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Apple AirPods Pro 2 Review

Best for Apple users looking for excellent noise cancellation and impressive sound quality
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Apple AirPods Pro 2 Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $249 List
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Manufacturer:   Apple
By Graham Faulknor, Genaveve Bradshaw, and Clark Tate  ⋅  Sep 28, 2024
76
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#3 of 31
  • Sound Quality - 40% 7.6
  • User Experience - 20% 7.8
  • Noise Cancellation - 15% 7.7
  • Battery life - 15% 6.4
  • Call Quality - 10% 9.1

Our Verdict

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are among the best earbuds in our test, winning an Editor's Choice award as the top all-around option for Apple users. They mark a significant upgrade from previous models, offering improved sound quality, remarkably immersive spatial audio, and exceptional noise cancellation. Whether it's the folksy strumming of Neil Young's “Harvest Moon,” the intricate layers of Fleetwood Mac's “Dreams,” or the vibrant tones of Quincy Jones' “Summer in the City,” these earbuds drop you into the heart of the music. They're so engaging that we often find ourselves dancing. It doesn't hurt that the outstanding noise cancellation holds the world at bay. They're also incredibly comfortable and secure, with an Apple-friendly interface. If you're an Android person, move along. Phone calls are crystal clear, thanks to microphones that adeptly isolate your voice. They're expensive and only offer about 8.5 hours of battery life. That's still better than other top-scoring options, and the case offers four charges on the go. While other earbuds may excel in individual categories, these earn some of the best scores across the board.
REASONS TO BUY
Excellent noise cancellation
Captivating sound quality
USB-C cord compatibility
REASONS TO AVOID
Not for Android users
No manual EQ adjusters
Less impressive spatial sound than some

Compare to Similar Products

 
apple airpods pro 2
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Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Best Buy Award
Bargain Bin Alert - Great Exercise Buds
Editors' Choice Award
Best Wired Earbud
Price $249 List
$189.00 at Amazon
$280 List
$199.99 at Amazon
$299 List
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$200 List
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$18.00 List
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Bottom Line Great noise cancellation that lets you appreciate their excellent sound qualityThe latest and last from Jabra is a hit, with outstanding sound, impressive comfort, and an easy-to-use appThe best option to block out the world and lose yourself in an immersive soundscapeLong lasting battery life, impressive water resistance, comfort, and great sound quality make these an easy choiceForgoing flash for a great fit and impressive sound at a great price, these wired earbuds are hard to argue with
Rating Categories Apple AirPods Pro 2 Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 Bose QuietComfort U... Jabra Elite 8 Active UliX Rider - 3.5mm
Sound Quality (40%)
7.6
8.3
8.5
7.3
8.0
User Experience (20%)
7.8
8.9
6.2
8.9
5.6
Noise Cancellation (15%)
7.7
8.6
9.5
5.6
2.5
Battery life (15%)
6.4
6.1
5.1
9.1
10.0
Call Quality (10%)
9.1
8.2
8.5
5.8
8.5
Specs Apple AirPods Pro 2 Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 Bose QuietComfort U... Jabra Elite 8 Active UliX Rider - 3.5mm
Active Noise Cancelling Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Earbud Location Tracking Yes Yes No Yes No
Measured Battery Life 8.5 hr 8.1 hr 6.2 hr 11.9 hr N/A
Waterproofing IP54 IP57 IPX4 IP68 N/A
Measured Weight 0.38 oz 0.20 oz 0.22 oz 0.18 oz 0.62 oz
Quick Charging 5 mins = 1 hr 5 min = 1hr 5 mins = 1 hr 5 mins = 1 hr N/A
Charges Per Case 4 3 5 3 N/A
Wired Charging Port USB-C USB-C USB-C USB-C 3.5mm jack
Wireless Charging Option Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Claimed Battery Life 6 hrs 8.0 hrs 6 hrs 14 hrs N/A
Charging Carrying Case Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A
Transparency Mode No Yes Yes No No
Multipoint Two Apple devices simultaneously Yes No Yes No
In-ear Detection Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Multiple Ear Tips Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Our Analysis and Test Results

The AirPods Pro 2 are among our favorites to date, boasting notable improvements in sound quality, immersive spatial audio, and wildly insulating noise cancellation. Unfortunately, their full suite of features is only available to Apple users. Sorry, Android fans.

Performance Comparison


We take our earbud testing seriously, recruiting a panel of audio experts to join our Brüel & Kjaer Type 5128 Head Simulator.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Sound Quality


Our panel of audio experts agree — these earbuds are an absolute treat. We tested these earbuds across various genres in a range of environments. What we found is that their sound profile is excellent, if not one of our absolute favorites in the test.


