AirPods 4 (ANC) vs. AirPods Pro 3 – Which Should You Buy?

By Josh Teder

I’ve owned a pair of AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for well over 6 months. And now that I’ve had a few months to compare them with the brand new AirPods Pro 3, I’m going to take you through how much better the AirPods Pro 3 are compared to the AirPods 4 with ANC and when I think it makes sense to go for the Pros.

Noise Cancellation: A Clear Winner

First, let’s start off with the AirPods Pro 3 and its first advantage: noise cancellation. Even though yes, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are actually pretty impressive with the amount of noise cancellation they can get you without creating a seal in your ear, the AirPods Pro 3 are way better and quite a step up from the AirPods Pro 2, which I talked about in more detail in my comparison between these buds and their previous version.

The AirPods Pro 3 block out significantly more noise and a wider range of frequencies by combining better ANC with the new microphones, a new fit, and new foam-infused silicone tips to create the best noise cancellation of any buds I’ve used.

The ANC on the AirPods 4 is actually really effective, so you can still hear your podcast while you’re walking through a busy park or down the street. But it’s not going to be able to block out the kids screaming on the playground or the cars driving by you nearly as well as the Pros can.

Battery Life for Travelers

If you’re planning to wear AirPods on a plane flight, you’ll definitely want to go with the AirPods Pro 3—not just because of their noise cancellation, but also because of their battery life. The AirPods Pro 3 offer up to eight hours of listening time on a single charge with ANC enabled, and the charging case provides 24 hours of total listening time with ANC. So they’ll actually last for an entire transcontinental or even transatlantic flight, depending on the flight, which is great.

The AirPods 4 with ANC have up to 4 hours of listening time on a single charge with ANC o,n and also have 20 hours of total listening time with their case with ANC. So the AirPods Pro 3 hands down win when it comes to battery life.

Audio Quality Comparison

But going back to that seal that they help create in your ear, that leads me to the next category, which is audio quality. Because that seal that they help create nets them substantially better audio performance. You’ll definitely get better bass performance because of that better noise cancellation and isolation, but given their form factor, you do get a surprising amount of bass out of the AirPods 4—like way more than you might be expecting.

In general, the Pros’ sound is also a bit more dynamic with a bit of a wider soundstage. But other than that, I haven’t noticed as much of a difference between the sound signature of these two as I did when comparing the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 last year. Both the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4 have excellent clarity, detail, and vocal performances that shine on both as well.

Water Resistance Ratings

Another huge difference between them is their water resistance rating. The AirPods 4 and their case have an IP54 water resistance rating, meaning that you can wear them in the rain and they’ll be protected against splashes, etc. But the AirPods Pro 3 and their case have an IP57 rating.

And what that means is that you can immerse them in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. And Apple even says that you can place your index finger over the ear tip here to seal the AirPods and then rinse them in a bowl of water for 10 seconds, thanks to this new water resistance rating.

Microphone Quality Tests

Moving on, let’s talk about mic quality.

All right, and these are the AirPods Pro 3. I’m here in my studio environment. This is being recorded via QuickTime, and this is how their mics sound.

All right, and these are the AirPods 4 with ANC, and I can already tell a difference just when wearing them. Apple’s doing something here where it sounds like they’re pumping in my voice, or I can at least hear my voice much more with these than I can with the AirPods Pro 3.

All right. So here’s a mic test of the AirPods Pro 3. There’s not a ton of background noise or anything. And here’s a test for the AirPods 4 with ANC. This is how their mics sound. Got some cars that are about to drive by.

All right. So these are the AirPods Pro 3 via phone call being recorded on my Pixel 10. Right now, I’m approaching a fountain that is pretty loud in the background. So definitely let me know how well you think these sound while my voice is down.

All right. And these are the AirPods 4 with ANC, and I can barely even hear the call on my end when it said it was recording. I’m right now in front of the fountain in downtown Cary. It’s going to be pretty loud. Let me know how you think it does.

All right. So here’s another scenario. I’ve got a little bit of background noise in the background. This is the AirPods 4 with ANC. And this is what their mics sound like.

All right. And these are the AirPods Pro 3. Again, the same situation. We’ve got a little bit of water in the background here, a little bit of wind, and let me know in the comments how well you think each one did and how my voice sounds on each.

Controls and Features

Moving on to controls, the AirPods Pro 3 have volume controls along their stems, while the AirPods 4 do not, which just feels like a limitation imposed by Apple, probably just to reduce costs. And yes, that is a feature I miss when using the AirPods 4.

Health and Hearing Features

Another thing the AirPods Pro 3 can do is improve hearing health by automatically reducing the intensity of sudden loud noises, helping protect your ears from damage. They can also boost conversations, amplifying the voice of the person in front of you. And then, of course, the AirPods Pro can be used as a clinical hearing aid. They use the results of a hearing test that you can take on your iPhone to make adjustments so you can hear voices and sounds around you better.

The hearing aid feature now offers up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge, providing 67% more battery life compared to the AirPods Pro 2.

