Technologies
Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods 3: The Biggest Differences
Active noise cancellation is the biggest benefit you’ll get from buying the AirPods Pro 2 over the AirPods 3.
If you’re trying to decide between Apple’s AirPods 3 and its AirPods Pro 2, the biggest questions are whether you want active noise cancellation in a noise-isolating design or open earbuds that don’t require you to jam silicone ear tips into your ears. Yes, there’s a price difference — the AirPods Pro 2 sell for about $200 online while the AirPods 3 cost about $150. But with only about $50 separating the two AirPods models, it’s probably more important to focus on those key differences rather than dwelling too much on their price.
Apple has bridged the gap between its Pro and regular AirPods by upgrading the AirPods 3’s design — it now looks more like the Pro’s design minus the silicone ear tips — and giving it the same IPX4 splash-proof water resistance rating. Additionally, the AirPods 3, like the AirPods Pro and Pro 2, also have Apple’s spatial audio with head-tracking feature.
Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds for 2023
But there are still certain benefits you can only get on the $249 AirPods Pro 2, the biggest being active noise cancellation and transparency mode. Multiple ear tip sizes, the ability to swipe up and down to control music volume and ultra wideband support are also exclusive to the Pro 2. But noise cancellation will likely make the biggest impact in everyday use, and it’s the most important factor to consider.
AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods 3
| AirPods Pro 2 | AirPods 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (USD) | $249 | $169 (Lightning case) |
| Price (UK) | £249 | £179 (Lightning case) |
| Price (AU) | AU$399 | AU$279 (Lightning case) |
| Weight (earbuds) | 0.19 ounce | 0.15 ounce |
| Audio features | Active noise cancellation, Adaptive transparency, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking | Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking |
| Audio technology | Adaptive EQ, custom high-excursion Apple driver, custom high dynamic range amplifier, vent system for pressure equalization | Adaptive EQ, custom high-excursion Apple driver, custom high dynamic range amplifier |
| Durability | IPX4 sweat and water resistant | IPX4 sweat and water resistant |
| Charging | MagSafe or Lightning | MagSafe or Lightning (extra $10 for MagSafe case) |
| Multiple ear tips | Yes | No |
| Chip | H2 chip, U1 chip in charging case | H1 chip |
| Battery life (earbuds) | 6 hours of listening time | 6 hours of listening time |
| Battery life (case) | 30 hours of listening time | 30 hours of listening time |
| Microphones | Dual beamforming microphones; inward-facing microphone | Dual beamforming microphones; inward-facing microphone |
| Sensors | Skin detect sensor, motion detecting accelerometer, speech detecting accelerometer, touch control | Skin detect sensor, motion detecting accelerometer, speech detecting accelerometer, Force sensor |
| Controls | Hey Siri, touch controls | Hey Siri, Force sensor |
AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods 3: Design and case
The AirPods Pro 2.
The biggest difference in terms of design is that the $169 AirPods don’t have interchangeable silicone tips like the AirPods Pro 2, which include four sizes to choose from. The AirPods 3 are also lighter than the AirPods Pro 2 at 0.15 ounce (4.3 grams) versus 0.19 ounce (5.3 grams).
The AirPods 3 and new AirPods Pro share some similarities when it comes to design, although it’s very easy to tell them apart. The AirPods Pro 2’s stems, for example, are noticeably shorter than those on the AirPods 3. But both models are sweat and water resistant, which could make them more appealing than the $129 regular AirPods for those who want to wear them during exercise.
The third-generation AirPods.
The case for the AirPods 3 sort of looks like a cross between the case for the standard AirPods and that of the AirPods Pro. It’s much shorter and wider than the entry-level AirPods case, but it’s not as wide as the holster for the AirPods Pro. You can also charge the case for the AirPods 3 or the AirPods Pro via Apple’s wireless MagSafe charger, or by plugging it in with a Lightning cable. But you’ll have to pay an extra $10 to get the MagSafe wireless charging case bundled with the AirPods 3. The MagSafe-compatible case for the AirPods Pro 2 also has a lanyard loop, unlike the AirPods 3’s case.
The second-generation AirPods Pro’s case also has another capability: ultra wideband support. That essentially means the case has a built-in AirTag for easier location tracking.
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AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods 3: Audio
The AirPods Pro 2 have active noise cancellation and transparency mode.
You’ll still have to splurge on Apple’s top-of-the-line earbuds to get active noise cancellation and transparency mode. Since the second-generation AirPods Pro have Apple’s new H2 chip, they can cancel up to twice as much noise as the previous AirPods Pro, according to Apple’s claims. Transparency Mode has also gotten an upgrade on the second-generation model. The new chip can reduce loud noises from your surroundings when in Transparency Mode, which should make sounds like a passing vehicle seem less jarring.
