AirPods 3 (2021) review

Price When Reviewed

$179

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The AirPods were a game-changer for Apple; while there were once memes about how AirPods looked like electric toothbrushes, the wireless earbuds became a household hit, with millions sold in 2020 alone. But no matter how popular the earbuds were, there are always improvements to be made – and that’s where the third-generation AirPods come in.

While the AirPods 2 didn’t change too much, the AirPods 3 sport a redesigned form factor, improved smarts, better audio and longer battery life. What’s not to like? Well, aside from a rise in price…

Are the AirPods still the best wireless earbuds for Apple device owners? Carry on reading to find out. 

Design and build

• Compact design similar to AirPods Pro
• Very lightweight and comfortable to wear – even in bed
• Open design has pros and cons

While the second-gen AirPods featured the same design as the original, Apple decided to tweak the design for the AirPods 3. They’re still very much AirPods, complete with a minimalistic look, protruding stems and curved edges, but they’re more elegant this time around.

Sporting contoured buds and shorter stems than the original design, there’s a likeness to the AirPods Pro, and it comes with a few key features of Apple’s Pro buds too.

The most noticeable is the control system; gone is the tap system of the OG AirPods, replaced with more refined touch-capacitive force sensors that allow you to control music playback, answer calls and summon Siri with a quick squeeze. 

The squeeze controls are much easier to use, avoiding tapping too hard and loosening the fit of the AirPods, and they feel responsive too. You can single click, double-click or click-and-hold to access different functions, with a subtle ‘click’ sound playing in the buds to indicate squeeze registration. It’s subtle, and doesn’t distract as much as buds with haptic feedback. 

One area where the AirPods deviate from the more premium AirPods Pro is in the eartip department; while the AirPods Pro come with interchangeable eartips to improve the seal and fit, the AirPods 3 retain the same open design as that of its predecessors. That’s great news for those that hate the plugged-up feeling of in-ear buds, but it also means that there’s next to no sound isolation.

When listening to AirPods 3, even at louder volumes, you’ll pick up on most noise in the environment, be it cars driving by or the loud rattle of the tube. It also means that sound leakage is a bit of an issue too, potentially annoying anybody close by in quieter environments. Apple has tweaked the bud housing to more directly funnel sound straight into your ears as a result, with impressive results, but more on that a little later. 

But for all the downsides of the open design of the AirPods, it means they’re incredibly comfortable to wear over long periods, and you’ll stay aware of your surroundings too. They’re easy to put in and remove without getting that plugged-up feeling, and weighing in at just 4.2g each, the buds are lighter than most alternatives. 

In fact, they’re so small and lightweight that I can even sleep on my side with them in and forget about them – and that’s not something I can say about most wireless earbuds. The AirPods 3 are ideal for people like me that like to listen to music or white noise when drifting off to sleep. 

The contoured shape helps the buds stay snug in my ears, but that’ll largely depend on the shape of your ears. While I had no issue with the AirPods fit, finding a more secure fit than the second-gen buds even when going out for a run, my colleague David Price over at Macworld UK found the AirPods 3 would frequently come loose, especially when exercising. I still have to occasionally adjust the fit, but it’s nowhere near as frequent as with the original AirPods design. 

With that in mind, the AirPods will suffice for an outdoor run – especially now there’s IPX4 water resistance – but they may come loose, especially with more rigorous exercise. If exercise is your thing, you might want to consider buds like the JBL Reflect Flow Pro with earwings for a more secure fit. 

When not in your ears, the third-gen AirPods live in a charging case that’s more rectangular in shape than the original, more closely resembling the AirPods Pro case, complete with an LED indicator light and a magnetic flip-top lid that’s easy to open one-handed. It functions much in the same way as its predecessor, charging the AirPods when not in use, and it’s now IPX4 water-resistant just like the earbuds too. 

Smart features

• The most convenient, easy-to-use earbuds for iOS users
• Siri enhances the experience
• Find My support could be better

Just like with every other version of AirPods, the third-gen AirPods are optimised for use with Apple devices, and that includes a one-touch setup that’ll automatically pair your AirPods with your iPhone via Bluetooth when opening the case for the first time.

Once paired, it’ll be linked to your Apple ID and you’ll experience the same one-touch connectivity with any other recent Apple device signed in to your Apple ID across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Mac.

