Audio bliss on the go: Apple AirPods review

Apple's seminal AirPods have once again returned this year with an even cleaner aesthetic, a smaller pocket-sized design and a slew of new audio tech gadgets that give even some of the best headphones of the year a run for their money.

Apple's AirPods have made waves in the wireless headphone industry, with practically every earbud brand attempting to imitate the AirPod's eloquent, modern design. Almost seven years after the initial release of the first generation of AirPods, their legacy lives on.

Adopting Apple's design ethos of incremental innovation over total re-invention, the AirPods third generation isn't an entirely new experience for audiophiles to admire, but they certainly have a wealth of new and exciting improvements that are more than worth exploring.

Ditching my over-ear budget headphones, and putting aside my Bose QuietComfort earbuds, over the past month I have almost entirely substituted the AirPods 3rd generation earbuds for my go-to devices, exploring each facet of the AirPods' design, and truly getting to grips with whether or not these earbuds are worth it.

Summary review of Apple AirPods (3rd Generation): Despite a minor flaw in the case's magnetic strength, the AirPods exhibit resilience, surviving accidental drops without damage. Comfortable in-ear, the AirPods deliver awe-inspiring sound with impressive volume clarity, even in bustling environments.

Battery life is commendable, offering around six hours of music listening and quick-charging capabilities. The seamless connection to Apple devices through the H1 chip enhances user experience.

Despite a few design and performance nuances, such as distortion at higher volumes, the third-generation AirPods emerge as midrange earbud triumphs. With a stylish appearance, solid sound quality, and over thirty hours of battery life with multiple charges, they stand out in the market. The Black Friday 2023 sale makes these impressive earbuds even more enticing, offering a great opportunity to enjoy top-notch audio at a significant saving.

Build quality and design

However much money you end up spending on an Apple product, you're bound to be getting a solid level of build quality, and from the moment you open the Apple AirPods - their quality is apparent.

First-hand impressions of the AirPods third generation earbuds quickly become positive thanks to their slim design with rounded edges and a magnetic lid for instant AirPod access. This much smaller AirPods case fits perfectly snug in the pocket, without feeling remotely bulky or obtrusive.

Through some almost too thorough testing thanks to the mishaps of everyday life - my third-generation AirPods have, on occasion slipped out of reach when bumbling up the stairs or rushing for the door - an accident bound to happen for such a smooth and slippery earbud case.

Luckily, the case of the AirPods sustained no damage whatsoever, even on my particularly stony floor - but in this brief mishap I discovered one potentially cataclysmic flaw.

Upon any significant drop, the magnetic lid of the AirPods is simply too weak to withhold the earphones - and the result is that each AirPod becomes temporarily airborne, cascading across the room as if they're attempting to escape.

At home, this flaw is certainly manageable - but it did leave me wondering, what if a similar accident were to happen on a busy street or while crossing the road? You'd likely never see your precious earbuds again.

Be that as it may, the third-generation AirPods themselves are nicely designed and, despite lacking any rubber bud - are quite comfortable after some slight adjusting. Initially, I was taken aback by just how tough and ache-inducing the AirPods felt in the ear, my mind wandered to the early Apple Earphones released with the iPod in the early 2000s, rounded and designed to fit a non-humanoid ear.

But after some quick rotation, you quickly find the sweet spot in your ear, and once firmly locked in - you're ready to experience the true sound of the AirPods, in their surprisingly comfortable glory.

Sound and performance

Precise and punchy, the sound of the third-generation AirPods is awe-inspiring for their price. An almost impossible amount of volume clarity for such a tiny design, Apple's AirPods deliver utterly spine-chilling sound in droves, no matter what you're listening to.

Clean and tonally balanced even at monumental volumes, despite lacking any form of noise-cancelling or isolation, I have adorned my AirPods in practically every busy environment you could possibly imagine; bustling trains, heaving gyms and in shoulder-to-shoulder gridlock at the supermarket - Apple's AirPods don't struggle for a second in blocking out these bothersome background sounds.

