With the latest upgrade of AirPods Pro, it is easy to wonder if you should go for the AirPods 2nd Gen or the AirPods Pro. With new releases of AirPods within this short span of time, choosing the best is confusing, especially with Apple AirPods Pro and AirPods 2nd Gen. With differences in features and upgrades for a better experience. Both the AirPods have good features and new designs. So, if you want to compare and understand which one to buy, here is Apple AirPods Pro vs AirPods 2nd Gen to decide which one suits your needs better.
The in-ear design of AirPods Pro gives you a proper fit. The different ear tip sizes are small, medium, and large soft and are made of flexible silicone. However, the AirPods 2nd Gen doesn’t have any size options. Because of this, users faced the issue of AirPods falling out. The AirPods Pro design deals with this issue and allows you to get the perfect fit. Moreover, the vent system in the AirPods Pro distributes pressure equally to reduce discomfort. Additional functions include volume control, thanks to a vent mechanism for pressure equalization and a force sensor on the stem. Both AirPods Pro and AirPods have similar kind of designs. Although, the regular AirPods do not have silicone ear tips. Even though the wireless earbuds still have a quirky appearance, the redesign significantly enhances sound quality. The second-generation AirPods do not seal to the ear.
The stem design of the second-generation Apple AirPods (2nd generation) is the same as its predecessor. They have a solid build, a smooth plastic casing with brushed aluminum accents, and a quality appearance. Like prior iterations, the Apple AirPods Pro is slim and elegant. The white silicone tips give them a quality appearance and feel, and the shorter stems make them seem better. The IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant design of the AirPods Pro makes them far more suited for the gym.
To buy AirPods Pro, you need to invest $249 when purchased with a wireless charging case. However, if you want to go for the cheaper option, the second-generation AirPods cost $129. In other words, AirPods cost $120 less than AirPods Pro.
AirPods Pro weighs 5.4 grams for each earphone instead of 4.0 grams for AirPods 2nd Gen. The AirPods Pro is just very little heavier than the standard AirPods. However, according to the company, Apple’s AirPods Pro is designed to be comfortable and secure in the ear. The Apple AirPods 2nd Generation is remarkably lightweight. These are typically totally wireless headphones in that they have a very small overall footprint. They will easily fit in your pockets and bags, including their case. The Apple AirPods Pro is more compact and lighter than earlier generations. Thus, making them incredibly portable and readily fitting into most pockets or purses, even with their carrying case.
You may check how comfortably your earbuds fit with the Ear Tip Comfort Test on AirPods Pro. You can choose the ear tip size that fits you the best and provides the optimum acoustic performance. The info icon in Settings will take you to the Bluetooth section, where you may access the Ear Tip Fit Test. The Fit Test evaluates the sound intensity in the ear using sophisticated algorithms and internal microphones. The algorithm determines whether the ear tip is the appropriate size for you after comparing the sound with what is coming from the speaker driver. The AirPods of the second generation does not seal to the ear. Although helpful in circumstances where you must hear your surroundings, it severely reduces audio quality.
The complexity of the music is lost due to our brain’s limited ability to grasp inputs. The second generation of Apple AirPods are comfy, but they are one-size-fits-all. So comfort depends more on the shape of your ears than on earbuds. They are incredibly light. Also, they don’t enter your ear canal deeply or give you a plunger-like sensation. The Apple AirPods Pro is comfier. These have silicone tips in three different diameters and don’t go all the way into the ear canal. They are hardly noticeable. If you have a decent fit, these earbuds should stay in place while you’re doing light exercise.
The Apple AirPods 2nd Gen are really well constructed. The robust, high-end plastic seems to be strong enough to endure a few drops of water. Although they lack some of the more luxurious finishes of earphones, they have a premium feel. However, the Apple AirPods Pro is certified IPX4 for resistance against being splashed with water.
The H1 chip powers the Apple AirPods 2. However, the AirPods Pro comes with the H2 processor, which is said to give twice as much noise cancellation and more battery life. In contrast, the H1 chip is said to provide two times faster active device connections, 50% greater talk time, and 1.5 times faster connectivity for phone calls. Moreover, it is said to reduce game latency by 30%.
