106 MACWORLD MARCH 2020
PLAYLIST REVIEW: AIRPODS VS. AIRPODS PRO VS. POWERBEATS PROWhich of the three is best?
That answer is, overall, the AirPods Pro.
But maybe the better question is: which of
the three is the best one for your needs?
AIRPODS: THE CHEAPER
OPTION FOR CALLS AND
PODCASTS
AirPods are now on their second
generation, with slightly improved battery
life and hands-free Siri support. And now
that the AirPods Pro are out there, I don’t
think there’s much reason for anyone to
buy the AirPods. The AirPods Pro are so
much better and definitely worth the
higher price. AirPods don’t have tips to
create a seal in your ear, and that means
lesser sound quality, more outside noise,
and they can fall out more easily.
They are the cheapest option, though.
With a wired charging case instead of the
wireless one (which you really don’t need),
AirPods cost $159. And you can
occasionally find them on sale.
The best reason to buy regular AirPods
is if you just want something you can
quickly pop into your ear to answer a
phone call, or if you only want to listen to
spoken word stuff like podcasts. If that’s all
you care about, save yourself some
money and get the regular AirPods.AIRPODS PRO: BEST FOR
MOST USERS
If music sound quality is a priority, or you
spend any time in an environment where
you wish you could have a little more
quiet, or if you work out often, you’re
going to want to step up to the AirPods
Pro.
Yeah, they’re more expensive than
AirPods. They only come with a wireless
charging case and cost $250. That’s $90
more than basic AirPods and $50 more
than AirPods with a wireless charging
case.
But you get a lot for that extra money.Apple’s second-generation AirPods have
improved battery life.