At the same time as the new iPhone 17 has been announced, Apple has just launched the AirPods Pro 3, its most advanced wireless headphones to date. After testing them these first few days, we've noted the main improvements that truly justify paying the $249 they cost, as well as features that are being talked about but aren't really that necessary.

Features of the Apple AirPods Pro 3 that do justify buying them

1. Improved Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

Of course, the new headphones cancel out outside noise. The AirPods Pro already did that from the first version. Even the "normal" AirPods. But the truth is that the ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) of the AirPods Pro 3 is considerably better than that of the Pro 2. Those looking for more silence will notice the difference.

2. Built-in heart rate sensor

For athletes or simply those looking to measure their physical activity, the new AirPods Pro 3 are capable of recording heart rate and calories even if you don't have an Apple Watch. But if you have it, the information will be taken from both gadgets for a more accurate measurement. In any case, it's an improvement for those who use the Apple Fitness app on the iPhone. The new AirPods can record 50 different types of physical activities. 3. AirPods Pro 3 fit better. It seems like a minor issue, but the new headphones come with five sizes of ear tips to fit more types of ears. In addition, Apple assures that it has modified the design to improve the fit. The fear we all have of dropping an earphone on the street and going through a gap isn't going to disappear completely. But the tighter they are, the more difficult it is for them to come loose. On the other hand, a good seal is essential for correct heart rate measurement. 4. The sound has been improved. Gadgets today come with so many possibilities that sometimes we forget their main function. In the case of headphones, obviously,It's essential that the sound is heard at its best. And the AirPods Pro 3 live up to expectations. The sound quality is excellent and also adapts to different situations. For example, if it identifies conversations—like in a podcast—it makes the voices stand out from the rest of the sounds. Also when listening to music, the "spatial" audio is even more immersive and the bass deeper. All in all, the sound was already very good in the previous model.

Features that don't justify buying the AirPods Pro 3

1. Live Translation

Although it's perhaps the most striking and most talked-about new feature these days, the truth is that the ability to translate the language you're listening to shouldn't be the main reason to buy the Pro 3. Why? Because it's actually an Apple Intelligence capability also accessible with the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC. Furthermore, for now, translation is limited to English, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese. Spanish has a Spanish accent, and Portuguese has a Brazilian accent.

2. Improved battery life

Yes, AirPods 3 last longer on a single charge. Up to 8 hours of music playback with noise cancellation on and 10 hours in transparency mode. But does anyone really need that many hours straight? The charging case on previous models has as much or more capacity than the new one. The truth is, I've personally never had any issues with AirPods' short battery life.

In short, if you're an Apple user and have an iPhone, you need AirPods. If you don't have them yet, invest in AirPods 3. You won't regret it. But if you already have AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 4 with ANC, you can save the expense.