from running and cycling to boxing, skiing, and even archery—AirPods Pro 3 are as much gym gear as they are earbuds. Metrics sync directly with Fitness+ too, showing heart rate and calories onscreen.

Battery, case, and durability

• Buds: Up to 8 hrs with ANC, 10 hrs in Transparency, and 6.5 hrs when HR sensing is active.
• Case: Delivers a total of 24 hrs playback, the longest single-session yet for AirPods. A 5-minute top-up = ~1 hr of listening.
• Find My: The updated Ultra Wideband chip extends Precision Finding by 1.5×—helpful if your case ever goes missing.
• Durability: Both buds and case are IP57 rated, meaning sweat, dust, and splashes are no issue. Which is a game changer! Am I the only one who ever drops them accidentally in the toilet from time to time? (lol)

Beyond the basics

A few quiet quality-of-life upgrades stand out:

• Conversation Awareness: auto-lowers your music when you start speaking, then resumes when you’re done.
• Adaptive Audio: blends ANC and Transparency depending on context.
• Camera Remote: snap a photo or start a video with a squeeze of the stem.
• Siri interactions: nod to accept a call, shake to decline.
• Audio Sharing: seamlessly sync audio with a friend’s AirPods.

Individually, they’re small touches. Together, they make AirPods Pro 3 feel more like a daily assistant than just earbuds. The camera remote is definitely something I can see myself actively using! It’s so convenient.

Travel and translation

Live Translation feels less like a demo feature and more like a genuine travel tool. In my tests, it kept up with fast-paced conversations and didn’t just translate words—it caught meaning in context. Both users wearing AirPods? Even smoother. For me, it was also personal: finally being able to keep pace with older family members in Portuguese without leaning on my phone was unexpectedly emotional.

Sustainability snapshot

AirPods Pro 3 are made with 40% recycled material by weight, including 100% recycled cobalt in the battery and 65% recycled plastic in the case. Packaging is smaller, allowing 25% more units per shipment, cutting transport emissions. They’re designed to last, with energy-efficient components and cleaner chemistry—part of Apple’s 2030 carbon-neutral plan.

The Gent’s Post verdict: who should upgrade, who can wait

Buy now if…

• You wear buds all day and want stronger ANC, a better fit, and longer battery life.
• You’re active and value watch-free heart-rate tracking and workout motivation.
• You travel or juggle multilingual conversations where Live Translation will be useful.
• You’re interested in the growing hearing health features (Hearing Test, Hearing Protection, future Hearing Aid support).

Consider waiting if…

• Your AirPods Pro 2 battery is still healthy and you don’t care about HR tracking or translation—Pro 3 will feel nicer, but not essential.
• You mainly prefer over-ears for flights and cinema-like immersion.

Bottom line: For iPhone users who want one pair to do everything—commute, gym, travel, work, and downtime—AirPods Pro 3 are finally as versatile as Apple always promised.

If you’re someone who misplaces their AirPods every second day (or hour), like me, the fact that they now have Find My Precision Finding, and speakers built in so the case and the buds beep, these new AirPods Pro 3 are changing the game.

Spec highlights: AirPods Pro 3

• Price/availability (CA): $329 CAD, Sept 19
• ANC: Up to 2× stronger than Pro 2; 4× vs original Pros
• Battery: 8 hrs ANC / 10 hrs Transparency / 24 hrs with case / 5-min charge = 1 hr
• Fit: Foam-infused tips (XXS–L), smaller body, IP57 rated
• Fitness: HR sensor, 50+ workout types, Workout Buddy AI coach
• Features: Live Translation (beta), Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio, Camera Remote, Siri head gestures