Apple AirPods Pro (1. generation) with Wireless charging case (2019)

These essentially are a perfect complement if you have an iPhone and even the Apple Watch. The H1 chip makes pairing absolutely effortless. Open the charging case and your phone detects them immediately. That’s what will lure many iPhone users towards any Airpods is the the convenience factor and that so called Apple ecosystem where everything works so seamlessly together. Sound quality is well balanced within the highs and mids with good separation of the instruments. It’s not heavy on bass if that’s your thing. What makes the sound great at least over the wired EarPods is how they generate a much better seal so you’re able to immerse more with your music. I’ve found having ANC on or off made no real difference to the quality in audio but I think this will be different for each person. I usually keep ANC on because it’s not that much of a drain on the battery with it activated. ANC itself is very good for a set of earbuds. You do notice how it drowns out any background noise. In my testing I found them to be as good as my Sony WH-1000MX3 though I’m sure on a plane the headphones would do a much better job. Comfort is surprisingly quite amazing. Usually when company’s flaunt a feature I’m dubious (like their ear fit test) but the way this has been designed to let air pass through the ear canal does make these very comfortable. That is provided that fit your ears because everyone is different. For me they were an excellent fit and I usually struggle with any ear phone/bud design. I can easily have these in my ears for 5 hours and would not suffer from ear fatigue. Because they are IPX4 water resistant I have used these for running and cycling. Running is great and this is again down to the little ear fatigue. I’m not going to use these whilst on a long run as I’d rather refrain from sweating buckets all over them so unfortunately cannot say how good of a fit they are when sweat does drip down to your ears. Cycling with these are ok. Problem is you hear a lot of the wind going at certain speeds so it’s not all that ideal but will do the job. Battery life with noise cancellation I’ve averaged around 5 hours which is pretty good for a small device with ANC on. Transparency mode is solid if you need to hear your own voice but that’s about it. I tried using this when speaking to someone at the counter and couldn’t hear him so ended up taking them out. I would probably need to do more testing with TM though. One last thing that’s really good is how the ear tips have a mesh at the bottom which is really smart as this stops any of that unwanted ear wax/gunk from landing onto the speakers themselves. This is a nice touch and something that I think all ear tips should have. It can’t be all good though so here are some minor annoyances I’ve noticed. First is definitely not being able to control the volume. It’s been like that since the first AirPods but surely this can easily be implemented. A lot of tech reviewers believe it’s because Apple want you to use Siri and if that’s the case that’s just plain stupid. If you have an Apple Watch then sure it’s manageable but if you go for a run then for some people it’s just easier if the volume was available to control on the device. Next is definitely customisation both from controls and sound. Sound is great as alluded to but it would be nice to tweak the settings to fine tune to my own particular tastes. Not being able to adjust what each press does it a bit of a letdown. There’s 2 buds which should mean plenty of options but the fact they both the left and right so the exact same thing is a missed opportunity. The only thing you can change is the long press between Siri and ANC/TM. I personally would prefer to have the left earbud go back a track when double tapping and the right earbud skip forward then having both of them do the same thing. I’ve only recently noticed this but I don’t believe there’s anyway to check the battery percentage without checking on your phone. It does make a small chiming noise when it’s down to 10% but would be nice if I can see how much there is by pressing one of the stems. Overall these are great wireless earbuds and I would recommend to anyone with an iPhone. You can use these for android but then there are better earbuds on the market since you lose a few features. The minor annoyances do not outweigh the benefits and this is one of Apples finer products. The only thing is if you buy it, you’ll find yourself more sucked into that ecosystem...

