Review: Apple AirPods Pro

I’m a bit late to the party with this, but only because I’ve never been a fan of Apple earphones. I’ve never used the ones that came with the iPhone, and I have a major dislike for the way the regular AirPods look with their long stems. But recently I started riding my bicycle again and needed a new pair of wireless earphones.

For the past couple of years I was using a pair of Shure wireless earphones, I liked them because of the way they fit around my ears which meant it was impossible for them to fall out. But, I had two major issues with them. The first was that they were in-ear headphones which meant they isolated the sound around me which I didn’t want to do because I want to be able to hear cars or other riders around me while riding. The second issue is that both earphones were connected by a wire, and the wireless and battery module hung between both earphones on that wire. That’s a bit cumbersome with today’s technology and I hated how the battery module would bounce on my neck while riding my bike.

So after a bit of research, I decided I’d finally give in to Apple and get the AirPods Pro. The Pro versions are different from the regular AirPods in that they are in-ear headphones so they sit inside your ear and not the outside, they also have a shorter stem (you can see a comparison here). The main reason I went with Apple over other better sounding options like the Sony WF-1000XM3 and the Beats Powerbeats Pro is the size. I wanted something small and light and the AirPods Pro were the smallest of the three.

After owning the AirPods Pro for around a month now, I’m loving them. They have two features which make them really great, the first is something I’m wondering why no other in-ear headphone manufacturer has done. Usually with in-ear headphones when you stick them inside your ear you get a bit of pressure which after a long period of time gets uncomfortable. The AirPods Pro are designed in such a way that they release the pressure which has made them super comfortable when I ride. The second feature is the transparency mode. A lot of people purchase the AirPods Pro because of the active noise-canceling feature where the earphones cancel out the sound around you. That’s great when in a busy coffee shop or on a plane, but not so great when you’re out exercising on public roads. Apple thought of that and have included a transparency mode where the tiny mics outside the earphones transmit the sound around you into your ears. So you can still hear your music and also your surroundings.

When it comes to sound quality they’re not great, they’re actually pretty crap compared to all my other earphones and headphones I own but then again, I knew that would be the case before I even bought them. When riding my bicycle sound quality doesn’t really matter honestly. Battery life has also been great with me but I also am constantly charging them whenever I’m close to a charging cable. The biggest surprise for me really was how well they fit really in my ears and how they never fall out.

Really the only negative I have about these earphones is the price. The cheapest I found was 70KD which I’m fine to pay for excellent sounding earphones, but it felt wrong paying so much for these since they don’t really sound great. But I’ve justified the price by the convenience factor and how often I’m using them. So I’ve for example started using them when I take my Alfa out since that car doesn’t have a stereo. They work great while driving since with the transparency mode I can still hear the traffic around me.

So overall I do recommend these earphones even though they aren’t the best sounding. I never thought I’d like them but I do understand now why they’re so popular. If you’re looking for great sounding earphones there are much better alternatives out there, but as an overall convenience and comfort factor, I don’t think these can be beaten.