These earbuds deliver exceptional sound with a well-balanced and natural signature. The bass is robust, the mid-range is pleasing and well-proportioned, and the treble tones are smooth.

Expert Panel Sound Quality Ratings
ProductBassMid-RangeTreble
Best8.79.08.7
Apple AirPods Pro 27.87.57.5
Average6.77.16.8
Worst2.03.53.0

Folk rock classics like “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young sound fantastic. The mellow bass, percussive broom sweeps, and acoustic guitar are beautifully balanced. When the dreamy pedal steel guitar enters at 0:18, the textural contrast is stunning, showcasing each instrument without compromising the cohesiveness of the track.

The treble range echoes the first-generation AirPods Pro and remains smooth and consistent. In “Harvest Moon,” Young's voice is clear and moving, avoiding the thin or brassy tones that can sound piercing through lesser earbuds. Even the bright harmonica casts a soft, nostalgic hue, never slipping into sharp or keening notes.

apple airpods pro 2 - these little earbuds can get loud, and they maintain their sound...
These little earbuds can get loud, and they maintain their sound quality from high to low volumes.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The effect works equally well in rock classics like “Tumbling Dice” by the Rolling Stones and dreamy instrumentals like “Dreaming” by Jon Mclaughlin. However, it doesn't ascend to the crystalline brilliance of the best options in the test.

The mid frequencies are comparable to those in the first generation AirPods Pro — pleasing, balanced, and natural. The clean profile sounds great in mid-heavy classic pop like Fleetwood Mac's “Dreams” and 2Pac's “All About U.” Clarity can suffer at higher levels, like Stevie Nicks higher pitched vocals at the 2:19 mark of “Dreams”, but we don't notice any major compromises in sound quality like distortions or blowouts.

apple airpods pro 2 - the pleasant, natural sound profile works for a range of music...
The pleasant, natural sound profile works for a range of music genres, allowing all of our testers to enjoy their favorite tunes.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

While the bass isn't the most robust we've tested, it is more powerful than previous versions of these earbuds. It's fleshed out and full-bodied in “All Eyez on Me” and “Heaven Ain't Hard 2 Find” by 2Pac.

In “Summer in the City” by Quincy Jones, the first 30 seconds before the first drum fill is so effortlessly cool. These earbuds clearly present the organ, keys, bass, and percussion in uncomplicated conversation and maintain clarity as the song grows in complexity.

apple airpods pro 2 - between their noise cancellation and spatial audio features, we're...
Between their noise cancellation and spatial audio features, we're impressed by how well these earbuds immerse us in our music.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Soundstage


The soundstage of a set of earbuds describes how the sound is arranged in the room, creating a more live and raw experience. We're accustomed to experiencing sound like a live performance when it's coming from in front of us, with some sound bouncing off nearby surfaces like the walls or floor.

The soundstage of these buds brought a smile to our faces.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Due to their compact size and in-ear design, earbuds tend to create a more internalized listening experience. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are an impressive exception. Their immersive soundstage creates a truly awe-inspiring acoustic experience.

Soundstage Ratings
ProductSoundstage Rating
Best10.0
Apple AirPods Pro 29.0
Average7.4
Worst4.0

These earbuds offer a surround sound feel that puts you in the middle of the music. Apple's personalized spatial audio system also tracks your head movements, which makes it feel like the music is moving with you rather than staying locked into place. We must admit that we enjoy the experience, though a similar feature in the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds is more effective.

These earbud's enveloping audio and well-balanced mix combine to create mesmerizing soundscapes. Lush, ethereal music like “Ready” by Emotional Oranges truly shines. Our musical expert tester Genaveve Bradshaw notes that “Pop songs like Taylor Swift's 'Lavender Haze' swirl around you during the climax at the 0:51 mark, clearly articulating each element from low beats to high notes in the mix.

It helps that the powerful active noise cancellation drops you right into the mix. We'll cover it in detail below, but it's important to note that the soundstage is more cinematic when the ANC is turned on, and ambient noises fade to a land far, far away.


To add objective rigor, we recruited our Brüel & Kjaer Type 5128 Head Simulator, Darwin, to record the frequency response curve of these earbuds while SoundCheck, specialized audio software by Listen Inc., measures the curve against our GearLab House Curve. The comparison confirms our findings — while the bass is good, it lacks the boom of our favorite options, and the mids are higher in the mix, affecting the balance overall. The treble frequencies are where most earbuds fall short, and while there is some variation, the Apple Pro's track our House Curve pretty faithfully from 5000 to 9000 Herz and sound fantastic.

apple airpods pro 2 - darwin's perfectly objective ears help us analyse the frequency mix...
Darwin's perfectly objective ears help us analyse the frequency mix of these earbuds to compare it to our experiences.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

User Experience


Sure, they sound great, but how pleasant are they to use? Very. Especially if you already live within Apple's extensive and welcoming ecosystem. These earbuds are comfortable and secure in your ear to boot. We had over a dozen folks try them out around town to test their comfort. Our dedicated test team also wore them all over town, from long office days to mountain bike rides.