What’s better is that the AirPods instinctively know which device you’re using at any given time, so if you get a call on your iPhone while you’re listening to music on your Mac, the AirPods will automatically switch to your iPhone if you answer the call. It’s seamless (most of the time) and really highlights just how smart the little earbuds are.

Of course, it’s not all the AirPods 3 can do. Audio Sharing allows you to stream music to two sets of AirPods, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max while using a compatible Apple device – ideal if you want to show a friend a new song when out and about.

There’s also on-demand Siri support, available simply by uttering ‘Hey Siri’ and your command. It’ll also use the virtual assistant to announce incoming calls, read out incoming text messages (and also let you respond by speaking your reply) and much more. It’s a handy plus if you don’t want to keep looking at your iPhone when you’re out listening to music. 

Like most earbuds, the AirPods also feature auto play/pause technology that’ll pause your music when you take out a bud, but Apple’s earbuds go a step further. While most competitors feature simple proximity sensors to know when the bud is close to something – usually your ear, but occasionally in your pocket or on a tablet – the new AirPods feature a dedicated skin-detect sensor.

This means the AirPods will only begin music playback when contact is made with skin, avoiding accidental playback when kept somewhere other than your ear or charging case and saving on battery life. It’s a small feature, but one that makes all the difference in day to day life. 

There’s also enhanced Find My support on the AirPods 3. This allows the buds (although not the case) to connect to Apple’s 100 million+ device-strong Find My network, allowing you to track their location if you lose them. You’ll also get proximity alerts, notifying you if you leave the earbuds behind, and you can make the buds chirp much like an AirTag to help you find them too. 

Lacking a dedicated UWB chip, it doesn’t quite offer the same close-range Precision Tracking as the AirTag, but it’ll give you a general idea of where the buds are anyway. At least, they should in theory; on one occasion I misplaced the AirPods 3 in the case and couldn’t connect to them in the Find My app despite being in my house. So, it could certainly use some work. 

It’s worth noting that most of these features are only available on Apple devices. While you can pair the AirPods with Android devices, you’ll lose out on most of the smart functionality on offer. 

Audio and microphone performance

• Great bass performance despite open design
• Spatial Audio is superb
• Microphone quality is among the best around

The ultimate question is, of course, how good the AirPods sound. Given the open design of the buds, the custom-designed drivers have to work even harder to provide a well-rounded audio experience without the benefits of a closed seal. It’s a lofty task, but somehow, Apple has managed it with impressive results. 

Bass is the real hero of the AirPods 3, and that’s not something I thought I’d say before going ears-on with the buds. Sound isolation (usually in the form of eartips) and bass performance tend to go hand-in-hand, with a decent seal needed for even average bass performance, but Apple has bucked that with the AirPods 3.

The bass hits (or slaps, as the kids would say!) In a satisfying way that doesn’t overpower the mids or highs. The baseline of classic 00s bangers like T2’s Heartbroken feels punchy and energised, while the rumbling bass tones of Dubstep classics like Skrillex’s Bangarang is exhilarating, ideal for workout tunes. That doesn’t impede on the mids or highs most of the time, aside from busier tracks that can sound a little muddy at times.

There’s decent sound separation too, allowing you to appreciate every instrument on a track, with a perfectly fine soundscape – and that’s without the new Spatial Audio mode on. 

Previously exclusive to the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, Spatial audio support is new to the entry-level AirPods 3 – and it’s potentially a game-changer for music fans.

When you listen to music without spatial audio enabled, the sound appears to be emanating from the centre of your brain. But, with a quick tap of the toggle in the iPhone Control Centre, the sound shifts and sounds as if it’s all around you – an effect made even more impressive if you opt for the head-tracked mode. 

With head tracking on, the various instruments and vocals are ‘fixed in place, so you can move your head around and feel the music shift around you. Looking to the right will shift most audio to the left bud, making it feel like the music is coming from in front of you, rather than from within your earbuds. It’s an odd sensation, and one that lends itself more to movies than music, but the option is there for both if you want to try it.

I will say that it’s best suited to home use though – the constant shifting direction when walking outside can become jarring, but thankfully, it’s easily disabled while still being able to benefit from the increased presence of spatial audio. 

Regardless of head tracking, the music sounds more ‘real’, more akin to a live performance than a recording, with each instrument bursting with presence. It works automatically with Dolby Atmos content, provided via Apple Music, but it’ll also upmix standard stereo music with impressive results. 

