Review: Apple’s premium AirPods Pro are a game-changer in the wireless earbuds space

Ashwin Rajagopalan

If there’s been one reason the AirPods went on to becoming a ubiquitous device – you can barely step into a gym or hop on a flight where you don’t spot one, it’s convenience. It’s not just the ultra-light form factor but also the ease of operation and the ability to handle phone calls especially if you’re an iPhone user. The AirPods Pro is truly the next chapter, a device that adds a superior audio experience to the same convenience and it all begins with noise cancellation.

With the exception of a few ear buds from the likes of Sony, opting for the convenience of earbuds meant compromising on noise cancellation. The AirPods Pro alters that. The first prompt you’ll see while setting up your AirPods Pro is to take the ‘fit test’. Don’t fret; this one doesn’t involve a treadmill but a quick check that tests the ear tip seal and also identifies the best ear-tip size (you can choose from small, medium and large). It underlines the AirPods emphasis to deliver the perfect fit and also shut out external sounds.

An outward-facing microphone detects external sound while the AirPods Pro then counter it with equal anti-noise, cancelling outside noise before you hear it. An inward-facing microphone listens inside your ear enabling AirPods Pro to eliminate unwanted internal sound with anti-noise. Apple’s noise cancellation is particularly invaluable if you’re stuck with noisy co-passengers on a long flight or you want to tune into your favourite podcast during your gym routine.

You’ll notice a significant improvement from earlier generations of AirPods with an Apple-designed high-excursion, low distortion driver. You get greater bass extension and very detailed mid and high frequency extension. The AirPods Pro are powered by the H1 chip that has been specifically designed for the AirPods.

A capacitive force sensor located on the stem (of both AirPods) allows you to manage multiple controls with minimal effort. You can switch from noise cancellation mode to transparency mode (that allows you to plug into external sounds; handy when you’re running outdoors) with a hard press while a double press lets you skip forward to the next track. You don’t need to tap your AirPods to activate Siri with the clever voice-activated option. One of our favourite features on the new AirPods Pro is wireless charging; you can use any Qi-certified charger to power up your Pro, doing away the need for wires.

There are other handy touches too like IPX-4 certification that allow you to run through a drizzle (they’re not swim-proof though). It all adds up; the AirPods Pro is a worthy upgrade from the earlier generation of AirPods for its brilliant noise cancellation solution alone.

The Apple AirPods Pro cost Rs24,900