Apple AirPods Pro (2019) Review

Apple AirPods Pro (2019) Review

two minute review

The Apple AirPods Pro (2019) are Apple's premium wireless earphones and are among the best Apple earphones. Unlike Apple's new AirPods 3, they offer active noise cancellation, making them a good choice for the best noise-canceling headphones. They also have an improved design compared to the original AirPods.

In September 2022, Apple released the long-awaited update to these original AirPods Pro (2019), AirPods Pro 2. These latest headphones offer significant improvements in features and audio performance.

However, the Pro headphones we're reviewing here are still worth the money and remain one of the best Apple headphones you can buy today, and also make our list of the best headphones overall, especially if you already own a lot of Apple products. Apple like these. it will work fine with them.

Even though you can now pick up the Pro 2, the original Apple AirPods Pro (2019) are an even more attractive proposition than at launch thanks to improvements that came as part of the iOS and macOS updates, with the biggest and influential. . being the addition of Spatial Audio, which works with Dolby Atmos movies and music to make it sound like you're surrounded by real speakers, rather than having sound in your ears. For movies in particular, it's a real game changer - watching with other headphones just feels flat afterwards.

There are many things to like about Apple AirPods Pro (2019), but the price will be a deterrent for many people. At $249 / £249 / AU$399, they're pricey. For that reason, we can't call them the best wireless headphones available right now, although they do come close.

But if you're an iPhone user looking for well-fitting wireless earphones with excellent sound quality, this is a good choice, and one of our top picks for the best wireless earphones. AirPods Pro (2019)'s redesign over the original AirPods means they're far less likely to be dropped than their predecessors, and the additional microphones that have been built into the Pro version now also offer strong noise cancellation (especially when moving around). ). as a useful transparency mode, allowing you to hear the outside world perfectly.

But while the fit may be better than the original AirPods, you'll have to get used to controlling them with the capacitive touch ridge you'll find on each stem. We found it can take some getting used to though, but it's a great way to quickly engage noise cancellation and skip tracks once it becomes second nature.

There's so much "Apple-ness" to the AirPods Pro (2019). From the initial setup, where the true wireless earbuds scan your ears to check for a good fit, to the fact that there's a small vent for putting them on or taking them off, a more comfortable experience. In short, fans of Apple's philosophy, clean design, and exceptionally user-friendly design experience will be delighted with their purchase here.

smiling man with AirPods Pro

The AirPods Pro (2019) offer a much better fit than the 2019 AirPods. (Image credit: TechRadar)

While we enjoyed our experience with the original AirPods, the sound quality of the AirPods Pro (2019) has certainly improved. The focus is on vocals and bass, meaning these headphones are better for pop fans than those who appreciate a more natural presentation that lends itself to classical music or more orchestral sounds.

Key specs

Acoustic Design: Closed

Weight: 5,4 g

Frequency Response: 20-20Hz

Drivers: Dynamic

Battery life: 5 hours (headphones) 24 hours (charging case)

Additional Features: Spatial Audio, ANC, Find My, Transparency Mode

Battery life is high for Apple headphones. However, that's not very good compared to the eight or even nine hours offered by other true wireless earphones. During our tests we found the advertised four to five hours on a single charge to be accurate, although we recommend charging the case regularly (a wireless charger is a great handy way to do this) as you may be surprised when the case suddenly goes flat. runs out of juice.

If you want some of the best headphones made by Apple, the AirPods Pro (2019) are the culmination of many years of work on a powerful audio product. There are better true wireless earbuds out there and now a new version of the AirPods Pro 2 to consider, but for Apple fans and iPhone users (with the means to afford them) they're a great option. Read on for our full AirPods Pro (2019) review.

AirPods Pro (2019): release date and price

a close up of AirPods Pro (2019) taken out of their case

(Image credit: future)

The AirPods Pro (2019) release date was October 30, 2019 worldwide, and you can buy them from Apple and other retailers.

