AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4 serve different users with different priorities.
Design
Pro 3: In-ear design with silicone tips sealing into ear canal. AirPods 4: Open-ear design resting in ear without entering canal. Two versions available (standard and with ANC).
Noise Cancellation
Pro 3: Best-in-class ANC, 4x better than original Pro. AirPods 4 with ANC: Decent for open design. AirPods 4 standard: None.
Sound
Pro 3: Fuller bass, more immersive sound from ear canal seal. AirPods 4: More natural, airy sound. Some prefer this for podcasts and calls.
Pro 3 Exclusives
- Heart rate tracking
- FDA-cleared hearing aid functionality
- Conversation Boost
- IP57 water resistance (vs IP54)
- Foam-infused tips in 5 sizes
Shared Features
- H2 chip
- Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking
- Live Translation (iPhone 15 Pro+ required)
- Adaptive Audio
- USB-C charging
Battery
Pro 3: Up to 10 hours (transparency) / 8 hours (ANC) AirPods 4: Up to 5 hours
Pricing
- Pro 3:
- AirPods 4 with ANC:
- AirPods 4 standard:
Recommendations
Pro 3: Workouts, commuting, travel, premium audio, health features. AirPods 4: If in-ear tips are uncomfortable, primarily for calls/podcasts, or budget-conscious.
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How we researched this
Where this comes from: this answer draws on the product's published specifications and the reviews ShopSavvy collected for it, alongside prices from 1 retailer in ShopSavvy's price data, most recently seen Oct 16, 2026.
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