For anyone who knows the headphone market they know how good the AirPods Pro are. True wireless earphones have been very hit and miss, and one of the best thing Apple does with these headphones is to not drop the ball in any area. Sound quality, fit, comfort, battery life, noise cancellation, microphone and quality, ease of use, water and sweat resistance, portability, and built quality are all good to excellent. Most true wireless earphones are let down on one of these categories. These are one of the first true great all rounders, particular in the category of true wireless headphones that prioritise noise cancellation, call quality, connection and portability over other areas, noticeably sound quality (and, admittedly, price). The AirPods Pro won’t blow you away with sound quality, although they will still sound good to most people who aren’t too discerning about audio quality. They aren’t for bass-heads, they prioritise clearer audio, particularly vocals and voices for calls, videos, podcasts and other things such as acoustic music, which they do very well with. If you want big sound and like bass heavy thump thump music, don’t get these. So their good quality and all-rounded nature is why the have the price tag they do. Whether your prepared to pay for it depends on a) your budget and b) your intended usage. If you want headphones to wear to make lots of business calls on (and especially if you have an iPhone) then these are fantastic for that. If you want headPhones you can pop in and out of your ears as you’re travelling across the city, dampening some of those city noises and helping you listen to your podcasts, videos, and music to pass the time (without wanting to have a dedicated music listening session) then these are fantastic for that. If you’re new to the world of wireless headphones, then these might be perfect for you if budget and the best sound quality aren’t big factors. You’ll enjoy a seamless experience. However if budget is a big factor, or you won’t be using them very often, then they’re probably not great value for money for you. Again, if you want big bassy thump thump music don’t expect to get these in true wireless earphones. The best you’ll find is the Jabra elite also elite active) 75t. I own those too, and they’re a great alternative to the AirPods if you want to do more listening to music and are less concerned with active noise cancellation to help you block out daily sounds as you listen to your podcasts, audiobooks, videos etc. Personally, I bought these because of the microphone quality, ease of connection with iPhone, noise cancellation, and comfort, I wanted a pair I could leave in for hours at a time whilst at work, reducing the sounds of the office with active noise cancellation and allowing me to play some soothing background music to help me focus, whilst also giving me the option to make and receive high quality business or personal phone calls with ease. They’re also great if you just want to quickly put your earphones in to watch a video without distributing those around you - no fiddly wires to untangle, just grab them from your pocket, flip the case lid and pop them in. Boom, connected. Start watching. It’s worth saying here there are other options beyond true wireless earphones too. One hybrid method for better sound quality, call quality, and also cheaper is to use wired headphones (either in ear or over ear depending on your preference) with a Wireless Bluetooth Receiver. I also own this option, using soundmagic E10s earphones (about £40) which have fantastic sound quality for in-ears with a FiiO Bluetooth headphones amplifier/adaptor (£30-50 depending on model). Simply plug your wired headphones into the Bluetooth receiver and then connect to the receiver with your phone like you would Bluetooth headphones. You don’t go truly wireless, but you cut the cord between your phone and the headphones, which for me is the most important thing because then you just pop the receiver in your pocket (and run the cable under your jumper if you like) and continue using your phone without any wires attached. It’s not the ‘true wireless’ experience but for £50-£100 you’ll have a better sounding, more durable, cheaper option (albeit without active noise cancellation, which is okay on true wireless earphones but not game changing). Other people will prefer over ear headphones as you can get better sound quality and more effective noise cancelling for less money. Personally I find them too clunky. I think I’ll do a hybrid approach. I’ll use the AirPods Pro for work, calls, and convenience. But I’ll use my hybrid semi-wireless option when I want better sound quality but still don’t want to disturb others (eg listening to music in my bedroom). So, as mentioned in the title, what these little amazing pieces of technology do, they do very well. But I thoroughly urge you to consider why you’re buying headphones in the first place so you can identify the option that is best suited to you (as there are many) and that you don’t just get caught up in the AirPods hype. If on the other hand you don’t really care so much (in that case you’re probably not reading this review) and just want good quality wireless earphones and have a decent budget then buy these and forget about everything else.

