SINCE their introduction to consumers a few years ago, Apple’s AirPods have very quickly become the best-selling wireless headphones in the world. Bluetooth earbuds have been available from many other companies before then, but the iPhone maker’s brand strength easily allowed them to dominate the field.
The newest AirPods – the third generation – occupies a middle space between the ‘entry level’ AirPods (second generation) and the AirPods Pro. Like the former, it has a classic earbud design, meaning it sits outside the ear canal – which means it is not as tight a fit as the Pro.
However, it has the benefits of spatial audio (Apple’s latest buzzword), as well as a newer design with sweat and water resistance.
Shorter, yet bigger
Even though they haven’t been around for that long, the AirPods design is already fairly well established. No other headphones look like it, which makes it an easy way to identify a follower of the cult of Apple.
The third-generation AirPods doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but offers some adjustments. Notably, the stem that sticks out and houses the force sensor controls is shorter and stubbier than earlier models. The earbud itself is more bulbous, designed to better fit into the ear.
Despite all the technology behind this device, none of that matters and no one will be willing to pay the premium price, if it’s going to be falling out of ears with any regularity. Even though Apple has been promoting it as suitable for exercising, there’s always the fear in the back of one’s mind that one or both could pop out during strenuous activity.
Fortunately, based on some testing (including whiplash-inducing head turns), these AirPods do a good job of staying put even though they are so light you might forget you have them on – which is its own risk. You’ll need to adjust its position in the ear, so that it fits just right.
However, there’s still the chance that they might not fit your ear (not every ear is the same), in which case you’re out of luck. This is ultimately a point in favour of the Pro model that comes with tips that fit tighter into the ear.
Audio quality
Along with the release of these headphones, Apple has been pushing spatial audio as a must-have. To put it in simple terms, it creates a three-dimensional theatre-like experience – basically a portable earbud-sized surround sound system.
Of course, to truly appreciate it, the media you’re listening to (be it music, TV or movies) needs to be mastered in Dolby Atmos. Conveniently, you can subscribe to Apple Music if you want a library of songs ‘made for spatial audio’.
In terms of music listening – which is really what you’re getting these for – the AirPods are really good, which is a boring but true answer. The clarity of audio levels from highs to lows, the rumble of the bass, is quite impressive, especially from such a small package.
It also comes with the dynamic head tracking feature, which adjusts the direction the audio comes through depending on which way you’re looking. For example, in group calls people on your left come through your left earbud. This can add ‘immersion’ but is not entirely necessary. It’s more of an interesting effect.
Speaking of which, audio clarity on phone and video calls is really good, probably the best you can find with earbuds. There’s a microphone on the outside of the AirPods that helps minimise ambient sound like the wind while you’re making a phone call.
Because of its design differences with the AirPods Pro, these new headphones are lacking active noise cancelling. There’s no seal between the ear canal and the device, so outside noise can come through quite easily, especially if you’re someplace noisy like a busy street or on the MRT.
You can turn up the volume, but if you go too high you’re hurting yourself. Music tends to work just fine in these environments, but stuff like podcasts and Netflix shows can get lost to the ambient noise.
Of course, you don’t need to get the AirPods Pro if you want noise cancelling – plenty of other companies make headphones that are a tighter fit that works close enough without officially providing ‘noise cancellation’.
Technical misc
Battery life for these AirPods is very impressive, probably its best quality. Apple says the headphones have six hours of battery on a single charge, and 30 hours with the case. You can very easily go out for errands or even out for the night without bringing the case.
Conveniently, the headphones have a sensor that lets it know when it is in your ear and when it's been removed – turning itself off in the latter case. They won’t turn on if you leave them on the desk.
No more fumbling with the phone to turn off the music player or finding the finicky controls, though in this case, the force sensor on the AirPods is quite intuitive. One click to turn on/off, two clicks to skip a song. This applies to starting and ending calls as well.
If you’re firmly ensconced in the Apple ecosystem with multiple devices, switching back and forth with the AirPods is all too simple. Just a couple of seconds of pairing to an iPhone and you’re in. No more pairing and unpairing when you want to move to another device (yes, this is a very ‘first-world’ problem).
Available for RM829, the third generation AirPods are not anyone’s idea of a budget device. (The second generation goes for RM589). However, with the build quality, host of improvements, and audio capabilities, it is just a really impressive piece of hardware. – The Vibes, December 14, 2021