Active Noise Canceling is a function of the Apple AirPods Pro. Previous Apple earphone versions lacked this. As it protects your hearing, this is a big step forward for Apple. The ANC technology drowns out your surroundings, decreasing the likelihood that you’ll crank up the music. The two microphones allow for effective noise cancellation. The first microphone gathers up ambient sounds because it faces outside. Before it enters your ear, the anti-noise feature decreases it. To eliminate any residual noise, the second microphone listens towards the ear while facing inward. For you to achieve the best results, this continuously changes the sound signal 200 times each second.
You may alternate between Transparent mode and Active Noise Canceling. This enables you to hear outside noise when you need it. You can do this by just pressing and holding the force sensor on the stem. The force sensor that is located on the stem will aid you with this. The AirPods 2nd generation does not, however, include key functions, such as ANC, a force sensor, or a Transparent mode. They don’t isolate noise well. This is because of their open-back design, they don’t isolate you from the background noise because they hardly ever block sound in the bass and midrange. With the AirPods Pro, you may more easily listen to your music without being interrupted by low- or high-frequency noises. The Apple AirPods 2 rely on noise isolation from the earbuds themselves rather than any kind of noise-canceling technology.
Spatial audio is a feature of the Apple AirPods Pro, but it’s only compatible with iOS/iPadOS 14 or later. By accessing the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone, you can switch this feature on and off. This feature activates head tracking, which repositions the virtual soundstage to follow your head motions. However, 2nd Gen AirPods lack the ability to enable Personalized Spatial Audio.
Compared to the AirPods 2, the AirPods Pro promises a more immersive audio experience. It has Adaptive EQ, which automatically adjusts the music’s low and midrange frequencies to each listener’s unique ear shape. This allows the AirPods Pro to produce better sound quality. The powerful bass is delivered via a specialized high-excursion, low-distortion driver. Moreover, a unique high dynamic range amplifier and speaker driver with optimized audio quality and background noise removal are installed. A low-distortion audio driver is present on the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) for improved consistency and clarity. Moreover, the larger mesh microphone port on AirPods Pro enhances call clarity in windy conditions. All this directs towards AirPods Pro having better sound than the AirPods 2nd gen.
Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, and Adaptive EQ are not features of the AirPods 2. The AirPods Pro has a bass response that leans more neutrally. The improved fit of the AirPods Pro seals to the ear. Also, it doesn’t rely on an exaggerated bass response to contend with outside noise. This directly contributes to a more consistent sound profile. In comparison, the second generation of AirPods has an objectively more accentuated bass end. Bass sounds disappear as soon as you step into a busy environment. The second-generation AirPods are now more affordable than ever, yet even for high-end wireless earbuds. But you ought to receive something that sounds excellent as your money’s worth.
The AirPods (2nd generation) have a respectable microphone unit that outperforms most of its competitors with the sensors and accelerometers with the proper configurations. It struggles, though, in windy or noisy settings. Apple improved this technology and the microphones’ frequency response with the AirPods Pro. It still has some of the second-generation AirPods’ flaws, such as excessive or insufficient sound filtering. Although Bluetooth codecs are not the only determinant of microphone performance, the voice sounds crisper when using the AAC codec than when using the SBC codec.
With ANC turned on, the AirPods Pro provides 4.5 hours of call time and up to 6 hours of listening time. Moreover, you get 5 hours with head tracking and spatial audio turned on. 30 hours of listening time are provided by the charging case, or 24 hours of conversation time and five minutes of charging provide an hour of listening time. 3 hours can be spent talking on the Apple AirPods 2 or five hours can be spent listening. Up to 24 hours of listening time or 18 hours of conversation time can be obtained from the charging case. You can talk for two hours and listen for three hours after 15 minutes of charging.