Sound Quality: These don't sound bad by any means. I will say that, the wired earbuds do sound better. Yes they might not have the special features like: 'Spatial Audio', 'Noise Cancellation', & the 'Transparency mode' but, they do sound a little better as far as bass goes. Like I said, they do have nice bass and I'm not saying that they sound bad, because they don't. I'm very judgy when it comes to sound quality and I do like things with a lot of bass so, take that with a pinch of salt. They also have around the same loudness as the normal wired earbuds. If not, maybe the Airpods are a little louder. Special Features: The noise cancellation is amazing! I was blown away with these. I use the 'Sennheiser GSP 300' when I'm using my PC. They have noise cancellation, but these are way, way better. I can still hear the fans on my PC when using those headphones (with no sound playing through them) but, with the Airpods Pro's, I couldn't hear them at all. When outside with these and the noise cancellation is enabled, it does cut out a lot of the sound. You still hear the higher pitched sounds, but it cancells out most things. I've heard on reviews that others say that the noise cancellation isn't anywhere near as good as what is offered on a top of the range pair of headphones. I've not been able to compair that as I don't own a high end pair of headphones, so I can't comment. I just thought I'd point that out just in case people were expecting the noise cancellation to block out every little sound. The transparency mode works like a charm! When enabled, it sounds like you have nothing in your ears, it just sounds like how it would without them in. I've not tried the 'Spatial Audio'. I have however heard that it is very immersive Staying In My Ears: These Airpods stay in my ears a lot longer than the normal wired earbuds ever did. When working out, the wired earbuds would slide out a little and sometimes fall out which was frustrating. Due to the new design of these Airpods Pro's with the new silicone ear tips, they don't even slide out my ears to the point where I'd lose sound quality and/or fall out as much. The only time that of these Airpods did fall out of my ears is when doing pushups, it's always the left one. The right Airpod doesn't move, Weird, I know. Don't let that put you off though, that's just something to do with my ears. Other than that, doing any other workout/general everyday use such as walking around, sitting and listening to music, they've never fallen out. Bluetooth Connection: I've not had any connection issues with these Airpods. If you were worrying about these disconnecting a lot/having your music, movie, video play through your phone/connected device randomly, don't. Even if they did lose connection from your phone, the sound would pause if the connection was lost anyway. (On YouTube at least). Overall: I think that these Airpods are great and anyone who does purchase, won't be disappointed. The special features such as the transparency and the noise cancellation modes are brilliant! They're really nice for listening to music on full blast. They won't slide out of your ears, and they're comfortable. I'm happy with my purchase and don't have anything to complain about. Great product!

Price: As with most purchasers, the price of these seems so outrageously expensive that I didn't consider these for a long, long time. Like with many Apple products, it seems difficult to justify the price tag. Like many other Apple products often do, the AirPods Pro will probably win you over. Sound quality: Definitely NOT stellar for the audiophile. Naturally, while far superior to all the 'cheap' (<£50) earphones, these do not compare with a high end over-ear headphone. This is expected, but the sound quality won't blow you away. Noise cancellation/isolation: Excellent. The hum of an airconditioner, whir of a computer fan or the rumble of distant traffic is effectively muted with noise cancellation mode. Transparency mode might be good in an otherwise relatively quiet setting, but in a vaguely noisy environment, you'll find you're not using this mode. Microphone: Good. This was my biggest concern and primary reason for purchase. Previous earphones were totally unusable for phone calls but one individual remarked that the sound quality was so good that it beats directly using the phone microphone. After probably 24 hours of call time, nobody has commented on poor quality/volume. The microphone is a winner. Running/comfort: They stay in. They barely feel loose after a long run, although I do find myself adjusting them once every 10 minutes. Easy to wear for at least 1-2 hours at a time. Interface and Connectivity: Exceptional. Apple's habit of making products 'just work' pays off once again. Open the lid, put them in your ear and they're paired. Take them out and music pauses. Never any need to press any buttons to switch them on. Never does one pair but the other fail (happens with cheap alternatives). Battery life is good. It still hurts to have dropped over £200 on earphones, but they are head and shoulders above any other earphones I've tried (I haven't tried the Jabra Elite 75t) but I have no desire to, given how well these work with an iPhone. No regrets and would definitely recommend these.

