AirPods Pro 2 review: Best AirPods ever?
The AirPods Pro 2 are Apple's latest true wireless earbuds and the successor to the AirPods Pro. We bought a new pair to test the sound, noise canceling and call quality. A quick preview: we're impressed by what we're hearing! But please, pair them with an iPhone.
In this article
Pros and cons
Here are the pros and cons of the AirPods Pro 2. You can see at a glance whether these earbuds are right for you.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️Good sound ✔️Excellent ANC |
❌ Expensive ❌ Mediocre with Android |
Keep in mind that these earbuds work better with an iPhone than an Android phone. Why? We'll explain in detail in this review, based on our tests.
First, a few specifications, followed by our in-depth test.
AirPods Pro 2 specifications
- Price: ~300
- Earbud chipset: H2
- Case chipset: U1
- Codec: AAC
- ANC: yes
- Transparency mode: yes
- Bluetooth: 5.2
- Range: 10m
- Case battery: 523mAh
- Earbud battery: 49.7mAh
- Cable: Lightning + usb-c
- Waterproof: moisture and sweat resistant (not waterproof)
Good specifications at first glance. Let's see whether they still sound as good after our thorough test:
AirPods Pro 2 sound
AirPods and Apple both start with an A. In this case, that stands for A-grade quality.
The first thing I notice is the strong midrange. Those are the frequencies in the middle of a mixing console or equalizer. They come through nicely.
That provides the foundation of the sound. People often think bass makes or breaks the sound, but it's actually the midrange. That's what I listen for first.
Honestly, I was stunned when I put them in, especially the first time. Nicely defined sound across the spectrum. The highs are present, and so are the mids. The bass adds to your music without drowning out your favorite song.
Sound quality score: 9
The sound is just right. A good balance across all frequencies, with clear definition. You can distinguish the bass guitar from the percussion as you listen. That's impressive, no other way to put it. It is what I'd expect, though, given the price of these earbuds.
After listening for a while, I do notice a slight boost in the bass and lower mids. It's subtle and not distracting. Quite pleasant, but worth mentioning. You can also adjust the equalizer on your phone yourself, as I always do.
Compared with other earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM4 comes close. So does the Jabra Elite 9 Pro, though its tuning is different. It has slightly more balance and a little less bass. It comes down to your preference.
If you have an iPhone, though, you're likely to lean toward these AirPods Pro 2 for their extra compatibility. More on that later. If you have an Android phone, you're better off steering clear of AirPods because of the limited controls.
Microphone: are AirPods Pro 2 good for calls?
The AirPods Pro 2 microphone is very good, with clear definition in both low and high frequencies. Of course, wired earbuds sound better. Why? Because a cable has no trouble transmitting your recorded voice.
Have you noticed the voice clips we recorded below? They let you hear what the AirPods sound like.
Fortunately, these AirPods Pro 2 have the latest and best codecs. Our microphone app let us choose which codec to use. We found that AAC gave the best quality.
Don't worry, though: during calls, the best available codec is selected automatically. I'm mentioning codecs because I had some trouble recording a clip properly with the AirPods on Android.
So how good do we think the AirPods Pro 2 microphone is? Fairly good, but I'm not completely convinced either. For one thing, the microphone sounds different on Android and iOS.
Listen to the sound quality of the AirPods Pro 2 microphone on Android for yourself:
Fairly easy to understand, but not exactly great.
We also tested the AirPods Pro 2 microphone on Android in windy conditions. Listen to the clip here:
Pretty impressive, right? The AirPods hold up quite well when you sit in front of a fan.
Those recordings were made on an Android phone, a OnePlus 10. What happens when we record with the AirPods Pro 2 on an iPhone?
Listen to the recording of the AirPods Pro 2 connected to an iPhone:
Very good sound, then! As a reviewer, recording an AirPods microphone clip with an iPhone instead of Android was a breath of fresh air. All I had to do was download Apple's standard Voice Memos app and record a short clip.
Are those AirPods sitting among rocks in a monkey enclosure? No. That's an AirPods Pro 2 earbud held between my fingers while I'm wearing a hygiene glove.
To my ears, the iPhone recording has a little more definition and volume. That makes your voice even easier to understand.
Microphone score: 8
Our conclusion: the AirPods Pro 2 have a very good microphone. Well above average. The people you call or join for inspiring online meetings will definitely be able to hear you. Now let's hope you have something interesting to say. You do, right?
Fit: how do the AirPods Pro 2 feel?
The AirPods Pro 2 sit comfortably in your ears. They have oval ear tips. Why? Your ear canal isn't perfectly round either. That's why more and more manufacturers use oval ear tips.
Another interesting detail: the AirPods come with 4 ear tip sizes:
- Small
- Medium
- Large
- Extra large
Most earbuds come with 3 sizes (s, m, l). In this case, Apple includes 4 sizes of ear tips.
The AirPods Pro 2 have medium ear tips fitted when you take them out of the box. Why? Because that's the size that tends to fit most ears best.
The AirPods Pro 2 are also fairly light, especially considering all the technology packed into them. I'm talking about noise canceling, transparency mode and similar features. Think of the Jabra Elite 85t, another pair of earbuds with good noise canceling and transparency mode.
We weighed the AirPods Pro 2 at 5 grams. A more precise measurement shows they weigh exactly 5.3 grams.
Back to the AirPods Pro 2's fit. For most people, they sit comfortably in the ears. Still, we sometimes hear from our readers that their AirPods Pro fall out.
