The improved sound quality and battery life alone are reason to prefer third-generation AirPods over the second generation, but the design will be an improvement for some users, too.

The third-gen AirPods offer a more comfortable design, improved smarts and better-sounding audio. They’re easily still the best wireless earbuds for most Apple device owners, but a slightly higher price and missing features (like ANC) mean the buds aren’t perfect for everyone.

With way better sound, a bigger battery, a more secure fit, wireless charging, and head-tracking spatial audio, the AirPods 3 are a big step-up from the second-gen AirPods and an upgrade that all AirPod owners should consider.

With solid upgrades to design, functionality, and sound, the AirPods 3 comes up slightly short of perfection.

Bottom line: The AirPods 3 offer better battery life, better sound, an IPX4 water-resistance rating, and a better in-ear fit for many people. Add the ability to use Spatial Audio, and these are the best the basic AirPods have ever been, but without ANC or a more customizable fit, some people just won't like them.

Apple has made wonderful audio earbuds and even a headphone. But I think the third-generation AirPods is special, however, as it’s the first true redesign of the original AirPods that started it all for them. That the AirPods is available for S$269 is a surprise, considering that the second-gen version with a wireless charging case was sold at S$299 back in 2019. That's not to say that the AirPods is cheap by any means, because you could get some pretty good ANC wireless buds from brands like Sennheiser or Jabra.

Sitting in the middle of Apple's wireless headphones portfolio, the 3rd Gen AirPods offer a great balance between features and price point, whilst also delivering a refreshed and water-resistant design and great sound quality.

But before you go getting locked deeper into Apple’s ecosystem, it’s worth exploring your options. The game has changed a lot since the second-gen AirPods were released, and it’s possible to find better sound quality among competitors like Samsung, OnePlus, Anker, Amazon, and others. If you can do without the frills, you can spend much less and still be happy. Still, if you’ve got an iPhone, none of those can deliver the same seamless experience as the AirPods. They’re still designed to perfectly complement Apple’s smartphone, and in that regard they don’t disappoint. Perhaps more than any other Apple product today, AirPods still just work.

The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) represent a big step up from their predecessors in terms of audio performance, connectivity, and design – and while they come with a price increase, we think they’re a worthy upgrade if you have the older AirPods. However, we wouldn’t necessarily recommend them for Android users. The AirPods 3 are unsurprisingly optimized for use within the wider Apple ecosystem, so Android users miss out on a lot of the extra features that set them apart from other true wireless earbuds on the market, and the lack of noise cancellation means they aren’t the most high-spec earbuds at this price.

But as for the third-generation, these are the Goldilocks AirPods—the perfect balance of features, audio and price. For most people, these AirPods are just right.

Apple’s new AirPods are improved, and there are some compelling reasons to look their way—especially if the price drops by $20-30. But there’s no doubt that these buds feel capped by the very nature of Apple’s tiered structure; while many mid- and entry-level buds are adding features like ANC at lower pricing, the standard AirPods don't fully rise above their stature. If you want the best Apple buds for your money, grab a pair of AirPods Pro on sale—while you still can.

Apple 3rd Gen AirPods tick most of the check-boxes such as audio delivery during a call/video conference, battery life, and the most impressive aspect I loved was the deep integration with Apple devices.

If you only have to spend a little extra dough, the AirPods Pro are still the best AirPods you can buy, especially in terms of the best sound quality and active noise-cancellation; I'd still recommend going for them over these new ones if you can get a good deal. That said, you can expect the AirPods 3 to go down in price soon, especially given that the holidays are right around the corner.

For $179.99, AirPods 3 impress as an excellent pair of earbuds with Apple-exclusive features. Like AirPods, Pro or Max, we wouldn’t recommend these if you have an Android phone, but if you’re in the Apple ecosystem, they certainly deserve a look.

Whether you should buy the AirPods 3 or not really depends on what you’re working with currently. If you’ve got the second-generation AirPods, the 3rd Gen will be a definite upgrade. If you’re currently using the AirPods Pro, you might not want to give up the noise-cancellation on those for a pair that is relatively similar in other respects. In fact, you might be better off waiting for a second-gen Pro model.

And although the seal isn't perfect when I wear them, that doesn't seem to affect how the AirPods 3 sound. It may reduce how impactful the bass is in some cases, a tiny bit, but even still it's punchy enough.

The AirPods 3 are an easy recommendation for iPhone users who want a pair of simple, good sounding buds that work well and last for a long time between charges. They’re still missing any sort of noise cancellation and are useless in loud places though, and with the AirPods Pro often available for not much more they might end up being a better option for some.

With its S$269 price tag, the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) is a tad expensive for a pair of TWH without ANC. However, if you are an iPhone user that hates the discomfort of ear tips in your ear canals but still wants to fully enjoy the spatial audio performance of AirPods, this is the AirPods for you.

I'd personally pay the extra $50 for these over the AirPods 2, but I can see where things might get more complicated if the AirPods 2 were to drop to $80 or $90 during flash sales, which seems likely. At that price, they remain a good option for kids or folks who value them for their voice-calling capabilities, convenient Apple features and lightweight design. But I found it hard to go back to the second-generation AirPods after trying these.

While better-sounding alternatives exist, the AirPods 3 are daily delights with a strong selling point in spatial audio

The AirPods 3 are a solid revamp of one of the most popular sets of true wireless earbuds, adopting a better design, improved sound, longer battery life and more advanced features such as spatial audio.

AirPods as a whole have earned their status as the most popular true wireless earbuds, and the AirPods 3 brings more new features, but they fit in a strange spot in the Apple and Beats lineup.

The new AirPods (3rd Gen) sound excellent, and come packed with useful features. As an upgrade to the earlier AirPods, they're exactly what you'd hope for (as long as you don't prefer in-ear tips). But you need to be prepared to live with sound leaking in.

When you would be better off with any of the above options over the AirPods 3 at the price they retail, it doesn't matter how reassuringly expensive you find Apple gear, you can only conclude that these earphones are not worth your cash. They look great, and sound good (mostly), but unless money is of no consideration whatsoever, look elsewhere… even within Apple itself.

Apple’s third-generation AirPods provide notably better bass depth and are more rugged than their predecessor. Despite some improvements to how they fit and some neat sensor tricks, we still aren't wild about their open earbud design.

The AirPods 3 sound great and are extremely comfortable, but a key design choice coupled with awkward pricing limits their appeal.

The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) improves upon the 2019 model with its more ergonomic, yet unsealed, fit, water-resistant build, MagSafe charging case, and advanced software features. You can enjoy a wholly immersive movie experience with the new AirPods' spatial audio with head tracking, and enjoy HD audio during FaceTime calls. Of course, most of these features are limited to Apple hardware, so Android owners can keep moving.

The earbuds and case are very light, small, and feel sturdy enough to withstand a few accidental drops and bumps. They're also rated IPX4 for resistance against being splashed with water. However, while they have adequate stability and should stay in your ears during a light run, they may fall out with more intense movements. Their stability also depends on the shape of your ears since they have a one-size-fits-all design.

The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) improve on the 2019 model with a more ergonomic (but still unsealed) fit, IPX4 water resistance, a MagSafe charging case, and advanced software features. If you loved the previous generation of AirPods, you will likely like these. But there are plenty of cheaper and better options out there that don't suffer from the same drawbacks, especially if you've got an Android phone.

A superb pair of open fit headphones, the third-generation AirPods are a huge step forwards from their predecessors