3rd Generation AirPods Review Summary, Who Is It Really a 'Buy'?



The 3rd generation AirPods were released on October 26, 2021 (Tuesday). In addition to the appearance, the 3rd generation AirPods are characterized by the fact that Apple, which has not made major changes to the sound quality of AirPods so far, has greatly improved the sound. I summarized the reviews of overseas media about how the 3rd generation AirPods are different from the previous AirPods and AirPods Pro.

Apple AirPods (third-gen) review: new design, same appeal --The Verge

https://www.theverge.com/22744686/apple-airpods-third-gen-review

Apple AirPods (2021) review | Engadget
https://www.engadget.com/apple-airpods-review-2021-160026883.html

Apple AirPods (2021) Review: Incredible Sound and Comfort
https://gizmodo.com/the-new-airpods-are-much-better-than-the-old-airpods-1847886244

AirPods 3 review | Laptop Mag
https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/apple-airpods-3-review

Apple AirPods 3 review
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/25/apple-airpods-3-review.html

Apple AirPods 3 review: Third time's a charm
https://www.pocket-lint.com/headphones/reviews/apple/158838-apple-airpods-3rd-generation-wireless-headphones-review

AirPods 3 review: A no-brainer, unless you hate noise
https://www.inputmag.com/reviews/airpods-3-review-a-no-brainer-unless-you-hate-noise

New Apple AirPods Review: Great Sound, if They Stay in Your Ears --WSJ
https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-apple-airpods-review-great-sound-if-they-stay-in-your-ears-11635177601

AirPods (3rd-gen) Review: Apple's most convenient buds get better – MobileSyrup
https://mobilesyrup.com/2021/10/25/airpods-3rd-gen-review/

Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) Review | PCMag
https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/apple-airpods-3rd-generation

The good points and bad points mentioned in each review are itemized as follows.

◆ Good points
・ Inconspicuous design
・ IPX4 water resistance
・ Improved sound quality
・ You can instruct Siri hands-free
・ Excellent battery life

◆ Bad points
・ Volume cannot be adjusted on the device
・ There is no reverse wireless charging function from iPhone
· Spatial audio is inconsistent
・ You can hear outside noise

The appearance of the 3rd generation AirPods looks like the following. The size is 30.79mm in height, 18.26mm in width, 19.21mm in thickness and 4.28g in weight.



It looks like this when it fits in the case.



Another angle.



From the left, 2nd generation AirPods, 3rd generation AirPods, AirPods Pro. The 3rd generation AirPods have a shorter rod than the 2nd generation, but unlike the canal type AirPods Pro, it is an inner ear type without a silicon ear tip.



◆ Sound quality
When it comes to sound, almost all media have rated it as 'providing a much better sound than the previous two versions.' Apple hasn't made a big difference to the sound quality of AirPods so far, but with the 3rd generation AirPods, you can combine a custom driver with a high dynamic range amplifier to create 'rich and consistent bass' and 'clear and clean.' It is said that 'treble' is realized. This makes it 'overall louder and more immersive,' Engadget said, but said it was inferior to Sony's WF-1000XM4 and Master & Dynamic's MW08.

◆ Spatial audio
Like AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, the 3rd generation AirPods use spatial audio so that people's voices can be heard from different places, such as when talking to multiple people in FaceTime calls. .. In addition, 3rd generation AirPods use accelerometers to track head movements so that the sound can follow in either direction. CNBC says that these effects are 'wild and very fun' because they also appear when watching a movie. The fact that you can turn it off if you don't like the effect is also a positive evaluation. However, The Verge points out that spatial audio is inconsistent. It's also important to note that spatial audio only works on some Phones, iPads, Macs, Apple TV 4K, and more.

◆ Insufficient noise canceling
The Verge and CNBC cite 'insufficient noise canceling' as a bad point. The noise canceling problem, that is, the leakage of external sound, is related to the design of the 3rd generation AirPods. AirPods don't have silicone eartips like AirPods Pro. Silicone eartips have different tastes, and many people dislike them because of the pressure on their ears. In this respect, the 3rd generation AirPods without silicon eartips do not have a presence in a good way, but the noise canceling of external sound seems to be inferior to the AirPods Pro.

◆ Fit to the ear
Many media outlets, such as The Verge, Gizmodo, and INPUT, have rated the fit of the 3rd generation AirPods as 'getting stuck in the ear' and 'improved fit.' This seems to be related to the improved balance of the overall weight and the deeper angle. 'There was no unpleasant pressure on any part of the ear, and sweating during training did not displace the 3rd generation AirPods,' said Laptop Mag.

On the contrary, Pocket-lint said, 'Ear shape varies from person to person and may fit better than older generation AirPods,' but said 'it doesn't fit the ear tightly.' PCMag also rated it as 'not enough for strenuous exercise.'



◆ Skin detection sensor
The difference between the 3rd generation AirPods and the previous AirPods is the installation of a 'skin detection sensor'. It literally detects the user's skin and ensures that it turns off when not in the ear, reducing battery consumption. However, it doesn't seem to work when connecting to an Android device.

◆ Battery
Battery life is 4 hours for talking and 6 hours for listening to music. In addition, it is said that it can be used for a total of 30 hours when recharged in the charging case, which is an improvement from the 2nd generation AirPods which stated that 'battery life is 5 hours, recharging in the case is 24 hours or more'. The charging case is also compatible with wireless charging and MagSafe.

◆ Price
The price is 129 dollars (about 15,000 yen) for the 2nd generation AirPods, 249 dollars (about 28,000 yen) for the AirPods Pro, and 179 dollars (about 20,000 yen) for the 3rd generation AirPods. ..

◆ Summary
CNBC states that it is 'the best option for most people', but basically the 3rd generation AirPods are a product that is fully integrated into Apple's ecosystem, so if you want to get an AirPods Pro or AirPods Max It seems that it is a 'buy' for Apple users excluding. The Verge said there are other options for better-sounding earphones, but nonetheless, the 'seamless experience with the iPhone' is unique to 3rd generation AirPods.

In addition, the 3rd generation AirPods can be purchased at Amazon for 22,838 yen at the time of article creation.

Amazon.co.jp: 2021 AirPods (3rd generation): Home appliances & cameras

in Hardware, Posted by darkhorse_log