The next generation of AirPods is expected to look a lot different than its predecessors.
Photos from 52Audio claiming to show the AirPods 3 indicate significant changes compared to the current AirPods, most noticeably with a shorter stem that looks a lot more similar to the design of the AirPods Pro. According to the report, these buds do not support active noise reduction as the premium Apple buds do. The leaked buds reportedly also do not support adaptive EQ.
The other big difference between the apparent leak and the AirPods Pro is that the AirPods 3 model in the images published this week appears to have a universal fit like the AirPods 2. That would seem to indicate that we are not getting more customizable ear tips from this product, which is arguably one of the best things about the premium model and is a godsend for people like me with either sensitive or smaller ear canals.
Lastly, and seemingly confirming previously leaked 52Audio images of the product, the AirPods 3 will have a much smaller case than the Pro buds that will support wireless charging. The AirPods 2 can currently be bought either with wired or wireless support, though the wired charging case retails for $40 less at $159. The evidently leaked AirPods 3 also appear to borrow the touch control stem design of the Pro buds as well.
52Audio said the third-generation buds will retain the H1 chip and get 5 hours of playback or 24 hours of battery life with the charging case. On many points, the 52Audio leak jibes with previous reports about the buds from multiple reliable sources. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year indicated that the AirPods 3 would have a similar design to the AirPods Pro and would launch in the first half of 2021.
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Bloomberg, meanwhile, reported in October that the company was planning to release both the third-generation AirPods model as well as a new version of the AirPods Pro this year. That report did state that the new AirPods would look more like the AirPods Pro but did say that Apple was looking to juice up the battery life, which does not appear to be the case based on the 52Audio leak. Bloomberg additionally cited sources as saying that AirPods Pro may also get an overhauled design and come in a more compact package.
It’s not clear when the next-generation Apple buds will launch, but it’s certainly possible they could make their debut at the Apple event expected this month. They are, after all, long overdue. The AirPods 2 launched in March of 2019. But this month’s event is rumored to be centered on AirTags and iPads, so who knows! Anyone who closely followed last year’s Apple launch schedule knows that Apple could very well string us along for months instead of giving us everything in a single sitting.
Puro Pro comes in an attractive bamboo box with brass clasp, reminiscent of a good cigar box.
Jim Salter
Inside the display box, the headphones and cables are packed in a posh travel case, which will keep things organized and undamaged when you cram the whole thing in a backpack like the techno-troglodyte you are.
Jim Salter
The travel case has a netted section sufficient to hold the (included) USB Micro-B charge cable and 3.5mm audio cable and maybe a USB thumb drive or two if necessary.
Jim Salter
These violas are enjoying high-quality streaming audio from YouTube music. Also, they’re holding up the phones so you can see the Puro logo on the top, which is their only visible branding.
Jim Salter
Last December, a representative for Puro Sound Labs offered me a review sample of the company’s flagship Bluetooth hybrid headphones. Her timing couldn’t have been better—I had surgery scheduled for January 8 that would put me on the couch all day, every day, for two weeks straight with nothing to do but watch movies and television (ideally without driving my wife and kids insane).
The Puro Pro is an over-the-ear design, which can be connected to audio sources via Bluetooth 5.0 pairing or a simple headphone cord. It offers just about any feature you might dream up for a pair of headphones: safety volume limiting (configurable for either 85dBA or 95dBA), 30+ hour battery life, content control via buttons on the left can, active noise cancellation, and even an inline mic for phone calls.
At $200, the Puro Pro costs more than I’d normally spend on a pair of headphones for watching late-night TV and flying on the occasional airplane (my two primary use cases). But after spending several hours per day with the Puro Pro for a couple of months, I would drop the cash in a heartbeat.
How I tested
Puro Sound Labs PuroPro Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
(Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.)
The majority of the time I spent with the Puro Pro was on my couch, watching content from YouTube Music, Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix, along with some locally stored TV and movies. Both my Roku Premiere+ 4K UHD media player (for streaming content) and my custom-built HTPC (for local content) are connected to my Denon AVR-S510BT receiver and from the Denon’s headphone jack to a Boltune low-latency Bluetooth 5.0 transceiver.
This setup was my most important test scenario for the headphones, but I also gave them more demanding tests of musical accuracy by connecting them (wired) to the Scarlett Solo preamp I use in my podcasting studio. The Scarlett Solo is connected to my workstation; its major “work” function is providing an XLR input for my RE230 mic, but it does double duty as my system’s main audio output interface, via its 1/4″ headphone jack—normally connected to a pair of Sennheiser HD 280 Pro studio headphones.
I should be very clear that my testing is subjective—I actually used the headphones and compared them to several sets of reference gear, and I’m sharing my impressions here. With that said, I’m a fairly demanding listener; I grew up with a broadcast engineer for a dad, and I’ve spent the last 30 years trying to buy personal audio equipment that straddles the line between “this is some of the best you can buy” and “this is wallet-draining audiophile nonsense.”
The competition
I’m a night owl, but my wife is an early riser, so quiet late-night movie and TV watching is essential at the Salter household. Wireless earbuds turned out to be a no-go for me. I tried several models that I liked the sound of, but—while I found them comfortable initially—all led to repeated ear infections after long-term, daily use. Battery life was also less than ideal—the LG Tone HBS-510 earbuds I used the most only got about eight to 10 hours of play time, with similar results for a variety of lesser-known brands.
Next, I tried a set of Monodeal on-ear Bluetooth headphones—at $35, they’re an incredible value, and I ended up getting a second pair for my wife (who also loved them). But I still had comfort issues; after several TV episodes in a row, the on-ear design would get a bit ouchy. The battery life also left something to be desired, at around eight hours—not bad for the price, but not long enough to get you through cross-continent plane trips without careful husbanding.