The important thing to note here is that they are not a replacement for the 2019 AirPods model and this is reflected in the AirPods Pro (2019) price.

You can buy the AirPods Pro (2019) for $249 / $249 / AU$399, which is a big increase over the $159 / $159 / AU$249 2019 AirPods (with the standard charging case), and even the $199 / £199 / AU$319 with the included AirPods wireless charging case. AirPods Pro deals are often available, but don't expect big price cuts.

Is it still too expensive? A cheaper AirPods Pro model is said to be on the cards; The AirPods Pro Lite could be an entry-level version of noise-cancelling headphones, though a release date is still elusive.

While not the cheapest model some were hoping for, Apple has released the latest version of the Pro earbuds, the AirPods Pro 2. So how do they compare on price? Well, if you're looking to get the AirPods Pro 2, you'll pay $249 / £249 / AU$399. The same price as the original Pro earphones we're reviewing here (except in the UK, where there's a $10 markup).

The important thing to keep in mind if you're weighing up between AirPods Pro (2019) and AirPods Pro 2 is that the older model is still on sale these days at non-Apple retailers, so while both are available, the new version is more expensive, in fact.

AirPods Pro (2019): Settings

Apple AirPods Pro eartips fit test on a smartphone

AirPods Pro (2019) make sure you get the perfect fit with a smart app. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Like many other Apple devices, AirPods Pro (2019) instantly connect to your iPhone or iPad; just open the case to get started.

Well, we're saying "simply": you'll need to make sure iOS 13.2 or higher is downloaded on your device so that you get, in Apple's words, "all the advanced features" on offer. We think these are the new icons for AirPods Pro, as well as the ability to control transparency and noise cancellation right from the control center.

Once activated, AirPods Pro will automatically pair with your phone and all Apple devices linked to your iCloud account (including Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac), so you don't have to keep connecting your new headphones to your other Apple devices.

Once you're there, go into your Bluetooth settings to assess your fit, checking to see if the earbud tips you've chosen (either small, medium, or large; medium is the default) create the correct seal.

Achieving a tight seal against the ear canal is an important aspect of the overall sound quality of headphones and helps create physical sound isolation and passive noise reduction; In a perfect world, no sound enters and no sound escapes.

This is achieved by playing a short piece of music, with the AirPods Pro microphones internally evaluating whether it sounds as it should; if you're like most people and it suits you, you're given a green light (or green lettering, to be more precise).

This writer's ears are terrible at dropping most types of earphones, and we got a good fit right out of the box, feeling the AirPods Pro weren't at risk of slipping out of the old head holes easily; in the world of headphones, we call it a plus.

Playing around with the fit and letting them dangle freely proved that the AirPods Pro are capable of knowing when sound is leaking: another friend of ours who used the new AirPods for the first time found that Apple suggested a bigger button, so the seal was fine.

a close up of AirPods Pro in someone's ear

The AirPods Pro (2019) are more compact than their predecessors. (Image credit: Future)

Switching between tips in the box is, again, very Apple: whether that's a positive or a negative depends on how you feel about the company. Instead of a silicone swab that you have to insert or remove from a small rod, these simply snap into place.

This allows the AirPods Pro to have a more compact design and makes their setup more premium... but at £4 each, they're not exactly cheap to replace. And while you can easily grab new silicone tips for standard earbuds, installing them on the new AirPods isn't quite as easy thanks to the little clips, rather than simply moving the silicone over a stem.

Putting on and taking off the ear tips, however, is very tedious: they don't come off instantly and require a bit of force to remove. However, the system seems robust and once you get the confidence to do it, it's pretty easy, and it's not like you have to do it often.

However, you may want to remove them from time to time for cleaning, and we're still not sure how to remove the bud and put it back on the stem without fear of breaking something.

AirPods Pro (2019): design and use

a close up of an AirPods Pro earphone

(Image credit: LaComparacion)

The first thing we noticed in our early tests was that the AirPods Pro (2019) are lightweight: they're so light that once you put them in your ears, it's hard to tell they're really there. So what...

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