AirPods Pro 3
H2 chip · IP57 · 8 h ANC
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black
H3 · Adaptive ANC · Real-time translation
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, AirPods Pro 3 lands at 92 and AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black at 94. That puts AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick AirPods Pro 3 if…
- ✓Up to 8 hours ANC on a single charge
- ✓IP57 dust + water resistance
- ✓MagSafe, Qi, Apple Watch + USB-C charging
Pick AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black if…
- ✓H3 chip doubles ANC performance
- ✓Real-time Live Translate
- ✓Improved fit/heart-rate sensor
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testFeatures
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight BlackCompared on the features sub-score
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black leads on features (98 vs 96).
Noise cancelling
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight BlackCompared on the noise cancelling sub-score
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black leads on anc (96 vs 94).
Comfort
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight BlackCompared on the comfort sub-score
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black leads on comfort (94 vs 92).
Value for money
TieSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Effectively tied — similar score-per-dollar at MSRP.
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | AirPods Pro 3 | AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | Apple H2 headphone chip | H3 |
| Battery (ANC on) | Up to 8 hours | — |
| Battery (with case, ANC on) | Up to 24 hours | — |
| Microphones | Dual beamforming + inward-facing + speech-detecting accelerometer | — |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | — |
| Water rating | IP57 (case + earbuds) | IP57 |
| Charging | MagSafe / Apple Watch charger / Qi / USB-C | — |
| Battery | — | 6 h (ANC) / 35 h case |
| Connectivity | — | BT 5.4 |
| Release year | — | 2025 |
AirPods Pro 3
- +Up to 8 hours ANC on a single charge
- +IP57 dust + water resistance
- +MagSafe, Qi, Apple Watch + USB-C charging
- −Android features remain limited
- −Premium price
- −In-ear fit not for everyone
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black
- +H3 chip doubles ANC performance
- +Real-time Live Translate
- +Improved fit/heart-rate sensor
- −Pricier than AirPods Pro 3
- −Android compatibility limited
- −Battery ~6h still
FAQ: AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black
Which is better, AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black? +
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black scores 94 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is AirPods Pro 3 worth the price? +
At $249, AirPods Pro 3 delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in features.
Is AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black worth the price? +
At $279, AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black delivers a Specdex score of 94 — strongest in features.
Does AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for features, AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black? +
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black — leads on features (98 vs 96). Compared on the features sub-score.
Which is better for noise cancelling, AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black? +
AirPods Pro 4 · Midnight Black — leads on anc (96 vs 94). Compared on the noise cancelling sub-score.