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Been waiting for a better deal to upgrade to the AirPods Pro 3? There’s never been one this good.
By Matt Jancer | Reviewed by Ysolt Usigan
The AirPods Pro 3, Apple’s best pair of earbuds (but not their best pair of over-the-ear headphones), just hit their lowest-ever price since they launched in September 2025. Snap ’em up now if you’ve been thinking of upgrading, because while I’ve seen them at $199 for brief spurts and sales events, they’ve never been this low before. Who knows if this deal will still be around when Prime Day starts on June 23.
The AirPods Pro 3’s active noise cancelation (ANC) is a defining feature. For a tiny pair of jelly beans, the AirPods Pro 3 are awfully good at blocking out noisy subway cars, loud roommates’ blaring televisions, and jet engines on long-haul flights. You can turn ANC on, off, or set it to transparency mode, which amplifies sounds below a certain noise threshold so that you can still hear people call your name or sidewalk traffic as you walk. Check out my explainer to help answer the question, “What is ANC?“
I’ve used older AirPods, which are very similar in style to the AirPods Pro 3, for workouts in the gym, and I’ve found them plenty suitable. Lying down on the bench press can pop them out of my ear, but they work fine for most other tasks. Get the Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 if you want more secure earbuds for workouts. They clip over the ear and pack the same H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 3.
You can even use AirPods as language translators, thanks to a software update in September 2025. Having done the whole awkward dance of passing my phone back and forth in other countries as we fumble through the Google Translate app, this is a sweet feature for travelers.
Looking for even more noise-blocking and audio quality, and don’t care that they won’t slip into a pocket (unless you’re Mongo from Blazing Saddles)? The AirPods Max 2 headphones just went on sale for $499 a few days ago, their lowest-ever price in the brief two months since launch. That deal is still live, so take advantage of it while you can.
You can still get the Apple EarPods. Just make sure that you get the USB-C model that I’ve highlighted here, rather than the old-style Lightning connector that Apple has sunsetted. If you’re intrigued by the wires, but the EarPods aren’t doing it for you, check out my guide to the Best Wired Earbuds and Headphones for more suggestions.
The AirPods 4 are on sale for $99, down from $120. Their stems—the part that hangs down out of your ear—are a little longer, and there’s no silicone piece that goes into your ear. Some people find it more comfortable, and others find it less comfortable. You can get the AirPods 4 with ANC, too, for the same $30 discount at $149 if you find yourself listening to tunes and podcasts in noisy environments but don’t want to drop a full $179 on the AirPods Pro 3. Honestly, though, for the small price difference I’d say you’ll be better off with the AirPods Pro 3.
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