Apple AirPods Pro 3 Review: Workout Winners with Heart Rate Sensors

Redesigned Fit and Enhanced Features

• 🎧 The AirPods Pro 3 feature a redesigned, smaller bud with new foam-infused silicone ear tips for a better grip and a more natural fit, now available in five sizes.
• 💧 Increased water resistance (IP57 rating) and a more secure fit make them significantly more capable for sports compared to previous generations.
• 🔊 Sound quality has been enhanced with a wider soundstage, improved clarity, and a more prominent bass response, rivaling higher-end earbuds.

Integrated Heart Rate Sensing

• ❤️ Built-in heart rate sensors are a key new feature, designed to provide accurate readings during activities where wrist-based sensors struggle, such as cycling, weight training, and HIIT.
• 📊 When used with Apple's redesigned Fitness app, these sensors track heart rate, calories burned, and (with iPhone integration) distance and speed for various workout types.
• 🤝 The system can fuse data from AirPods Pro 3 and an Apple Watch, prioritizing the highest quality heart rate signal.

Accuracy and Performance Testing

• 🔬 Independent testing shows remarkable heart rate accuracy for the AirPods Pro 3 during indoor cycling, outdoor riding, and running, often matching dedicated heart rate monitors.
• 🏋️ Weight training and high-intensity interval training, areas where watches often falter, also show solid performance from the AirPods Pro 3's sensors.
• ⚠️ While generally accurate, occasional Bluetooth drops can cause momentary gaps in heart rate data.

Battery Life and New Functionality

• 🔋 Battery life is improved to 8 hours of listening time with ANC, with a quick charge feature providing an hour of playback from a 5-minute charge.
• 😴 The heart rate sensor can detect when you fall asleep, automatically pausing media playback.
• 📸 A new feature allows AirPods with the H2 chip to act as a camera remote for taking photos or recording videos.
• 🗣️ Live translation is available for AirPods connected to an AI-powered iPhone, offering on-the-fly translation with a slight delay.

Limitations and Connectivity

• 🚫 Third-party app support is limited to apps that utilize Apple's HealthKit API; direct connectivity with non-Apple devices like bike computers is not supported.
• 📱 Unlike the Power Beats Pro 2, these cannot be used as a heart rate source on Android phones or with non-Apple devices, indicating a more locked-down ecosystem approach.
• 🚴 For cycling, while improved, wind noise can still be an issue, leading some users to prefer a single earbud for better situational awareness.