For Amazon Prime Day 2, you can get the current model Apple AirPods Pro truly wireless noise cancelling earbuds with the new universal USB Type-C charging interface for only $189. That's a $60 price drop from its $249 MSRP and the lowest price we've ever seen. With the transition to a more universal charging standard, along with a few minor updates along the way, there's no reason to get the Lightning model, which is currently selling for a higher price. These are the best AirPods you can buy in 2023.
2nd Gen Apple AirPods Pro with USB Type-C for $189
The new AirPods Pro is still called a "2nd gen" model, but with one key update. Apple has replaced the proprietary Lightning port with the more universal USB Type-C. For people who want to bring along a single charging cable for all of their mobile devices, this is a godsend. Other small upgrades include dust resistance and lossless audio support when paired with Apple’s upcoming and massively expensive Vision Pro headset.
The Apple AirPods Pro is one of the best sounding "truly wireless" earbuds you'll find, especially at this price point. "Truly wireless" earbuds have no wires whatsoever, even to each other. Aside from the more expensive and bulkier Max, the Pro is the only Airpods with active noise cancelling technology. If there are moments where noise cancellation might be a hindrance, the AirPods Pro features an "Adaptive Transparency Mode," which amplifies ambient sound so that you can better hear your surroundings.
The 2nd generation model has several incremental upgrades over the 1st gen. The biggest improvement is the new Apple H2 chip, which combined with a refined low distortion driver and amp offer better audio quality than the standard AirPods. Other upgrades include Bluetooth 5.3, more ear tip sizes, "Find My" support, capacitive touch sensors on the earbuds, and skin detection sensors that reduce the chances of the AirPods Pro accidentally turning on.
AirPods Pro vs AirPods (3rd Gen)
At this price, the AirPods Pro cost only $30 more than the Apple AirPods (3rd gen). The improvements easily justify the price premium.
The AirPods Pro feature active (and passive) noise isolation
The AirPods Pro has a key feature that the AirPods do not have, and that is active noise cancellation. Being able to isolate the background noise while listening to your music is an absolute game changer.
The AirPods Pro feature a better fit
This one's another obvious win for the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro have replaceable silicone ear tips that can be swapped out for different sizes depending on your ear. They also fit snugly in your ear to help create the proper seal for the noise cancellation to work optimally. The AirPods, on the other hand, have no adjustable eartips at all. They rest on the outer rim of your ear and don't stay in place as well.
The AirPods Pro features better sound quality
Simply put, for very good sound, you need good noise isolation. Even if you don't factor in the active noise cancellation, the AirPods Pro still offer better passive noise isolation than the AirPods because of the design of the eartips. The silicone tips do a great job of sealing off your ear from ambient noises, something that's simply not possible with the regular AirPods. With more sound leakage, you'll need to output a higher volume to compensate for all of the extraneous noise. Higher volume means you're less able to separate subtle variations in the audio track and you'll start introducing distortion. This is an easy win for the AirPods Pro.
Should you shop Prime Day or wait for Black Friday deals? Take a look at our guide on what to expect from Black Friday 2023.
