Apple AirPods 3 (2021)

55 reviews

May, 2026

Positive
sound (56)
design (22)
comfort (16)
portability (9)
usability (4)

Negative
price (13)
noise isolation (9)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 55 reviews of Apple AirPods 3 (2021). The average rating for this product is 4.1/5, compared to an average rating of 4.0/5 for other Headphones for all reviews. People are impressed by the usability and portability. The design and comfort are also appreciated. There are some negative views about the noise isolation and price.

sound, comfort, design, portability, usability

price, noise isolation

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Headphones the Apple AirPods 3 (2021) is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 92/100 = Excellent quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 55 reviews)

Expert Reviews

Review Ratings

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Features

sound
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comfort
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design
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price
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portability
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Showing 42 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews

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Showing 1 - 10 of 42 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (11)

Expert review by : David Carnoy (cnet.com)

AirPods 3 review: Apple upped its sound game

Apple's third-generation AirPods have an improved design and sound. But are they better than the AirPods Pro that cost around the same price?

Ultracompact, lightweight, sweatproof (IPX4) and very comfortable to wear ; Significantly improved sound with better bass ; Performance when making calls is excellent ; Improved battery life (up to 6 hours) ; Spatial audio virtual-surround feature...

May not fit ears as securely as AirPods Pro ; Open design allows sound to leak in and out ; AirPods Pro are frequently available at the same price

Oct, 2021

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Expert review by : Chris Welch (theverge.com)

Apple AirPods (third-gen) review: new design, same appeal

There are many reasons to like them besides gimmicky spatial audio.

Less conspicuous design ; IPX4 water resistance ; Improved sound quality

No MagSafe reverse wireless charging from iPhones ; Spatial audio is inconsistent ; They let in a ton of outside noise

Apple’s third-generation AirPods have a new design with shorter stems. They sound better, have IPX4 water resistance, and support spatial audio with head tracking. But there are still reasons to choose the AirPods Pro or AirPods Max instead.

Oct, 2021

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Expert review by : Tim Gideon (pcmag.com)

Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) Review

Apple's third-generation AirPods provide notably better bass depth and are more rugged than their predecessor. Despite some improvements to how they fit and some neat sensor tricks, we still aren't wild about their open earbud design.

Oct, 2021

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Expert review by : Sherri L. Smith (laptopmag.com)

AirPods 3 review

Just a step below premium

Slick, but familiar redesign ; Extremely comfortable ; Great audio ; Excellent battery life

A bit expensive ; No active noise cancelling

Oct, 2021

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Expert review by : Chris Davies (slashgear.com)

Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Review

From the butt of jokes to wireless trendsetter, Apple's AirPods are serious business now. The true wireless earbud market is a huge deal in accessories, and all eyes were on late 2021's…

Tight iPhone integration ; Solid battery life ; Improved audio performance ; Spatial audio is clever ; IPX4 water resistance

Fit won't suit every ear ; No active noise cancellation ; Open design means you hear ambient noise

Nov, 2021

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Expert review by : Theresa Ketterling (rtings.com)

Apple AirPods (3rd generation): Lab Tested - RTINGS.com

The Apple AirPods 3rd generation are decent for sports and fitness. The earbuds and case are very light and small, and feel sturdy enough to withstand a few accidental drops and bumps. They're also rated IPX4 for resistance against being splashed with...

Ipx4 rating for water resistance, great build quality, case stores five extra charges

No volume controls, no stability fins or ear tip options, no multi-device pairing with non-apple devices

Nov, 2021

Partner Source

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Expert review by : Rado Minkov (phonearena.com)

Apple AirPods 3 review: Spatial audio steals the show

The 3rd generation AirPods are here, with much smaller stems, great battery life and Apple's newest gimmick – spatial audio.

Portable package ; Good-looking earbuds with small stems ; Comfortable in-ear fit ; Great sound, especially with spatial audio ; IPX4 sweat and water resistance

No active noise cancelling

Oct, 2021

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Expert review by : Christian Thomas (soundguys.com)

Apple AirPods (3rd generation) review

The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) improves upon the 2019 model with its more ergonomic, yet unsealed, fit, water-resistant build, MagSafe charging case, and advanced software features. You can enjoy a wholly immersive movie experience with the new...

Adaptive EQ (iOS, Android, Windows)

Poor fit, no isolation

Feb, 2024

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Expert review by (tomsguide.com)

Apple AirPods 3 review

With solid upgrades to design, functionality, and sound, the Apple AirPods 3 come up slightly short of perfection. But they're still highly recommended.

Sep, 2022

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Expert review by : Sam Smart (androidauthority.com)

Apple AirPods (3rd generation) review: Still unsealed, still not the best

Apple's classic, unsealed true wireless earbuds get more advanced features. Find out more in this AirPods (3rd generation) review.

H1 chip

Unless you hate having ear tips inside your ears, we don’t recommend buying these over the Apple AirPods Pro or any other sealing earbuds. Unsealed earbuds have major disadvantages that aren’t just limited to sound quality.

Apr, 2022

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