Apple AirPods Pro (1st Gen)

AirPods Pro

Product Brand: Apple

Editor's Rating:
4.8

Pros

• Excellent sound quality with Adaptive EQ and Transparency mode.
• Active noise cancellation for immersive listening experience.
• Comfortable in-ear design with customizable silicone ear tips.
• Water and sweat resistance with IPX4 rating.
• Transparency mode for ambient sound awareness.
• Spatial Audio technology for 3D sound.
• Long battery life with up to 4.5 hours of listening time.
• Wireless charging case included.
• Quick and easy pairing with Apple devices.
• Siri voice control functionality.
• Find My app compatibility for easy location tracking.

Cons

• High price point compared to other wireless earbuds.
• Limited battery life compared to other wireless earbuds.
• May not fit comfortably for all ear shapes and sizes.
• Limited compatibility with non-Apple devices.

AirPods Pro are wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones designed by Apple, initially released on October 30, 2019. Apple’s mid-range wireless headphones are sold alongside the base-level AirPods and highest-end AirPods Max.

AirPods Pro use the H1 processor found in second-generation AirPods but add active noise cancellation, transparency mode, automated frequency profile setting, IPX4 water resistance, a charging case with wireless charging, and interchangeable silicone tips.

Apple announced AirPods Pro on October 28, 2019, and released them two days later on October 30, 2019. They include features of standard AirPods, such as a microphone that filters out background noise, accelerometers and optical sensors that detect presses on the stem and in-ear placement, and automatic pausing when taken out of the ears. Control by tapping is replaced by pressing a force sensor on the stems. They are rated IPX4 for water resistance.

The AirPods Pro use the H1 chip also found in the second and third-generation AirPods, which supports hands-free “Hey, Siri”. They have active noise cancellation, accomplished by microphones detecting outside sound and speakers producing precisely opposite “anti-noise”. Active noise cancellation can be turned off or switched to “transparency mode”, which helps users hear their surroundings. Noise cancellation modes can also be switched in iOS or by pinching the stems of the AirPods using the force sensor.

The H1 chip is embedded in a unique system in a package (SiP) module enclosing several other components, such as the audio processor and accelerometers.

Battery life is rated equal to the second-generation AirPods at five hours, but noise cancellation or transparency mode reduces it to 4.5 hours due to the extra processing. The charging case advertises the same 24 hours of total listening time as the standard AirPods case.

It also features Qi-standard wireless charging compatibility. In October 2021, Apple updated the bundled charging case with MagSafe. Like AirPods, AirPods Pro has received criticism for its battery life.

AirPods Pro come with three sizes of silicone tips. There is a software test in iOS called the Ear Tip Fit Test that “[checks] the fit of your AirPods ear tips to determine which size provides the best seal and acoustic performance” to ensure a correct fit, as well as a feature called “Adaptive EQ” which automatically adjusts the frequency contour, claimed to better match the wearer’s ear shape. Starting in early 2020, Apple started selling tip replacements for AirPods Pro on their website.

With iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, Apple added a spatial audio mode to simulate 5.1 surround sound. Supported apps include the Apple TV app, Disney+, HBO Max and Netflix. Spatial audio requires an iPhone or iPad with an Apple A10 processor or newer. tvOS 15 brought spatial audio to the Apple TV 4K.

SiP from the bottom, showing the H1 enclosure, the two accelerometers, the Bluetooth antenna connector and the large pad attaching a flex cable to all other components in the headphone

iOS 14 also added the ability to apply headphone accommodations to transparency mode, allowing the AirPods Pro to act as rudimentary hearing aids. In October 2021, a new Conversation Boost mode was added to customise the regular Transparency mode. It boosts voices above background noise and music.

Support for AirPods Pro was added in iOS 13.2, watchOS 6.1, tvOS 13.2, and macOS Catalina 10.15.1. They are compatible with any device that supports Bluetooth, including Windows and Android devices. However, features such as automatic switching between devices are only available on Apple devices using its iCloud service.

Full Technical Specifications