I have put off on ordering new earphones mainly due to price. Don't wear Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones in bed, the pillowing will burst rendering them practically useless. I bought a MacBook Pro 13 Inch 256GB in the pandemic (Which I Love) have an iPhone 11 Pro 256GB, iPad Mini 5 256 GB and finally bought these for what a considered a reasonable price (Between £150-£180) I resent having spent so much money on one companies products but the results speak for themselves. The Earphones themselves are a little bit fiddly and I have already dropped one of them a couple of times. As I listen to Podcasts at work and have multiple individuals approaching me continuously being able to Hold down the "Force Sensor" on the stem is a genuinely useful feature although I personally can't tell the difference between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. I have just listened to Metallica St Anger, Marilyn Manson Fight Song, Slipknot Left Behind, Limp Bizkit Golden Cobra, Korn Falling Away From Me and finished it off with Rage Against The Machine Bulls On Parade and at around 75-80% Volume and I would be hard pressed to say I have ever heard these songs sound better, top notch sound. I haven't used them whilst out running yet so it remains to be seen how sweat and water resistant they are. I would be personally interested to see whether the promise of a 5 minute charge gives you an hour of listening time. If you believe Apples Official Shiny Propaganda these Ear Pods are the second coming of Christ and if they have even half of the technology in them that is promised they are an exceptional product and I hate myself for genuinely thinking every product (at least the ones I have purchased) are near faultless. They are turned on all the time, I've never had a product break or have a poor battery life and they work straight out of the box. So much for me no longer purchasing products Made In China. Also please listen to Prodigy-Spitfire, your ears will thank you. In conclusion, yes they are good, very good. Also just click on Bluetooth and connection is near flawless to multiple different products also when making a phone call and you press on speaker it gives you the option to take the call through the Ear Pods. Highly recommended.

Ok. So I’ve upgraded from the original AirPods to the AirPods Pro and, to be honest, these are kind of a mixed bag. I can recommend them, but I’ve some caveats. Let me explain. First: the fit. Coming from the original AirPods (that I loved) I found that these are a little more invasive in the ear, which I thoroughly expected. It’s not that they’re uncomfortable, far from it, but you will notice that ‘in-ear’ sensation a lot more with the pros. Now, that could be a little irritating after a few hours though if you’re pushing them in and out a few times a day that probably won’t be an issue. For working out you’re sorted. The fit is firm and stable. They won’t fall out easily at all. On another note, I’ve found that the caps can pop inside out when you remove the buds but that’s easily resolved. Next: the sound. Compared to the original AirPods, the pros are, well, kind of uninspiring. Yes, they actually sound better, in a ‘studio monitor’ kind of way, but if you’re expecting earth shattering bass you’ll be sorely disappointed. The pros lack any real deep down grunt. Not that the original AirPods had tons of bass, they don’t, they just felt a little more bassy. Yes, the bass is there in the pros but it’s impossible to tune it exactly to your liking. I’ve tried the sound test available through my iPhone and setting iTunes EQ to ‘Rock’ (best I’ve found) yet I simply cannot get the low rumbles I’m looking for from these. Another annoying thing that Apple have recently introduced is sound check which lowers the volume on your buds automatically if your phone deems you’ve been a naughty boy and been listening to far too much loud music. C’mon Apple, we’re big boys now and don’t need this kind of intrusive crap forced on us. If I want volume I’ll take the chance on damage to my hearing. That’s my choice, not yours! Anyway, what the pros need (and iPhone) is a better user EQ system with full spectrum equaliser adjustments so I can get the sound and volume I want from these buds. Shouldn’t be that difficult? Apart from this, the buds sound really good, not mind blowingly fantastic, just good. Clean, detailed and accurate. Yet that could be a dealbreaker for some, especially dance music or metal fans. The pros lack attack. These are much more suitable for pop, folk, jazz, podcasts and classical listening. Maybe if Apple will forget about volume limitation and give us a great EQ app for these then that would change. Now: the other features. Noise cancellation. It’s a nice feature. I thought it wasn’t working as I could hear my tv, people talking and other sounds UNTIL I took a walk beside a busy road. Yes, they actually defeat road noise! It’s the low drone of traffic that simply disappeared. The effect is good enough. Nice. As for transparency mode.. it’s handy to have, especially when shopping or in an environment that you’ll need to pay attention to announcements, say like an airport or train station etc. I’ve not been able to test the surround sound capability of the buds as yet, so the jury’s out for now on that. In conclusion, these buds are very good, not life changing or mind blowing, but very good. It depends on what you’re expecting from them. No doubt the features such as noise cancellation and everyday stuff like taking and making phone calls are so handy but if you love bass and volume, these may not inspire. If you value sound accuracy and detail over huge bass then I doubt you’ll be disappointed. We just need that EQ and volume bump Apple!