Both the AirPods Pro and second-generation AirPods contain the Apple-designed H1 chip. With the use of this, “Hey Siri” may be used hands-free to initiate calls, manage music playback, read messages aloud, and issue other voice requests. The “Hey Siri” control feature on the Apple AirPods Pro and Apple AirPods 2 enables you to make phone calls, play music, adjust the volume, and ask for directions using your voice.
The second-generation Apple AirPods have a great case. The headphones are effectively protected against light drops and scratches thanks to the slim design. Moreover, Qi wireless charging is also supported. If you don’t require this capability, you can still purchase them with the same case as the prior generation, which just uses Lightning as a charging method. The Apple AirPods 2 originally came with the choice of a standard charging case or a wireless charging case. The wireless charging case can be purchased separately, but it will cost more.
The AirPods Pro case supports MagSafe charging, despite being compact, and lightweight. The single indicator light indicates the case or bud charge levels. It is incredibly portable and only slightly bigger than earlier generations. Moreover, an Apple Watch charger can be used to charge the AirPods Pro case. The cover also has a speaker that makes it simpler to locate if you misplace it using Find My and a lanyard loop. It also features a U1 chip inside, which makes it visible on the Find My app independently of the AirPods themselves.
With a single charge, the AirPods Pro can run in transparency mode and noise cancellation for up to 4.5 hours. By turning off these features, the battery life will increase to five hours. Also, each charge of an AirPods Pro provides up to 3.5 hours of talk time. The second-generation AirPods only provide three hours of battery life. With both charging cases, you can receive more than 24 hours of listening time and more than 18 hours of speaking time. The AirPods Pro’s charging case is larger to accommodate the ear tips, but the battery does not appear to have increased in size.
In contrast, you may choose between a standard or Qi wireless charging case for the second-generation AirPods. However, the AirPods 2nd generation gives you 4 hours of listening only. The charging case offers 24 hours of combined playback and charges with a Lightning wire, regardless of the earphones you choose to purchase. Quick charging is supported by both AirPods devices. The AirPods Pro has a 60-minute playback time after only 5 minutes of charging. Whereas, the other gives you 180 minutes after 15 minutes of charge.
The AirPods Pro has an IPX4 grade for water resistance, in contrast to the AirPods 2nd gen, which has no water resistance rating. For sports and exercise that don’t include water, the AirPods Pro are sweat- and water-resistant. However, it would be ideal if you avoided submerging them in any liquid. Because of this, AirPods Pro is more durable. Moreover, if the Pro model wears out due to sweat, you can replace it. Also, because of the improved fit, the buds are more likely to remain in place while exercising.
Bluetooth 5.0 is supported by both the AirPods 2nd gen and AirPods Pro. Both earbuds enable high-quality streaming using the AAC codec. The H1 chip makes it easier to expedite auto-connect and usage across iOS devices and save energy. Only iOS devices can benefit from H1 chip features. Unfortunately, when using AirPods or AirPods Pro with an Android device, you would miss out on major features. Android’s performance hasn’t figured out how to handle AAC streaming consistently across all devices. As a result, certain Android users can have a good experience with the SBC codec.
The second-generation Apple AirPods feature sufficient Bluetooth connectivity. Although they lack NFC pairing and simultaneous multi-device connection, Apple’s H1 chip makes it incredibly simple to pair them with other items in the Apple ecosystem. They have low latency with iOS devices, so whether you use them for gaming or video watching on your iPhone, you shouldn’t experience any audio or video lag. Unfortunately, there is a lot of latency with PCs and Android devices.
The AirPods Pro has an indentation on each stem working as force sensors. While the AirPods have touch controls that require you to tap either housing’s exterior. The call and music controls function on both Android and iOS. You can alter these controls in both the AirPods by going to the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone and choosing the ‘i icon’. Both AirPod versions have automatic ear detection, which automatically pauses playing when one is removed and resumes when the AirPods are reinserted. However, you won’t have this feature if you are an Android user. Also, you cannot make advantage of the voice assistant feature.
