The new Apple AirPods 3 sound decent and offer close integration with iPhone, iPad and Macs thanks to updated hardware.

Apple unveils its third generation of true wireless earphones, the AirPods 3.

Sitting in the middle of Apple's wireless headphones portfolio, the 3rd Gen AirPods offer a great balance between features and price point, whilst also delivering a refreshed and water-resistant design and great sound quality.

Refreshed design; Great sound quality; Excellent convenience features; Spatial Audio is very good; Sweat and water resistant; Good battery life;

A little big for our ears; No active noise-cancellation (ANC) tech;

Apple’s latest take on the standard AirPods adds enough new features to make them much more appealing than their predecessors. You’ll get a more convenient and stylish design, better controls, improved (if still limited) sound quality with Spatial Audio, and more competitive battery life.

Compact new design, Upgraded battery and features, Improved sound and great calling

No noise canceling, Still no way to customize fit, Upper register can sound tinny

It’s been half-a-decade since the original AirPods changed the game for Bluetooth earbuds. Mocked at launch by some for their long-stemmed design, it didn’t take long before they became virtually ubiquitous, the driving force in what was still an emerging category.

Great sound quality; Sweat and water resistance; Long battery life; Skin-detect sensor very welcome;

AirPods Pro aren’t that much more expensive; No noise cancelling;

The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) represent a big step up from their predecessors in terms of audio performance, connectivity, and design - and while they come with a price increase, we think they’re a worthy upgrade if you have the older AirPods. However, we wouldn’t necessarily recommend them for Android users. The AirPods 3 are unsurprisingly optimized for use within the wider Apple ecosystem, so Android users miss out on a lot of the extra features that set them apart from other true wireless earbuds on the market, and the lack of noise cancellation means they aren’t the most high-spec earbuds at this price.

Impressive spatial audio; Easy to use; Comfortable, subtle design;

No active noise cancellation; No interchangeable eartips; Battery life could be longer

We can certainly recommend AirPods 3rd Gen, especially to those using Apple Music. The Spatial Audio experience is too good to miss out on. But we would implore anyone interested to seriously consider the AirPods Pro, if it’s affordable, as the benefits are worth the extra in our eyes.

Good sound, Long battery, Comfort upgrade on Gen 2

The Apple AirPods 3 improve on their predecessors in every way, assuming their new design is a good fit for your ears.

Improved sound, Longer battery life, Spatial audio

No noise-canceling, Awkward fit for some people

“An excellent upgrade to Apple's iconic true wireless earbuds.”

Very good sound quality, Wireless MagSafe charging, Head-tracking spatial audio, IPX4 water resistance

Not great in noisy environments