AirPods 5 vs the AirPods Pro 3 — should you get Apple's flagship or cheap earbuds?

The AirPods 5 are here, and I'm super excited about it. While the AirPods 4/AirPods 4 ANC only released last September, I personally wasn't a huge fan of the 2024 iteration — so I'm lapping up the AirPods 5 like a parched sailor after three weeks lost at sea.

But are the AirPods 5 the best earbuds for everyone, or should you spend an extra $100 on the flagship AirPods Pro 3? What are the main differences between the cheap model and the flagship model?

I pitted Apple's cheapest earbuds against its priciest earbuds to answer just that. I compared value, sound quality, ANC, features, design, comfort, battery and call quality — so let's get into it.

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: Specs

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: Price

The AirPods 5 come in two versions: with a wireless charging case (which provides a better battery), and with a standard charging case. The wireless charging case costs $149, whereas the standard charging case will set you back just $124. This is an incredible price considering the AirPods 4 ANC launched at $179. Both versions of the AirPods 5 have ANC by default.

The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple's flagship earbuds with a flagship price to boot: These earbuds cost $249 and come with a wireless charging case and ANC — as you'd expect from premium earbuds.

Even so, I genuinely think the AirPods Pro 3 are an incredible value. They offer some of the best sound quality, ANC, and quality-of-life features available today.

Despite this, I'm going to give the win to the AirPods 5. I was genuinely surprised when I saw the low launch price — $124 for AirPods with ANC is fantastic. I hope Apple continues with this affordable(ish) pricing.

Winner: AirPods 5

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: Design & features

The main design difference between the AirPods 5 and the AirPods Pro 3 is fit style. If you like silicone ear tips or want earbuds with a tight seal, you'd be better off with the AirPods Pro 3. However, if you don't like the feel of silicone ear tips, you'll need the AirPods 5.

Of course, there are pros and cons to each style of earbud: the silicone ear tips create a tight seal, resulting in superior ANC. The tipless style of the AirPods 5 might be better for super small ears (I'm thinking teenagers) or those who don't like the feeling of something tight in their ears.

In terms of case design, they're pretty similar: The AirPods 5 case is super tiny, just 0.8 inches deep and 2 inches wide, while the AirPods Pro 3 case is a little larger at 0.9 inches deep and 2.5 inches wide. Again, this doesn't really have a tangible effect on my overall experience with either earbud, but it's worth knowing if you only like tiny cases.

Personally, I prefer the design of the AirPods Pro 3 due to the silicone ear tip, but this is my opinion.

In terms of features, both the AirPods 5 and the AirPods Pro 3 have Apple's flagship audio chip, the H2. But what does this actually mean?

In short, the earbuds are capable of doing smart stuff like Live Translation. That's available on both the AirPods 5 and the AirPods Pro 3. Obviously, you need an Apple Intelligence-enabled phone to use any of these smart features, which is understandable.

So what can the AirPods Pro 3 do that the AirPods 5 can't? Where's that extra money going?

The AirPods Pro 3 have health features like heart rate tracking, hearing aid features, an 8-hour battery life (more on that later), and stronger ANC. In terms of generic AirPods features — Spatial Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation — the AirPods 5 has 'em all.

Personally, if it's features you're interested in, I wouldn't rush to buy the AirPods Pro 3 — not when you can get 90% of the functionality with the AirPods 5.

Winner: AirPods 5

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: Sound quality

Sound quality is where the true difference lies.

The AirPods Pro 3 are some of the best-sounding wireless earbuds money can buy. I'm always enthralled by them. Every genre from rock to pop to blues to techno sounds clear, detailed, balanced, and, most importantly, fun. Every note trembles with life, every verse sounds like it's being sung directly into my ear.