The AirPods Pro 3 also introduced some new features, like heart rate monitoring with their custom PPG sensor, that you can use to track your workouts with just the buds in your ears. Both AirPods can do the new live translation feature Apple announced alongside the AirPods Pro 3.

AirPods 4 Advantages: Fit and Comfort

So those have been all of the main advantages for the AirPods Pro 3. Now, let’s talk about the AirPods 4 with ANC and their advantages.

First is fit. I was one of the people who, when the original Pros came out, I found that they just didn’t fit well in my ears. They actually hurt quite a bit after wearing them for just 10 to 15 minutes. But since then, Apple has refined the sizing and shape of the AirPods Pro line, and the AirPods Pro 3, to me, are the most comfortable yet. They don’t hurt my ears, and they have this nice, secure fit.

However, they still protrude farther into your ears than the AirPods 4, which some people may just not like the feel of in general. If you prefer the feel of the wired earbuds that Apple makes, the AirPods 4 are definitely going to be more your style. I barely notice they’re in my ears to the point where they don’t even feel like you’re wearing anything at all.

Price Considerations

Another advantage of the AirPods 4 is price. The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation retail for $179, while the AirPods Pro 3 are $249. You will likely find the AirPods 4 with ANC on a more significant discount during the holidays than the AirPods Pro 3, since these were more recently released. But you can see the current prices for both of them via our products link, which I’ll link below.

And that also has links to additional retailers for easy price comparison shopping. And be sure to follow our site 6monthslater.net for not only our latest content, but also our quick post feed, where we’ll post updates about products and services that we’ve covered in previous videos.

Case Size Comparison

Another benefit of going with the AirPods 4 is the case size. The AirPods 4 case is about 23% smaller and about 21% lighter than the AirPods Pro case. It makes them even more pocketable, though it is missing the lanyard loop that you get with the AirPods Pro case.

Shared Downsides

Now, let’s talk about some of the downsides I’ve encountered with both of them. Both cases can be a bit slippery and easily fall out of pockets and get scratched easily, and both only work well within Apple’s ecosystem. Apple doesn’t have a Chrome app like the Pixel Buds that allows you to change their settings from a wide variety of devices. So if you’re an Android user, there’s not really a reason to go with AirPods. You can use them with other devices, you just can’t control or change any of their settings.

And there’s no adjustable EQ for either. You’re stuck with Apple’s default EQ. For me, this has been totally fine, though for the type of music I listen to, such as pop, acoustic, alternative, classical, and movie soundtracks, the sound signature is entirely adequate. However, if you prefer a lot of music with a high amount of bass, you might not like the sound signature as much.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Another downside involves cleaning. Due to their design, you’re likely to experience more earwax buildup in the grill part of the AirPods 4, which will be more challenging to clean than the buildup often found on the silicone tips of the Pros. You can simply wipe that off with your finger or a cloth.

However, I’ve actually found I need to clean my AirPods Pro 3 somewhat regularly because their excellent noise cancellation will degrade over time if the mics’ grills get dirty or clogged with whatever they encounter. And it’s not like I’m dirt biking with these things on. I guess I’ve washed my face on occasion while still listening to a podcast, so maybe they’re encountering some water and some soap or something, and that’s getting them clogged. But I’m not doing anything I wasn’t doing with the AirPods Pro 2, and I didn’t encounter this issue with them.

Apple sells a cleaning kit for AirPods that has worked well for me, but you don’t have to buy it if you already have a soft-bristled brush, micellar water, and some distilled water.

Charging Case Differences

Oh, and one other difference you’ll notice involves their cases. Both have cases that support wireless charging, but you’ll see that in Apple’s comparison chart, the AirPods Pro 3 specifically have a MagSafe charging case. And that just means that it’ll magnetically attach to a MagSafe charger like the ones for the iPhone. While the AirPods 4 case will still charge on that type of charger when placed down, it just won’t magnetically adhere to it. And both cases will also work with your Apple Watch charger.

Which One Should You Buy?

If it were me, I’d go for the AirPods Pro 3 hands down due to their superior noise cancellation, significantly better battery life, better sound, more convenient volume controls, and the hearing protection features.

The only people I think should go for the AirPods 4 are those who don’t like the fit of the AirPods Pro or want AirPods but don’t want to spend the money on the Pros, which, at full price, I think is definitely fair. And if you’re someone who’s okay with still having some noise come in and like earbuds that feel like you’re almost not even wearing them, I’ll leave a link to the AirPods and the rest of the products I talked about in this video down in the description so you can check out their current prices.

And those are my thoughts on the AirPods Pro 3 and the AirPods 4 with ANC. But let me know what you think. Do you think most people should get the AirPods Pro or the AirPods 4? And if you have AirPods, which buds did you decide to get, and why did you go for those? Let me know in the comments.

And if you want to see more of my popular Apple posts, like my comparison between the iPhone Air and 17 Pro, you can click here to get to those, or click here to see my other reviews and videos on earbuds and headphones, like my comparison of the AirPods Max and Sonos Ace.

And make sure you’re subscribed to the channel to see my full 6 Months Later review of the AirPods Pro 3. And to see all of the products I recommend at any time, you can do that by visiting 6monthslater.net/shop.