The only disappointment is the lack of active noise cancellation – although, with the open design, it’s easy to see why. However, Apple’s decision to make ANC one of the main differentiators between the AirPods and AirPods Pro means that the buds aren’t quite the best value around, with some ANC-enabled buds now available for as little as £100/$100. 

When it comes to microphone performance, Apple’s AirPods are still the ones to beat – even with shorter stems than previous generations of AirPod. Even with other manufacturers offering beamforming mic technology, the tech found on the AirPods 3 is a big step ahead of the competition.

No matter the environment I’m in, I’ve never had a call recipient complain that the environment is too loud, or that my voice is too quiet, when I’m on a call. It’s a freeing experience, and it means you’ll never have to hesitate about whether you should switch to wireless earbuds during long calls.

The impeccable performance means they’re an ideal purchase if you spend a lot of time on the phone, be it for work or pleasure. There’s a reason that many celebs are using AirPods (in one form or another) in remote video interviews on TV, after all! 

Battery life and charging

• Lasts an hour longer than previous-gen AirPods
• 30 hours total battery life
• MagSafe charging now available

Another area that has seen an improvement in the third-generation AirPods is battery life; while the 5 hours of performance and additional 19 hours in the case of the second-gen AirPods was fine, let’s be honest, it was never industry-leading. 

This time around, Apple claims the AirPods will last 6 hours in use, with an additional 24 hours in the case bringing the total charge up to 30 hours. However, in our testing, we found that the buds lasted a little longer than claimed, lasting an impressive 7.5 hours during testing – although one bud did run out 45 minutes before the other.

Still, it’s not quite the 8 hours of the ANC-enabled Sony WF-1000XM4, but that’s a conscious decision from Apple, deciding to sacrifice battery life to keep the lightweight open design the AirPods are famed for.

Considering the buds are among the most lightweight and comfortable I’ve worn for quite some time, I’m happy to stick to the 6-hour battery life on offer right now – it’s not like most people will listen to music for hours on end most of the time anyway!

If you do listen to music consistently all day, every day, you might be better off with over-ear wireless headphones or, maybe even wired headphones. We rank the best headphones separately if you’re interested in finding out more. 

If you, like me, have been using your MagSafe charger as a mini wireless charger for older AirPods, you’ll be happy to know that Apple has made the AirPods 3 officially compatible with the magnetic charging tech. Now, it’ll snap into place onto any MagSafe charger, just like the iPhone does.

While MagSafe is the most convenient way to charge, you’ve still got standard Qi wireless charging and wired charging via Lightning cable at your disposal. 

Price and availability

The third-generation AirPods are now available to buy for £169/$179, which is both more expensive and cheaper than the second-gen buds.

That might sound odd, but it’s true: the standard AirPods 2 cost £159/$159, while the variant with a wireless charging case would set you back £199/$199. So, while the third-gen buds are more expensive than the older entry-level buds, they offer wireless charging as standard, making them cheaper than the comparable last-gen model. 

They are more expensive than the competition considering the lack of key features like ANC, and there are plenty of cheaper wireless earbuds on the market if budget is important to you, but none quite offer the same experience as the AirPods with an Apple device. 

If you’re interested, you can buy the latest AirPods from Apple in the UK and US, along with third-party retailers including Amazon, Currys and Best Buy. To see how the buds compare, take a look at our selection of the best true wireless earbuds. 

Verdict

The third-generation AirPods are the biggest change to the entry-level AirPods since their inception, offering a smaller contoured design that’s still distinct and instantly recognisable while also introducing key new features and improved audio performance.

New smart features, including enhanced Find My support, a skin-detect sensor, pressure-sensitive squeeze controls and MagSafe charging support are all welcome additions that Apple owners will appreciate, but it’s spatial audio that’s the real game-changer.

Previously exclusive to the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, the 3D audio technology can take Dolby Atmos content (available via Apple Music) and project it around you for a more natural, expansive listening experience, further enhanced by head tracking. It’ll even up mix standard stereo content with impressive results.

Though it’s not often I recommend upgrading from a previous-gen device, I think there’s more than enough here for AirPods 2 owners to enjoy. Simply, when it comes to wireless earbuds on Apple devices, the AirPods are the ones to beat. 

Best Prices Today: Apple AirPods (3rd gen, 2021, MagSafe)