I mostly listen to alternative rock and hyperpop — there's literally no in between — and every song I played during my comparison testing was perfect. "Cult of Celebrity" by Lambrini Girls snarled through the earbuds with enviable control across the growly bass and spoken-style vocals. "Michael" by Rebecca Black (yes, that one, and yes, her music is fantastic) was smooth and sophisticated, the '90s-Madonna-inspired instruments as slick as a waterslide.

I really wasn't expecting much from the AirPods 5 as I didn't love the AirPods 4 ANC. Oh, how wrong I was.

The AirPods 5 are miles, miles better than the AirPods 4. While the AIrPods 4 can be tinny at the best of times and down-right pinchy at the worst, the AirPods 5 are some of the best-sounding sub-$150 earbuds on the market, Apple or not.

"Nothing to Prove" by beabadoobee is an indie rock track with bubbly female vocals and gritty guitars in the chorus. The over-processed guitar effect was handled elegantly by the earbuds, with no unpleasant grinding sounds and a natural balance between the instruments and vocals.

Electronic sounds great, too. "I'm your girl, right?" by Tove Lo (Fcukers Remix) utilizes layered synths and stacked vocals on top of a deep sub-bass foundation. While the synths could have been a touch more nuanced in the upper mids — some detail was lost due to the over-processed effect — and this song sounded better with AirPods Pro 3, this is still an excellent performance for AirPods 5.

Winner: AirPods Pro 3, but the 5 are great for the price

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: ANC

Apple claims the AirPods Pro 3 have three times the ANC of the AirPods 5. Do I believe it? Yes. Yes, I do.

Obviously I can't provide quantitative data here, but I can say this: the silicone ear tips combined with the strong ANC make the AirPods Pro 3 some of the best ANC earbuds I've ever used. The only competition would be the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2.

As the AirPods 5 lack the silicone tip, they physically can't create the "seal" you'd expect from the Pro-line buds. Even so, the ANC is decent. I wouldn't go as far to say it's industry-leading or suitable for really loud environments, but for open-tipped earbuds, it's pretty great.

I could still hear myself typing; I could still hear conversations around me; I could still hear traffic sounds while walking around the city. But without that silicone ear tip, it's impossible to create that all-important seal.

Winner: AirPods Pro 3

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: Call quality

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, but we've come so far in the world of wireless earbuds that, in general, most big-name brands will have fantastic call quality. The AirPods Pro 3 and the AirPods 5 are no different.

The Pro 3 make my voice sound realistic and are phenomenal at blocking out external noise, even while walking on super loud city streets. Rumbling engines, screaming passers-by — all silenced by the Pro 3.

The same thing can be said of the AirPods 5. The earbuds minimize environmental noise without breaking a sweat. During calls, the person on the other end of the phone could hear everything I said clearly.

Winner: Draw

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: Battery

The AirPods 5 last for 4 hours with ANC, and 5 without. You'll get between 20 and 22 hours in the case — depending on ANC usage — and a five-minute charge will provide an extra hour of battery life. The wireless charging case provides 5 hours of playback rather than the standard case's 4.

Comparatively, the AirPods Pro 3 can go for up to 8 hours with ANC for a total of 24 hours.

Of course, there's a clear-cut winner here: the AirPods Pro 3 have an extra three hours, so I can't do anything but crown them the champion.

Winner: AirPods Pro 3

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: Verdict

The AirPods Pro 3 are near-perfect earbuds. But I know what you're wondering: do you need to spend more on the Pro model, or will the basic model suffice?

It depends on what you're looking for and what you value.

Is sound quality your biggest priority, or would you rather save money but still benefit from Apple's excellent ecosystem integration, top-notch call quality, and impressive newfangled features?

Personally, I would buy the Pro 3 as I value sound quality over anything else. But if you want AI features like Live Translation and integrated Siri for less — and you're not obsessed about getting the "best" sound — then save some money and get the AirPods 5.

Definitely don't buy second-hand or refurbished AirPods 4 — the AirPods 5 are launching at $30-50 less than the AirPods 4. Get the new model, please!

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3: Ratings scorecard

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