With a taste as eclectic as my own, it's sincerely difficult to decide on a track that I can soundly say is revolutionary when listened to on Apple's AirPods - but after careful consideration, I'd be foolish not to recommend that you check out The Bewlay Brothers by David Bowie, the final song on the seminal, Hunky Dory (1971).

Opening with the soft creaking of a chair, the sparking of a match and a subtle drag of a cigarette, AirPod listeners are welcomed into a warm, folktale-esque atmosphere assisted by the gorgeous, mellow sound of a piano and a comforting guitar, contrasted only by the absurdity of Bowie's lyrics.

Lulled into The Bewlay Brothers' warm arms, suddenly there bursts a miasma of electric and acoustic guitar, complete with the most alluring bassline, in an utterly singular sound that is captured in solid detail by the AirPods. A searingly loud acoustic guitar bubbles to the surface, climbing with purpose - and by this point my hair is raised in awe.

As for clarity, the AirPods remain impressive for their price when considering clarity, but at higher volumes, there is without question a degree of distortion - with muddling bass and a lighter soundstage that I've become accustomed to with my other earbuds and headphones.

New to the third generation of Apple AirPods is a particularly nifty, yet gimmicky feature that creates quite a clever artificial soundstage, altering the direction of sound from the AirPods to produce an almost 3D sound environment. The setup of Apple's spatial sound is simple and quite remarkable to experience, but otherwise quite useless for the average user.

In our testing of battery life - the AirPods manage to offer about six hours of music listening, which is particularly impressive for its size. I've also personally found them to be particularly quick-charging - which is perfect for those like myself who often neglect to charge their headphones.

Connecting to my iPhone 12, in large part thanks to the AirPods' new H1 chip, is perhaps the most instant I've personally ever experienced. Once you've paired your Bluetooth with your Apple device, it's a simple matter of opening your case, and you've already connected - no more faff.

Any downsides?

Despite just how excellent the AirPods are for their low price, they're certainly not perfect. For one, there's certainly a problem with the strength of the case's magnet, it's simply too weak - and for someone under the constant fear of losing an earbud while on the go, it just doesn't feel secure enough for me.

Comparing it to the case of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, for example, which uses a sturdy clip to keep each earbud firmly locked away, I personally would much prefer a button at the cost of a slightly clunkier aesthetic.

The overall sound of the AirPods is, for their price - pretty phenomenal. Paired with Apple's ultra-smart technology that actively equalises and adapts sound based on your environment, you truly get your money's worth with sound - but that isn't to say it's perfect.

Listening to sounds at full volume (which can be incredibly loud and disturbing to others if you're in public) can cause some minor distortion. As someone who simply appreciates a massive amount of volume, I cannot compliment the sheer power of the third-generation AirPods, but for those looking for total audio precision, you aren't going to get it here.

Verdict

The third-generation Apple AirPods are a triumph of midrange earbuds - Apple has created a truly wonderful earbud experience that doesn't lack for bass, volume or balance.

Despite some rough edges when it comes to design, as well as some performance issues at higher volumes, the Apple AirPods are wonderful earphones that not only sound great but look great too.

Offering excellent volume and over thirty hours of battery life with multiple charges, there's no denying quite how solid the AirPods really are, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a pair if you need something to block out the sounds of a city, or to soothe your soul after a hard day's work.

Other options to consider:

How we tested the AirPods

I tested the third-generation AirPods by substituting them with my regular earphones, using them wherever I went - to the gym, on the bus, and while working - I used them everywhere for over a month to fully get to grips with them.

I explored all aspects of the AirPods to ensure I could write a thorough, balanced review - looking at battery life, build quality, design and overall sound quality to formulate a fair review.

Ryan is a tech writer and reviewer for What's The Best, specialising in PCs and gaming. He is a keen PC gamer and an avid reader.

Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the rest of the What’s The Best team.