Apple announced its AirPods Pro last month, which comes with digital noise cancellation as well as a new design that isn’t as bulky as its predecessors and is made to fit better. Similar to other Apple products, the AirPods Pro commands a premium of US$249. Just six months before the Pro versions were announced, Apple released AirPods 2 in March, which is currently selling for $199 for the ones with wireless charging case and $159 with a standard wired charging case.
With two releases six months apart and a significant change in the price tag, it can be confusing as to which one you should buy. Let’s briefly try to understand that which pair of AirPods will suit your needs better and whether you should upgrade to the AirPods Pro if you recently bought the 2nd generation AirPods.
Below we’ve compared the AirPods Pro and AirPods 2 on several parameters to help you make a choice.
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Price
One of the significant differences you’ll find is in the price tag of the two AirPods — $50. If you’re not a big stickler for a wireless charging case, that price increases to $90.
Apple AirPods 2 with wireless charging case
The AirPod that you choose largely depends on your personal preferences. Read on to understand better.
Design
Both the AirPods are powered by the H1 chip that enables a stable wireless connection. AirPods Pro is almost half the size when compared to AirPods 2. Therefore, the mic may not be that close to your mouth but don’t worry as you won’t need to shout out loud.
Another major difference is the weight. AirPods Pro have feather lightweight even with those ear tips. AirPods 2 face a disadvantage when it comes to weight because they are heavier than the former. The new design also enables a snug fit, as opposed to the previous generation AirPods that rarely stay in place.
AirPods Pro also has an added advantage with the IPX4 certification that indicates that the gadget is water and sweat resistant, unlike the AirPods 2.
Noise Cancellation
The biggest advantage in AirPods Pro is the noise cancellation and transparency features, which can be activated by a click whereas these features are absent in 2nd-gen AirPods. The noise cancellation feature helps to eliminate the outside noise and helps you to concentrate on what’s playing.
UI
When it comes to the handling, the Airpods Pro can get a bit trickier to operate when compared to AirPods 2.
To switch on to noise cancellation mode one has to long-press the force area. Double squeezing is required to move on to the next track. There is no feature of adjusting the volume in the Airpods Pro, so you would have to ask Siri to do the task. Some people may find it annoying at first, but once you get the hang of it, the operation would become seamless.
Battery Life
AirPods Pro and AirPods 2 both have 24 hours of battery life on standby. However, on a single charge, AirPods Pro provides 4.5 hours of listening time (when noise cancellation is activated) which is less efficient than that of AirPods 2, which gives you 5 hours of backup.
If you are in a hurry and could charge your Airpods 2 for just 15 minutes, which will provide you with 3 hours of listening time or two hours of talk time. Charging AirPods Pro merely for five minutes gets you an hour of listening time. Both the batteries give almost an equal back up as well as take a similar time to charge.
AirPods Pro or AirPods 2? Which one should you buy?
They are the same in terms of quality of sound if the noise cancellation mode isn’t activated on the new AirPods Pro. However, with the noise cancellation enabled, AirPods Pro sound significantly better. Personally, AirPods Pro would be a good deal to seal. One of the top reasons is comfort. AirPods Pro is quite comfortable to wear due to its silicone ear tips. Secondly, the noise cancellation mode, which can be toggled simply by touch, seems like an intuitive and useful tool.
All in all, if you’re looking to get all the new features, you should go for the AirPods Pro; otherwise, AirPods 2 without a wireless charging case would make up for a better bargain.
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