Apple’s new AirPods Pro 2 hands-on: They really do sound better

This story is part of Focus iPhone 2022CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice on Apple’s most popular product.

The long-rumored AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are official. Apple has unveiled its latest true wireless noise-cancelling headphones as part of its iPhone 14 Far Out event. They are available to pre-order now and will ship from September 23 for $249 (£249, AU$399).

The new AirPods Pro follow the original noise-cancelling model that debuted in October 2019. They’re powered by Apple’s new H2 chip, which Apple says delivers more processing power while also being more energy efficient. The new chip, combined with new low-distortion drivers, allows for improved sound, which should offer better clarity and depth. Noise-cancellation has also been improved – Apple says the new AirPods have “twice” the noise-cancellation of the original AirPods Pro.

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Lord/CNET

Pre-orders for the 2022 AirPods Pro model will begin on September 9th, with the first sets of the new earbuds shipping on September 23rd.

My first practical impressions

I had the opportunity to try the AirPods Pro 2 for a limited time at the launch event in the noisy demo area with hundreds of people around me. The noise-cancelling seems to be improved, although it was only able to muffle the noise in the room so much. I also found the earbuds sounded cleaner and clearer than the original AirPods Pro while listening to a few tracks on Apple’s iPhone 14 demo phones. (I couldn’t use the buds with my own iPhone and the tracks I usually use for headphone testing.)

I think it’s really important to achieve a tight seal for optimal noise cancellation and sound quality. Apple hasn’t changed the design of its earbuds — I use the large earbuds on the original AirPods, and I also use third-party foam tips — but it will now include a fourth, extra-small earbud for those with smaller ears.

Some people had hoped that the new AirPods Pro would be able to stream Apple Lossless tracks wirelessly. Apple hasn’t mentioned anything about this, but it’s possible that some features will be revealed at a later date. With the original AirPods Pro, for example, Apple didn’t introduce spatial audio until months after their release.

Regarding spatial audio, Apple says the AirPods Pro now feature personalized spatial audio, creating a more customized listening experience for your ears. The transparency mode has also been improved and adapts to any ambient sounds you encounter, and there’s a new personalized spatial audio feature along with touch swipe controls on the stems to add the pinch controls.

Battery life is now up to six hours on a single charge (up from five), and the case gives you four extra charges. In addition, the case now features a built-in speaker, allowing sounds to be played for use with Apple’s precision Find My feature.

While some people may be disappointed that Apple didn’t do more to improve the design of the AirPods Pro 2 (there are some tweaks to the microphone configuration and some other small tweaks, including the vents), the AirPods Pro are the 2nd generation broadly what I expect them to be: better-sounding AirPods Pro with better noise-cancellation, longer battery life, and a wireless charging case with some advanced features.

I’ll have a lot more to say about them – stay tuned – in my full review, where I’ll compare them to some other top noise-cancelling earbuds, including The new QuietComfort Earbuds II from Bose also presented this week.

Key features of the AirPods Pro 2

• Same design as the previous AirPods Pro
• Powered by Apple H2 chip
• Improved sound with new low distortion drivers
• Improved noise cancellation (Apple says twice as much ANC)
• Adaptive transparency mode
• Personalized spatial audio
• The charging case now has a built-in speaker on the bottom that allows a sound to be played using the Precision Find My feature
• 6 hours of built-in battery life (1 hour more than the original AirPods Pro) with an additional 24 hours in the charging case
• Added touch swipe control Pinch controls on stalks
• Can now be charged with the Apple Watch charger along with Qi wireless chargers
• Lanyard connects to case (lanyard not included)
• Price: $249, £249, AU$399
• Shipping Date: September 23 (available for pre-order September 9)

Continue reading: Best Wireless Earbuds for 2022