I really love these headphones for every day use. They're small and convenient to carry around, they're quick to pair and unpair, and have great in-ear detection to autopause your music when removed. The case is simple, with a USB C or wireless charging capacity, a battery and charging indicator LED, and a useful feature that shows the battery of the case and buds when it is opened near your phone. The buds have really simple but effective inputs that can be easily configured. The defaults are single press for pause, double for skip, triple for backwards, and hold to change between transparency and noise cancelling modes. The buttons are light to press, but provide a satifying affirmative clicking feel when pressed. I much prefer the physical squeeze required rather than the side taps that my old Galaxy Buds Live had, this is because it is impossible to accidentally tap or tap too many times due to poor tap detection. The buds sport three unique modes for listening, alongside just plain output. -Active Noise Cancelling. This does a great job at blocking out background noise, and combined with the silicone ear tips allows a great fit, for passive noise cancelling. -Transparency Mode. This mode passes in noise from the outside, allowing better listening for traffic, conversations with the buds still in, and just listening to the outside world with music at the same time. I honestly can't believe how good this mode is at letting through everything at a sensible level, I can hear my footsteps as I walk, and the birds in the trees, but I can also hear traffic, all at the same time as my music. It is so well balanced, so I finally understand how Airpod users are having a conversation and forget they still have them in. -Spatial Audio. This mode makes it so that the audio is played through the buds corresponding to the direction you're facing from your device. This means that if your left bud is faced away from the device it will be quieter than the right bud faced towards the device. This mode is a cool gimmick that I suppose may be useful to get a more immersive film viewing experience. Overall the product is high quality, with great features.

Out of all the apple products I own these have really solved a problem for me and I’m glad the price is more reasonable than apple store at £250 although I still wouldn’t be disappointed if I paid that. I have a pair of Beoplay H4’s (over ear headphones) and really happy with them but but with these AirPods Pro now I expect the H4’s are going to stay home 99% of the time I go for a walk. The case is so small it fits in the tiny Jean pocket you traditionally have that never gets used so if I’m honest they don’t take hardly any room. But what I love the most is how quickly the connect to the iPhone as soon as you take them out and put them in your ear, it’s so seamless. Sound quality is great not excellent and if you have Apple Music and switch on spatial Audio they sound much more immersive. Noise cancelling is gold standard for such a small device, even if you don’t want to listen to any music and your in a distractive environment you can put these in and it will cancel out noise while allowing you to focus, awesome for working from home when others are around. Transparency mode is good, example if you are watching tv in bed but your partner is asleep but you can’t connect your AirPods to the tv via Bluetooth then you can put the volume down on the tv and use transparency mode to hear the tv better. Quality using them through phone calls is very good and again if you get AirPods out whilst on the phone it connects to them quickly with you not having to anything to switch them over. I know a few of these problems can be solved with cheaper products but it in terms of size, sound quality, build quality, features and if you have an iPhone or other apple products it’s one of the best products you can buy. I doubt you would be disappointed ☺️