The control options on the AirPods 2nd Gen are constrained. However, there is no way to adjust the volume using the internal controls, but you can use your voice to operate everything if you enable Hey Siri. Double-tapping either earbud for an Android will always jump to the next track; you cannot modify this. The Apple AirPods Pro has an indentation on each that serves as a “force sensor,” but they don’t offer tactile feedback. But, when you register a command, the earbuds make a sound. On the force sensor of either stem:
To gradually increase and decrease the volume on the AirPods Pro, swipe up and down on the touch control sensor. Both AirPod versions have automatic ear detection to pause playing when one is removed and resume when reinserted. You can turn off the touch-sensitive surface and ear detection.
Like other in-ear headphones, the Apple AirPods 2nd Generation are incredibly breathable. They have hardly any places of touch with your ear and no tips. Although they are a little less sturdy than other truly wireless headphones available in the market, they are a little more breathable. The Apple AirPods Pro, like the majority of in-ear headphones, don’t build up heat within your ears. Thus, making them a good alternative for sports.
App support for the Apple AirPods 2nd Generation is subpar. They don’t have a specific app, but if you have an iOS smartphone, you can connect them using a built-in interface that appears. It may be used to map the touch-sensitive controls on the earphones and check the battery level of the case and headphones. You can connect to Bluetooth and monitor the battery life with macOS. Unfortunately, neither Android nor Windows supports the interface.
There is no companion app for the Apple AirPods Pro; instead, iOS devices only have a settings screen. With the ability to flip between ANC and transparency mode and adjust the long-press function of each earbud to either ANC control or Siri activation, it offers slightly more customization choices. The settings panel also allows you to perform a Fit Tip Test to see which size tips provide the greatest fit. You may also find Headphone Accommodations in the Accessibility tab of your device if you’re running iOS or iPadOS version 14 or later. This section provides a few EQ presets in addition to a customized setting based on choosing the best audio samples. Also, you can decide whether these settings apply to calls, media, or both.
The iOS 14 updates upgraded both the AirPods 2nd Gen and the AirPods Pro. iOS device owners can now enjoy automated device switching, provided all of their devices are connected to the same iCloud account. This update also gives you accessibility options and includes a programmable audio profile. Moreover, features like battery status checks, Find My AirPods, audio profile presets, volume safety monitoring, and more are for the AirPods (2nd generation) and AirPods Pro. Both the AirPods and AirPods Pro even include battery status notifications and a new battery optimization feature. The battery optimization feature keeps track of how you charge every day. With Dolby Atmos, you can listen to spatial audio with any set of earphones, but head tracking requires the AirPods Pro.
When choosing between AirPods Pro vs AirPods 2nd Gen, everything comes down to your choice and needs. Both earphones perform with nearly the same battery life, making both perfectly acceptable options for truly wireless earphones. However, if you’re looking for better sound, noise cancellation, and water resistance, AirPods Pro will satisfy your needs. The Apple AirPods Pro almost outperforms the AirPods (2nd generation) in every manner. With the AirPods Pro, you get a better fit, active noise-cancellation, a longer battery life, and more. Even with all these features, one factor becomes an obstacle: the $249 cost. If you use an iPhone, saving up for the AirPods Pro is much more worthwhile than settling for the AirPods 2nd gen to save money. With the AirPods Pro, pairing iOS devices is quite simple, and it’s also rather simple if you have an Android phone.
The AirPods Pro has many of the same features, like sweat resistance, Adaptive EQ, and Personalised Spatial Audio, but they also offer noise cancellation, more personalized fit options, and more case options when compared to the AirPods 2. Compared to Apple AirPods (2nd Gen) Truly Wireless, the Apple AirPods Pro is significantly superior. Particularly in the bass area, the sound profile is substantially more balanced, and their in-ear construction and ANC offer significantly superior noise isolation. Yet, some people may find the AirPods 2 to be more comfortable due to its non-intrusive fit and faster charging time. The AirPods (2nd Gen) will save you money, but you miss out on some of the great features that come with the AirPods Pro.
Which AirPods do you favor more? Tell us in the comments section below.
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