What's Different With the AirPods Pro 3 Design - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

What's Different With the AirPods Pro 3 Design

Apple tweaked the design of the AirPods Pro 3, changing the fit of the tips in the ears and bringing some updates to the case. On the whole, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ look a lot like the AirPods Pro 2, but there are some differences to be aware of.

airpods pro 3 tips

Earbud Design

Apple reengineered the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ using more than 10,000 ear scans and more than 100,000 hours of user research.

Apple says internal architecture was revamped to make each AirPod slightly smaller, and the external geometry of the ear tip was aligned to the center of the body to improve stability. Basically, the ear tips are now rotated inward.

airpods pro 3
The shape is meant to better fit into the ear canal, improving sound isolation and ensuring that the AirPods Pro stay in place during workouts.

When it comes to actual size, there are a couple changes. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are the same height as the AirPods Pro 2, so the stem isn't any shorter. Width is now 19.2mm, down from 21.8mm, so they're a little bit slimmer. They're also deeper, though, measuring 27mm, up from 24mm. Weight increased too, so the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are 5.55 grams, while the AirPods Pro 2 were 5.3 grams.

Charging Case

There were rumors that Apple would slim down the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ Charging Case, like it did with the AirPods 4 Charging Case last year.

That didn't happen. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ Charging Case is actually larger than before. It measures in at 1.86 inches tall (up from 1.78 inches), 2.45 inches wide (up from 2.39 inches), and 0.86 inches deep (up from 0.85 inches). It's not as heavy, weighing 1.55 ounces, down from 1.79 ounces.

airpods pro 2 vs 3

AirPods Pro 2 on left, ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ on right

The case for the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ has an attachment point for a lanyard, along with a capacitive pairing button and an invisible LED that only shows up when the case is opened or charging.

Battery life for the earbuds themselves is up, but the charging case doesn't last as long. Apple says it provides up to 24 hours of charging time, but the AirPods Pro 2 case provided up to 30 hours of listening time.

You can pre-order the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ now, and the earbuds will launch on September 19. Pricing is still $249.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

airpods pro 2 hearing aids

AirPods Pro Hearing Aid Feature Launching in These Canadian Provinces

Monday October 26, 2026 9:25 am PDT by
iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2 enable Apple's clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature on the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 in five Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan. The feature is still not available in any other provinces, but Ontario is reportedly set to hold a meeting to change a law that will pave the way for it to launch there,...
duo aquarium

More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try

Friday November 6, 2026 3:27 pm PST by
When the iPhone Duo launched, we shared a list of some of the fun apps developers created for the new form factor. Two weeks out, developers are continuing to come up with fresh ideas, so we thought we'd share some of our favorites. Games Marbles Unhinged ($2.99) - Marbles Unhinged is a marble maze designed for the Duo. When you fold it, the floor turns into a ramp. If you stand the top...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...

Top Rated Comments

15 months ago
A larger case for a smaller battery, to hold smaller earbuds. I’m curious how that works out.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BelgianChoklit Avatar
15 months ago
I own the Pros 2 and the ANC is essantial for being able to work at the office. I have a colleague behind me who makes internal burp noises after lunch and he also yawns starting from 3pm most of the time. These noises drive me nuts. Then there's the occasional person eating a biscuit which I hate as well. So while the ANC is great on the Pros 2, I'll be trying the 3 out at the Apple Store with the mix of earwax of the entire city inside them, and wait for good deals at the end of the year or next year.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nxt3 Avatar
15 months ago

eta: i guess the 3’s do specify w ANC enabled. the 2’s do not.
I think this is the difference:



AirPods Pro 2 battery is measured WITHOUT ANC enabled.
AirPods Pro 3 battery is measured WITH ANC enabled.

In other words:

APP2 has 6hrs of charge.
APP3 has 8hrs of charge WITH ANC. This means it should last even longer than that w/o ANC.

The case listening time is provided similarly:

APP2 case provides 30hrs of listening time.
APP3 case provides 24hrs of listening time WITH ANC. This means it should last longer w/o ANC, likely meeting or exceeding the APP2 case.

My money is the new case has a larger battery but we'd need a teardown to confirm.

Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dustin_ Avatar
15 months ago

It’s a typo
by apple?

eta: i guess the 3’s do specify w ANC enabled. the 2’s do not.

Attachment Image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Taq'aix Avatar
15 months ago
Apple says it provides up to 24 hours of charging time, but the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 case provided up to 30 hours of listening time.

Why???
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
15 months ago
Bigger case, less battery, old h2 chip... Very disappointing... WAS gonna buy the APP3.

I bet all ANC improvements actually come from the foam tips.. and if not then then they purposely held out on the APP2. Seriously, what a ****ing lazy greedy cheeky company apple has become.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
12 minutes ago
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
10 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
12 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
1 day ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
1 day ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
2 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
2 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
2 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
2 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
3 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
3 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
3 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
3 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
3 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
3 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
3 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
3 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
3 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
3 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
3 days ago