That new H2 chip also brings improved audio to the AirPods Pro 2, further distinguishing them from the AirPods 3. As my colleague David Carnoy wrote in his review, the H2’s computational power helps the AirPods Pro process a broader range of frequencies.
You’ll also get swipe controls for managing volume levels on the AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods 3 just have Apple’s force sensors, which you can press to skip ahead, pause music or answer calls.
But both the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 3 have dynamic spatial audio and adaptive EQ. The former is essentially virtual surround sound, while the latter adjusts the sound to your ears.
AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods 3: Battery life
The AirPods 3 (pictured) and AirPods Pro 2 offer similar battery life.
Battery life is similar for both models, although there are some slight differences. Both earbuds should provide up to 6 hours of listening time, according to Apple’s claims. But you’ll get 5.5 hours of battery life when using spatial audio and head tracking on the AirPods Pro 2, while the AirPods 3 offer slightly shorter 5-hour battery life with that surround sound feature enabled. Apple also claims the AirPods Pro 2 provides 4.5 hours of talk time, while the AirPods 3 offer up to 4 hours.
The case for both earbuds should provide up to 30 hours of listening time, says Apple. But when it comes to talk time, you can expect to get 24 hours from the AirPods Pro 2’s case and 20 hours from the AirPods 3’s case. Five minutes in each case is expected to replenish around one hour of listening time or roughly 1 hour of talk time.
AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods 3: How to choose
The AirPods Pro 2 are for those who want active noise cancellation, better audio and a more customizable fit. You’ll also get some other perks, like the ability to track them down more easily should they get lost, thanks to the U1 chip. The AirPods 3 are a more suitable choice if you don’t care about noise cancellation and prefer earbuds with an open design (and yes, they cost about $50 less, so they do offer some appeal to those on tighter budgets). At the same time, the AirPods 3 still have more to offer than the AirPods 2, which lack features like water resistance, adaptive EQ and spatial audio with head-tracking.
The new AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are powered by Apple’s new H2 chip, which delivers more processing power while being more energy efficient, according to Apple. The new chip, combined with new low-distortion drivers, allows for improved sound that offers better clarity and depth. The noise canceling is also improved — Apple says the new AirPods have «double» the noise canceling of the original AirPods Pro. Additionally, the new AirPods add an extra hour of battery life, up from five to six hours with noise canceling on. Plus, a speaker in the case that emits a sound that helps locate your buds via Find My should they decide to hide from you.
Note that while Apple has discontinued the , they’ll remain on sale until supplies are exhausted. However, most people should get this newer model if they can afford it. The AirPods Pro 2 continue to see small discounts, dipping to as low as $223 during Amazon’ Early Access Prime event in October.
Take one look at the new design of the third-gen AirPods, and the first thing you’ll probably think is: «Those look like the AirPods Pro without ear tips.» You wouldn’t be wrong. While they’re more fraternal than identical twins, the AirPods 3 are shaped like the AirPods Pro, with the same shorter stems and same pinch controls as those of the Pro. Aside from the design change, which should fit most ears better than the AirPods 2nd Generation (though not very small ears), the biggest change is to the sound quality: It’s much improved. Also, battery life is better, and the AirPods 3 are officially water-resistant.
More headphone recommendations
- Best True Wireless Earbuds for 2023
- Best Back-to-School Headphones for 2023
- Best Noise-Canceling True Wireless Earbuds for 2023
- Best Wireless Earphones and Wireless Headphones for Making Calls
- Best Headphones for 2023
- Best Cheap Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones Under $100
- Best Headphones for Running in 2023
- Best Over-Ear Headphones for 2023
- Best Cheap Earbuds and Headphones
- Best Sony Headphones for 2023
- Best Apple AirPods Max Alternatives for Less: Sony, Bose, AirPods Pro and More
Technologies
Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for March 16 #743
Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for March 16, No. 743.
Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun and easy one if you love college basketball, and a certain big event that’s about to begin. Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.
I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: The Big Dance.
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Tourney time
Clue words to unlock in-game hints
Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:
- MARK, BRACK, RACK, RACKS, CADS, CRAM, MOVE, MUTE
Answers for today’s Strands puzzle
These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:
- CHALK, BUBBLE, CINDERELLA, OVERTIME, BRACKET
Today’s Strands spangram
Today’s Strands spangram is MARCHMADNESS. To find it, start with the M that’s four letters down on the far-left vertical row, and wind across.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for March 16, #1009
Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for March 16 #1009
Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle isn’t easy, but I got a kick out of the wordplay in the purple group. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.
The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.
Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Critters in a crowd.
Green group hint: Not fast.
Blue group hint: Silent letter.
Purple group hint: States, but shorter.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Animal group names.
Green group: Things associated with being slow.
Blue group: Silent «w.»
Purple group: Words that sound like state abbreviations.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is animal group names. The four answers are gaggle, pack, pod and pride.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is things associated with being slow. The four answers are glacier, molasses, sloth and traffic.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is silent «w.» The four answers are Cartwright, two, wrath and wrestle.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is words that sound like state abbreviations. The four answers are any (NE), Emmy (ME), envy (NV) and okay (OK).
Technologies
Peacock Hopes an Andy Cohen Avatar Will Keep You Hooked on Reality TV
The streaming app unveils new AI-powered features, including live NBA games in vertical format.
Peacock is adding an AI feather to its flock. The NBCUniversal property said Friday it will launch several new features to its mobile app, most notably a TikTok-like vertical video experience narrated by an AI version of TV personality Andy Cohen.
The feature, called «Your Bravoverse,» will enable app users to swipe endlessly — if they want — through a playlist of clips from their favorite Bravo shows, all narrated by the Cohen AI. The app will also stream live NBA games in a 9:16 vertical format and introduce two new mobile games.
Peacock said there will be a section for vertical video on the mobile app starting this summer, replacing the current download button in the main bottom navigation.
The new Peacock features capitalize on the AI frenzy and join the bandwagon of mobile users who have become accustomed to the vertical, swipeable nature of consuming content, such as on TikTok and Instagram.
Your host, an AI Andy Cohen
Launching this summer, Your Bravoverse will play videos in vertical format on your phone. The content library will be comprised of Bravo shows past and present, including Vanderpump Rules and the Real Housewives franchise.
AI will create playlists of clips from more than 5,000 hours of footage across the entire Bravo catalog of shows and extract stories from those shows using computer vision. The company says the goal is to «weave together complex storylines across seasons and franchises that help fans relive memorable moments or uncover new connections they may have never seen before.»
Computer vision, in concert with generative AI, is tech that can analyze thousands of hours of Peacock shows, pick out key moments and create video feeds.
Matt Strauss, Chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, called the feature a «first-of-its-kind experience» for the company — «pairing our deep Bravo library with agentic and gen AI to create a personalized experience.»
The narrator for each playlist will be an AI avatar of Andy Cohen, host of the talk show Watch What Happens Live and creator of the Real Housewives franchise. The avatar will be trained to have Cohen’s «distinctive style and voice.»
Cohen said the Bravoverse experience will be «intuitive» and «interactive.»
«If there’s one thing Bravo fans love, it’s being part of the conversation,» Cohen said in a statement. «It’s the best of AI and the best of Bravo, helping fans discover shows, dive deeper into their favorite moments, and connect with the Bravo universe like never before — all guided by me. Well, not exactly me, but a version of me!»
To create playlists, Your Bravoverse consumers will first choose their top shows and moments, then receive their own personal playlist. NBCUniversal says each playlist can have more than 600 billion possible variations. Just as on TikTok and Instagram, Bravoverse viewers will be able to swipe through videos endlessly. NBCUniversal says the playlists will be constantly refreshed.
NBCUniversal is counting on what it calls its Bravo «loyal superfans.» The company said Bravo viewers watch an average of 24 hours each month, and some people watch up to 75 episodes of shows each month.
The Your Bravoverse feature will be accessible through a dedicated Vertical Video space on the app’s home page.
Live Vertical NBA games
It seems counterintuitive to watch a sport played on a horizontal court in a vertical format on your phone. Peacock actually already unveiled the feature before, during the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 15.
During live NBA game broadcasts, AI will enable Peacock app viewers to watch the main broadcast and additional camera angles. This vertical video viewing option will reside within the Courtside Live feature, which Peacock launched during the All-Star Game.
Peacock has shown vertical video clips for sporting events since early 2025 — «a first for a streaming platform,» the company said — for NBA, NHL and the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Peacock will launch the feature this spring.
New mobile games
Peacock is also launching two new mobile games, as part of NBCUniversal’s collaboration with Wolf Games, announced in October — Law & Order: Clue Hunter and Public Eye, both mystery-solving games. The games are being created with Wolf Games’ Gen-AI gaming engine and will be launched this spring.
Peacock said it will also be introducing a new Jeopardy! mini‑game, with daily trivia rounds written by the Jeopardy!
team, which can be played in the Peacock mobile app.
In its 2025 fourth-quarter earnings report, Comcast — owner of NBCUniversal — said Peacock’s paid subscribers increased 22% year over year to 44 million, while revenue grew 23% to $1.6 billion.
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