User Experience Ratings
ProductComfortStabilityCustomization
Best10.010.07.5
Apple AirPods Pro 28.58.56.0
Average7.375.2
Worst5.04.00.0

Comfort


All of our testers were able to get a comfortable fit using one of four silicone tips options. They stay securely in place while allowing our ears to breathe, maintaining comfort during prolonged use. Their design marks a significant improvement over previous versions.

These earbuds are comfortable and stable.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Stability


Their secure fit provides remarkable stability during daily activities. We moved through our day, confident that they would stay in place. We wore them in the office and on sweaty commuter bike rides with no issue. They passed our rigorous stability tests, including headstands and headbanging, with flying colors. With an IPX4 rating, these earbuds can handle those sweaty bike rides and workouts. Dance your heart out, these earbuds can keep up.

These earbuds can hang, staying securely in place during both the headstand and headbanging test.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Customization


The usability of the AirPods Pro 2 hinges on the device you pair it with. If you use Apple products, it's a dream. If you don't, it's clunky. These earbuds do work with Android devices, but we don't recommend it since some features are unavailable and the sound quality is diminished.

You can view battery levels and control EQ settings from your iPhone.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

For Apple users, these buds offer all the usual features — an ear fit test to optimize sound quality and noise cancelation, a location feature to help you find lost buds, and touch controls for audio playback and Siri access.

apple airpods pro 2 - a selection of silicone ear tip sizes helps ensure an effective and...
A selection of silicone ear tip sizes helps ensure an effective and comfortable fit.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

They also feature noise cancellation and transparency modes, allowing you to isolate or integrate ambient sounds as needed. An “adaptive audio” function tries to save you from having to decide, identifying and transmitting ambient noises it thinks you should hear. We didn't notice this in action.

They offer “conversation awareness,” which turns the music down when you start talking, and “personalized volume,” which uses AI to adapt your volume preferences to your environment. They'll also customize the sound profile to your ear and head shape with the iPhone's “TrueDepth” camera. We found the process frustrating and didn't notice much of a difference in sound quality.

apple airpods pro 2 - the app is extensive and easy to use with apple products.
The app is extensive and easy to use with Apple products.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Apple touts “personalized spatial audio” that tracks head movements to provide a surround-sound sensation. This feature supposedly pairs well with Apple Vision Pro goggles to offer lossless audio quality. We haven't tested this feature, but it sounds cool.

These earbuds lack a manual equalizer option, relying instead on “adaptive EQ.” This feature records the music inside your ears, adjusting it in real-time to account for the earbud's position and fit. Although it's convenient, we miss the ability to adjust settings manually. We don't want to leave everything up to AI.

The compact case is easy to carry and easy to lose. A location feature helps you find them if you do.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Connectivity


We did not have any notable connection issues during our in-house testing, especially when using the earbuds with another Apple device. To find the frequency of connection issues among a larger group of users and supplement our own experience with these earbuds, we surveyed Amazon User Reviews, specifically noting all 1-star reviews where users mentioned connectivity troubles. When comparing rates of connectivity issues among our tested earbuds, the AirPods Pro did impressively well, with an issue rate of 0.27%, which is well below average.

Reported Connectivity Issues
ProductPercent Cited
Worst3.83
Average1.3
Apple AirPods Pro 20.27
Best0.1
The chart above shows the relative rates of connectivity problems reported in Amazon User Reviews, with the Apple AirPods Pro coming in with an impressively low percentage of issues. We collected and analyzed the data on July 23rd, 2024.

Noise Cancellation


Holy moly,” said one tester, “the ambient noise-blocking for these buds is amazing!” The AirPods Pro 2 earbuds offer excellent passive noise isolation and active noise cancelling. We found new levels of peace at the climbing gym, a respite from the tyranny of the office microwave and background conversation, and a break from the whir of a space heater at home. These earbuds significantly reduce the need to crank up the volume, even when you need to stay alert to your surroundings. Only a few options do a better job.


These earbuds block so much sound that we leave the volume low when we need to be aware of our surroundings. While the adaptive audio function works to balance noise cancellation with environmental awareness, we don't trust it in high-consequence situations. It does reliably help us maintain spatial awareness without overwhelming distractions though.

