Apple's 2025 lineup landed a month ago, and while the iPhone Air and the Cosmic Orange colour took the spotlight, the quiet performer in the bunch has been the AirPods Pro 3; smaller, smarter, and surprisingly sportier. I've been using them for a few weeks now, testing them everywhere from evening runs at Kite Beach to noisy newsroom corners, and here's how the experience has held up.

Confession: I've never been a long-hours-earbuds person. I use them only when I really need to; a run, a flight, or a focus session at work. But right out of the box, the AirPods Pro 3 felt great. The redesigned shape and new tip options fit almost perfectly. I didn't find myself adjusting them mid-run or worrying about them falling off - even during sweat-heavy sessions. Apple also bumped up the water and sweat resistance to IP57, which, in Dubai's surprising October weather, is a blessing.

And since I don't use an Apple Watch, I was curious about the new heart-rate sensor built into these buds. Paired with the Fitness app, it tracked my runs and workouts seamlessly. It is a meaningful addition for fitness enthusiasts who don't own an Apple Watch or enjoy wearing trackers. It's nice not to strap on another device just to know how your body's doing mid-run.

I've used ANC earbuds from Sonos and Samsung before, but the 2x stronger noise cancellation here makes a noticeable difference.

Sitting in a buzzing workspace, the moment I switched on ANC, everything else just... dimmed out. No droning ACs, no keyboard chaos. What I really appreciated is how natural the ANC feels. Some earbuds make you feel like you've stepped into a vacuum when noise cancellation kicks in; a disorienting hush that almost feels too artificial. The AirPods Pro 3 don't do that. They quietly (no pun intended) cancel out the background chaos while still letting your world feel alive.

And when I did want to interact, Apple's smart transparency kicked in; automatically adjusting the sound so I could hear people clearly without taking the earbuds off.

The call quality is equally impressive. It is crisp, stable, and solid in both quiet and noisy environments.

One of the most hyped features - and one I was eager to test - is Live Translation. Still in beta, it's both fascinating and flawed. I asked a co-worker to speak in French, and it managed to translate her words in near real time, with a transcript neatly appearing on my iPhone screen. In quiet settings, it worked smoothly. But step into a crowded space, and the accuracy dropped, understandable for an early feature. With more languages and refinements on the way, it's one of those things that hint at where Apple's going with Apple Intelligence.

Battery life hasn't disappointed me at all. Even with ANC on, I rarely found myself scrambling for a charger, which is a good thing, because, yes, Apple doesn't include a charging cable anymore. Typical.

Switching between devices - iPhone, MacBook, iMac - is instant and smooth. It's one of those times when you realise just how interconnected the Apple ecosystem really is. Everything just works, but only if you're already in the ecosystem. For Android users, these won't make much sense, and several of the smarter features (like Translation and Hearing Health) won't even show up.

With the AirPods Pro 3, Apple is tightening its ecosystem loop. The ANC is excellent, the fit is better, and the new health and AI features make it feel smarter without being gimmicky. But they're also very Apple - seamless if you're inside the ecosystem, restrictive if you're not.

At Dh949, they're not cheap, but if you already live the Apple life, they're easily the most refined pair of earbuds you can buy right now. If not, there are plenty of great alternatives that won't leave you hunting for a charging cable.

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