If that happens, you can use foam ear tips made for the AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2. Take a look:
The foam ear tips for AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2 snap easily onto your AirPods Pro. For many people, they provide a better, more comfortable fit. Squeeze the ear tips slightly before putting them in. They then slowly expand in your ears to match the shape of your ear canals.
Fit score: 7
Our conclusion: the AirPods Pro 2 fit well. They're light, have oval ear tips and provide a good seal for many people. If they don't, you can buy foam ear tips made specifically for the AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2.
ANC: how good is the noise canceling?
The AirPods Pro's noise canceling is disorientingly good. Put them in and you could mistake the noise canceling for ringing in your ears. You know that moment when you briefly can't hear anything else? I genuinely thought I had ringing in my ears when I first put these AirPods Pro 2 in. But it was just the ANC switched on.
When you take the earbuds out, you suddenly notice how much sound there actually is, even in a quiet room.
In short: the noise canceling really does block out a lot of sound.
ANC score: 9
Alongside the Jabra Elite 85t, this is the best noise canceling I've ever heard in earbuds.
The noise canceling works very well even when you're not playing music on the AirPods Pro 2. That's not something you often find with other earbuds.
Have an iPhone? Great! The AirPods and your iPhone's settings give you everything you need. You can turn noise canceling on or off with a slider on your phone. Or switch to transparency mode to hear amplified sounds from your surroundings.
Have an Android phone, such as a Samsung? Well, that's a bit frustrating with AirPods, including the AirPods Pro 2. Why? Because you don't get any of the options mentioned above. So you can't turn ANC on or off.
Here's the difference between Android and iPhone when it comes to AirPods settings. Quite a difference:
As you can see, Android (right) only lets you turn your AirPods on and off. You can also select a codec, AAC, but that's where the options end.
On your iPhone, a handy panel appears that puts you in control of your earbuds. ANC on? Transparency mode on? Or both off? A quick tap and you're done!
You can also change the name of your AirPods. As you can see, we named ours Eardopes' AirPods. A nice touch!
I do want to emphasize that I find noise canceling quite overrated. People place a lot of value on it, but passive noise isolation with fully in-ear earbuds already works very well, without fancy technology. If you have music playing and your earbuds seal your ears properly, you really won't hear ambient noise.
Earbud controls
You control the AirPods Pro 2 by squeezing the recessed part of the stem with your fingers.
The AirPods Pro controls are pleasant to use when connected to an iPhone. You can also customize them on your iPhone. The controls are in the recessed part of the stems, as shown above.
The control options are very limited, though. You can only choose whether to include the off mode, with both ANC and transparency mode disabled. You can check a box to add it.
Essentially, with the AirPods Pro 2 on an iPhone, you can choose to control either ANC or Siri. So you have a choice: ANC or Siri. A rather limited choice, if you ask me. It could be better, but that's Apple's decision.
You can do a lot with Siri, though, and with Google's voice assistant. Want to turn up the volume? Just say, "Turn up the volume." And there you go! The volume goes up. Next track? Say it, and you'll skip to the next track. It takes some getting used to, but once you do, you'll be talking to all your devices.
Controls: 7
All in all, the controls work well if you have an iPhone, and less well if you have an Android phone. It's also good that you can customize them. That's always useful.
Battery: how long can you use the earbuds?
The AirPods Pro 2 let you listen to music for just over 6 hours at a normal volume. With ANC switched on, you get a little less.
The charging case has a battery capacity of 523mAh. That's normal for high-end earbuds. Jabra and Samsung charging cases often have slightly less.
As you know, the charging case is the earbuds' home base. You take the earbuds out of the case and use them. They consume power and slowly run out of charge. Put them back in the charging case, the larger white box, and they recharge. No cable needed. The charging case has its own battery with just over 500mAh of capacity.
Each earbud also has its own small 49.7mAh battery. That means you can use them from full to empty 5 times and fully recharge them 5 times in total. All without a cable.
Battery score: 7
You can use the AirPods Pro 2 for a good stretch of time. We think the battery life is adequate, as you'd expect from high-end earbuds.
Conclusion: are the AirPods Pro 2 good?
| Score | |
| Sound | 9 |
| Microphone | 8 |
| Fit | 7 |
| Battery | 7 |
| Controls | 7 |
| ANC | 9 |
Alternatives
AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro
At a glance, the charging case tells you whether you're looking at the AirPods Pro 2 or the AirPods Pro. It has a small loop you can use to attach the case to your keys, bag or something similar.
The AirPods Pro 2 improve on their predecessor in two key areas. The most talked-about change is the H2 chipset, replacing the H1 chipset.
But don't forget ANC. The noise canceling is significantly better on the AirPods Pro 2 than on the AirPods Pro. That's a feature many people care about.
The battery has also improved slightly. Combined with the upgraded, more efficient chip, it gives you 1.5 hours more music listening time. That's a considerable improvement.
Thank you!
Thanks for reading this Eardopes review of the AirPods Pro 2. We hope it helped you get a clear picture.
Others also viewed:
- Browse all our articles about wireless earbuds
- These are the 8 best wireless earbuds
- These are the best noise-canceling earbuds
- These are the best earbuds under €50
- These are the earbuds with the best microphone
- Also check out our article about AirPods alternatives
- See the best earbuds for running or in the gym
- Also check out our hands-on review of the Eardopes B6 pro.