Finally, I used a $200 pair of JBL Live 650BTNC over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones. Their over-the-ear design was far more comfortable for long-term use than the Monodeal pair, and the playtime of 20+ hours was a huge improvement. The audio quality was also a little better than the Monodeal. They still weren’t 100 percent comfortable for long-term use, though, due to weight, balance issues, and the combination of very firm padding and significant clamping pressure on my head.
Although the JBL headphones weren’t perfect, they were workable enough that I wasn’t really in the market for a replacement.
Evaluating Puro Pro
For my major use case—watching TV and movies late at night on the couch without disturbing my wife—the Puro Pro headphones are far and away the best thing I’ve tried. I also found them excellent for listening to a wide variety of musical genres, including classical, acoustic, a capella, and hip-hop.
The only flaw I could find with them—aside from the charge port not being USB-C—is an annoying background buzz artifact produced when the headphone volume is at max and a staccato sound (for example, the “click” when moving focus on the Roku interface from one item to another) is produced. That flaw is easily worked around: just turn the headphone volume down a single click and no more buzz.
Comfort
The padding is extremely soft and comfortable, and the headphones provide just enough clamping pressure to stay firm without getting ouchy after a few hours.
Although the weight of the JBL and Puro headphones is similar, the balance is different. This isn’t something I notice instantly when putting either set of headphones on—but after several hour-long episodes of a binged show (or one Lord of the Rings movie), the JBL phones leave my neck feeling a little strained, while the Puro Pro phones do not.
The lighter clamping pressure and softer padding on the Puro Pro headphones also leaves me with significantly less “sweaty ear” feeling after several hours of extended use than I got from the JBL headphones—or, for that matter, from my Sennheiser HD 280 Pro studio phones after recording a podcast.
January 2021 has been full of important news, but it’s been a bit lousy when it comes to deals. Still, we’ve done our part in scouring all of the major retailers for discounts on products we care about (and we think you care about, too). There aren’t many brand-new deals to be found in this week’s dispatch, but go ahead and take a look if you haven’t been following them closely.
If you feel caught up on deals, here’s a reminder that you can hang out here to have a quiet moment from all of the ongoing GameStop and AMC stock drama. Then again, if this is the first time you’re hearing about all of that and want to hear more, check out my colleague Liz Lopatto’s Big Picture video that’s all about it.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones are $278, and well worth it
Once in a blue moon, Sony’s latest flagship wireless headphones with active noise cancellation and excellent sound see a deep discount. That’s happening now, actually, and you can save $72 on the WH-1000XM4 — headphones I’d spring for immediately if I wasn’t still well-served by their predecessor. This model is considerably better, though, with support for simultaneous Bluetooth connections, and it has an automatic pause function when you remove them.
I’ve listed a few links below, but this deal is also happening at Adorama, where you can get the headphones with a 20,800mAh power bank for no extra cost.
Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
Razer’s cheaper Opus headphones are $60 off
For something far less expensive (and really, not all that different), Razer’s Opus wireless, noise-canceling headphones are $140 at Amazon. They’re normally $200. For this price, it’s a good deal considering these over-ear cans can automatically play and pause music when you put them on, and they have active noise cancellation and USB-C charging.
Razer Opus
Prices taken at time of publishing.
The Opus are Razer’s everyday noise-canceling headphones and come with a comfortable fit, USB-C charging, and good sound quality.
Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
Get a simple smart clock with four smart bulbs for just $30
Best Buy is hosting a fantastic deal on a smart home starter kit of sorts. Lenovo’s Smart Clock Essential (review by Dan Seifert here) is usually $50 on its own, but it’s in this kit alongside a four-pack of C by GE white 60W LED bulbs that you can control with your voice via Google Assistant, which is what the Smart Clock Essential has built in.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Apple’s Magic Keyboard is still $100 off at Walmart
Walmart’s exclusive deal on the Apple Magic Keyboard has lasted far longer than I expected it to. Normally $299, it’s $199 now. It’ll work with the 11-inch iPad Pro or the latest iPad Air (also released in 2020, with USB-C charging). When you pop it on, it will grant your tablet its very own dedicated keyboard and trackpad. It essentially provides a laptop-like experience, in case you’re trying to get more done and don’t want to lug around too many devices.
Apple Magic Keyboard
Prices taken at time of publishing.
This version of Apple’s Magic Keyboard can fit the iPad Pro (11-inch) or the new iPad Air that charges via USB-C. It provides a set of backlit keys and a trackpad so you can be more productive or perhaps horse around with more efficiency.
If you’ve found yourself wanting some peace and quiet, whether it’s from the upstairs neighbor’s kid stomping around above you or just to silence other distractions, today’s marquee deal has your name written all over it. The Sony WH-1000XM4 are $72 off at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers — matching the lowest price yet that we’ve seen happen a few times now. We first saw this price drop occur during Prime Day last October, and it went on to become one of the most popular deals of 2020.
This model is almost identical to the previous generation (WH-1000XM3), with its similarly sublime audio quality and noise cancellation effect. What’s new in this set, though, is a sensor that automatically pauses music when you remove them, then resumes when you put them back on. It also has improved voice quality and, perhaps the biggest improvement, support for two simultaneous Bluetooth connections.
Image: Aukey
Apple’s USB-C 20W wall adapter costs $19, but you don’t have to pay that much to get the fastest-possible charging speeds for your iPhone. Aukey’s 20W USB-C wall charger is $7.69 at Amazon (usually $13) right now. You’ll need your own USB-C cord (either one that ends in USB-C if you own an iPad Pro or the latest iPad Air, or USB-C to Lightning for all iPhones). Of course, this is also a nice, affordable option that’s suitable for any USB-C device, be it an Android phone or a Nintendo Switch.