The 2nd gen Apple AirPods Pro truly wireless noise cancelling earbuds with the universal USB Type-C charging interface is still up for preorder (releases on September 22), and yet it’s already on sale. Best Buy currently has it for $199.99, a very significant $50 price drop from its $249 MSRP and currently the only vendor that has it at this price.
2nd Gen Apple AirPods Pro with USB Type-C for $199
The new AirPods Pro that was announced today is almost identical to the 2nd generation AirPods Pro earbuds that was released a while ago but with one key difference and a few minor ones. Apple has replaced the proprietary Lightning port with the more universal USB Type-C. That might sound like a very trivial update, but for people who want to consolidate all of their mobile devices with the same charging cable, this is a godsend. Other small upgrades included added dust resistance and support for lossless audio when using 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. In addition to the excellent sound quality, the AirPods Pro is the only AirPods earbuds with active noise cancelling technology. That, combined with the inherent nature of in-ear earbuds, means that the AirPods Pro will provide better noise isolation than over-ear headphones like the Bose QuietComfort or the Sony WH1000XM5.
This is the 2nd generation model that came out in September of 2022. It has been almost three years since the first gen Apple AirPods Pro was released, so there are a couple of significant upgrades under the hood, even if the new AirPods Pro looks cosmetically identical. The biggest upgrade is the new Apple H2 chip, which promises better audio quality and improved active noise cancellation. There’s also a new feature called “Adaptive Transparency Mode,” which amplifies ambient sound so that you can better hear your surroundings. Other upgrades include a new low distortion driver and amplifier, Bluetooth 5.3 (from 5.0), more ear tip sizes (XS), “Find My” support, capacitive touch sensors or the AirPods Pro external casing, and new skin detection sensors that reduce the chances of the AirPods Pro accidentally turning on.
Are the AirPods Pro worth it over the AirPods?
Absolutely, especially considering the fact that the Apple AirPods still cost $149, or only $50 less. The AirPods Pro offers so many more improvements that are well worth the $50 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 drown out 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
There are a couple of reasons why, but the biggest reason is, again, the inclusion of adjustable ear tips. Because the AirPods Pro fit snugly in your ear, there’s much less sound leakage. That means you’ll hear bigger and more nuanced sound compared to a pair of unsealed earbuds that are resting on the outer rim of your ear. The 2nd gen AirPods Pro also features the new H2 chip compared to the H1 chip found on the standard AirPods, which Apple claims offers better audio performance.
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