The full transparency mode is exceptional, allowing you to hear surrounding soundings, but it adds a layer of white noise to your music.

The AirPods Pro 2 earbuds have some of the best noise cancellation in this test.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Noise isolation and cancellation significantly enhance your listening experience by letting you focus fully on the music. Noise isolation blocks physically, while active noise cancellation (ANC) counteracts ambient noise with opposing soundwaves.

As demonstrated in our noisy dimer test above, simply inserting the earbuds diminishes auditory chaos. Turning on the ANC dampens it further. The interaction between the two functions is illustrated in the chart below.


High-frequency sounds, which have shorter wavelengths, are often blocked effectively by passive noise isolation. These earbuds dampen the treble range by 20 to nearly 27 decibels. They knock the mid-tones down a notch as well.

The long waves of low-frequency bass notes work their way past the earbuds themselves. That's where ANC comes in, blocking between 20 to around 30 decibels across all frequencies. The combination works well.

The case will recharge your earbuds four times on the go.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Battery Life


While the AirPods Pro 2 don't have the longest battery life in the test, the 8.5 hours we measured is more than enough for most. It is a bit more than the six hours that Apple claims you should expect. To double-check their claims, we played music at 75% volume until the earbuds stopped. If you have extra features turned on, like ANC, the battery will drain even faster.


The charging case holds an additional four charges, extending total entertainment time to 34 hours before you need a full recharge. That takes time, but a quick 5-minute recharge in the case will give you another hour of listening.

Call Quality


When it comes to making crystal clear phone calls, the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds are the best in the test, even with significant background noise.

Call Quality Ratings
ProductSubwayOfficeBaseline
Best9.09.09.5
Apple AirPods Pro 29.09.09.5
Average6.77.98.2
Worst2.05.07.0

To test this, we played the recorded script of our testers speaking through a speaker and assessed the audio quality on the other end of the call. These earbuds delivered excellent voice clarity across a range of settings, including a quiet room, typical office noise, and against a backdrop of loud Subway sounds.

The Apple AirPod Pro 2 earbuds have the best call quality out of the 20+ earbuds we tested in the most chaotic environment. That said, we think there is still quite a bit of room to grow for all of the earbuds we tested when it comes to call quality in these extra challenging environments.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

What really blew our socks off is how well we could understand the recordings over Subway sounds. Despite the challenging environment, the voices remain clear, and the surrounding chaos effectively fades to the background, demonstrating the earbuds' ability to manage and isolate sound.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 is a pleasant upgrade from its non-pro versions. Voices have much better clarity, and background noise is far more silent.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

The AirPods Pro 2 has standout performance during the office noise test, where the earbuds managed to suppress background typing and chatter, making both voices sound more clearly and distinctly than most competitors.

Our ideal conditions test with the Apple AirPods Pro 2.

Most of the earbuds tested are able to transmit a clear call from a silent room, but this recording is crystal. It's one of the best examples in the test, working well for the high tones of the woman's voice and the lower register of the man's recording.

Should You Buy the Apple AirPods Pro 2?


If you're a dedicated Apple user and can afford the steep price tag, these earbuds offer the best overall experience in the test. They sound great, with top-notch noise isolation and cancellation that allow for a fully immersive experience. Comfortable to wear, they also boast solid battery life, provide more case-based recharges than most competitors, and feature impressive call quality for clear phone calls. Apple's dedication to the latest and greatest tech provides a number of useful features. We suggest Android users look elsewhere as it's not worth the high price tag with limited features they'll see in their diminished version. There are also other options that sound as good or better, are just as comfy, and work well with non-Apple devices. If noise cancellation is a secondary consideration, you may be able to spend less and still get the sound quality you're craving.

These crazy comfortable earbuds are also crazy easy to use.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

What Other Earbuds Should You Consider?


If you're an Android user, the Google Pixel Buds Pro buds offer a seamless integration with your device. For those looking to spend less, the Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds provide comparable audio quality for significantly less money. While they aren't as comfortable and lack impressive battery life or ANC capabilities, we still enjoy their sound quality. If budget isn't a concern, and you prioritize superior audio over advanced ANC and call quality, the Jabra Elite 10 offers both exquisite sound and exceptional comfort. For a slightly lower price, the Jabra Elite 8 Active outperform the AirPods in sound quality and durability, making them one of the toughest earbuds we've tested.

apple airpods pro 2 - a compact and secure case make it easy to enjoy music on the go.
A compact and secure case make it easy to enjoy music on the go.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Graham Faulknor, Genaveve Bradshaw, and Clark Tate