Apple’s strategy to keep the AirPods Pro mostly intact from the outside, and completely reinvent features like Adaptive Transparency mode and active noise canceling makes the latest version a brilliant double-down on the world’s most popular earbuds. If you own an iPhone, these are easily the best earbuds for overall usability on multiple fronts, and considering the performance, they’re worth consideration even for some without an iPhone.

With better sound, active noise canceling and battery life than their predecessor, the AirPods Pro 2 deliver exceptionally good performance for their size.

Apple’s second-gen AirPod Pros put on a great show with first rate sound reproduction, smart noise cancellation, and a host of extras you won’t find elsewhere.

The second-gen AirPods Pro absolutely come recommended for the proverbial "most people," at least those willing to spend over $200 for premium wireless earbuds, and especially those entrenched in the Apple ecosystem with multiple Apple devices.

Apple has delivered a substantial upgrade with the AirPods Pro 2. They amp up many of the features we loved about the original, and while they’re not perfect, they offer some of the best noise cancellation and spatial audio of any pair of earbuds available.

After nearly a year, it might be time for me to put my beloved Beats Fit Pro in their case for good. The AirPods Pro 2 are the new gold standard for Apple headphones, offering superb sound quality, great battery life and some of the best ANC you can find on a pair of earbuds. Couple that with some smart quality-of-life upgrades to the case, controls and software experience, and these are about as good as it gets for folks with an iPhone.

If you own an iPhone and want your first pair of wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro 2 are easy to recommend, as long as the $249 price is acceptable. The bigger question is whether those who own standard AirPods or the first gen AirPods Pro should consider an upgrade.

Put simply, if the original AirPods Pro were within earshot of perfect, this ‘S’ style revision gets us oh so much closer. The last major missing feature is … colors that aren’t white. Like black. Apple, make black AirPods.

Comfortable fit. Great sound. Improved noise canceling. Good microphones. Extremely easy to use with iPhone/Apple products. Spatial audio is good for movies. New, improved charging case with speaker for better Find My functionality. IPX4 rating for workouts.

Based on my experience using the AirPods Pro 2—which are already slightly discounted by Amazon—the extra cost of this newer and more cutting-edge technology is noticeably justified, regardless of how you’re using the earbuds. Beyond sound, Apple has improved on comfort, which is universally praised as a definite improvement over the standard AirPods line. They fit firmly in my ears with the right ear tips—and chances are they’ll fit yours too. Because they’re water-resistant, you don’t have to worry about getting caught in the rain or getting them covered in sweat—which makes them extra versatile.

The AirPods Pro 2 have appeared with an impressive feat: coming with all-new features without an increase in the price from the original, 2019 AirPods Pro 2. With a new chip (the H2) powering things along, we're treated to far-greater sonic performance and excellent noise cancellation, as well as improved battery life. While they're not going to be perfect for Android users, and they do cost a pretty penny, we were constantly absorbed by the sonic performance on offer here - it's a hugely worthwhile upgrade from Apple.

The AirPods Pro 2nd Gen deliver genuinely stunning noise cancellation and a huge update to the deepness and richness of their sound. And with a new case that's so much harder to lose, but still in the same light and comfortable design, they're at the top of the earbuds game. There are some missing features we'd like to see, and they're still much better for iPhone users over Android, but it won't matter too much when you're lost in your sound.

Sounding better than ever before, and with smart quality of life improvements that make the most of Apple's broader ecosystem, the AirPods Pro 2 are the best earphones Apple has made yet. However, there are still rival brands offering better bang for your buck when it comes to pure audio performance.

Dialing up noise cancellation, but making it easier to hear what's important, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) earbuds charge your relationship with the world around you.

Don’t let the familiar design fool you, this is a worthwhile update.

There you go, the AirPods Pro 2 are great. They sound much better than the previous Pros, have meaningfully better battery life, and superb Active noise cancellation. They're also better in every way than the open-fit AirPods 3 - more sound isolation, ANC vs no ANC, better bass, wider soundstage, etc.

The AirPods Pro 2 sound pretty amazing. I'm generally very impressed with how quickly true wireless earbuds began delivering both high quality sound and absolute convenience, with no major trade offs.

Many of the features of the AirPods Pro 2 are also available on the first-generation AirPods Pro. Still, if you want a boost in audio quality, get one and a half times longer battery life, and all the benefits of the new case—including the ability to use Precision Find My—you'll be glad you chose to upgrade.

We’re not about to recommend that you rush out and buy the new ones if you already invested in AirPods Pro this year, for instance, but if you have a pair that’s getting on a bit or you want to upgrade to the best ANC buds for your iPhone or iPad, these are the way to go.

Even so, the AirPods Pro aren’t necessarily the standout they once were, now flanked by serious contenders from Apple’s tech foes. On day one, they’re not the best-sounding wireless earbuds you can buy, nor are they class-leading in ANC thanks to Bose. But neither of those facts are likely to dissuade iPhone owners from considering the second-gen AirPods Pro above most options based on their reliable performance and Apple’s seamless ecosystem benefits.

The second-generation AirPods Pro are Apple’s best earbuds yet. They sound better, have more effective noise cancelling, last longer on a charge and keep what is good about their predecessors.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) modestly improves upon the first-generation AirPods Pro and features the same iconic look. Apple's upgraded H2 chip begets better active noise canceling (ANC) and battery life, while the case's U1 chip and integrated speaker lets you precisely locate it from the Find My app. If you own an iPhone, the new AirPods Pro is an obvious choice but you do have others too!

Compared to their predecessor, their bass is more extended, which helps improve their overall bass. That said, their sound profile is a little warmer rather than rumbly this time around, making vocals and instruments sound cozy and soft. The treble is a bit more recessed, which takes the edge off of sibilants and instruments. They're still in-ears, though, and their passive soundstage doesn't feel as natural or spacious as dedicated audiophile headphones. Luckily, their Spatial Audio feature allows audio to follow your head movements when using compatible content, which can feel more immersive.

Apple has made its best-sounding AirPods earbuds, with improved ANC and a wonderfully rich and engaging sound that’s now up there with the class leaders

The AirPods Pro 2nd Generation offer all the same features as the excellent AirPods 3rd Generation, but they add Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Transparency modes, as well as the touch sensor for volume control on the stem. There are some great other additions too when it comes to the Charging Case. The design of the second generation AirPods Pro may have remained similar to its predecessor, plus they aren't cheap of course, but the internal upgrades, performance and noise cancelling improvements, and extra features overall make the AirPods Pro 2 an exceptional pair of wireless headphones

If you’re thinking about the merits of a pair of these versus the standard AirPods 3, there really is no contest; these are way better. Before starting this review, we were also expecting that if you could find a pair of 1st generation AirPods Pro at a discount, they would be a no-brainer purchase compared to these new buds.