3 reasons to upgrade to the newest AirPods Pro 2

During Apple’s September 2023 event, Apple announced a number of new devices, some of which saw bigger upgrades than others. For example, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus see some action- filled updates compared to their 14th-Gen predecessors. The same goes for the iPhone 15 Pro models too, especially when it comes to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 have fewer new features, which isn’t surprising given rumors that the 10-year anniversary model may ring out a feature-packed Watch X. Apple also surprisingly debuted a new AirPods model with the 2nd-Gen model of the Pro 2 line, and especially at first glance, they’re not anything too different from what we’ve seen before.

If you bought the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation when they were announced in 2022, you might be a bit confused about Apple’s September 2023 update. Granted, their performance has stood well with our testing, despite getting a Find My notification even when they haven’t been left behind. What likely doesn’t sit well is that it took Apple three years to update the original Apple AirPods Pro with the 2nd-gen, granting you two years of good conscious use before Apple tempted you with a newer, shinier model. Also, this model looks — and relatively performs– relatively similar to its predecessor, which begs the question — if you already upgraded in 2022, should you now? Here are the three top reasons you may want to opt up.

1 A USB-C charging port

For those wanting to consolidate cords

Like Apple’s newest 15th-Gen handsets, its newest AirPods also made the long-anticipated lightning connector to USB-C charging port switch, which means if you have one of the new iPhone 15 models or an iPad Pro, you’ll only need one cable for charging if you buy the new AirPods Pro 2nd Generation. That said, you could always buy a USB-C to Lightning adapter, which is most definitely cheaper than a whole new pair of AirPods, but it’s one more cable to remember, especially when traveling.

2 Precision Finding

Ideal for absent-minded AirPods owners

The new AirPods Pro 2nd Generation’s Charging Case doesn’t just come with a higher IP rating than the 2022 model, but it also promoises Precision Finding, which is super useful for when you drop that case down the side of the sofa or leave it in one of your many jacket pockets.

Related

How to quickly find your Apple AirPods using Find My

If you misplace your AirPods you can easily track them down or even put them in lost mode using Apple’s built-in Find My app.

It works the same way that Precision Finding works for AirTags so you will literally be guided directly to your AirPods case. For absent minded audiophiles, this could be a game-changing feature that has nothing to do with listening.

3 You want optimal sound on the Apple Vision Pro

Lossless audio promises enhanced AVP performance

Apple’s highly anticipated Vision Pro officially released last month, and is a glimpse into the future, but incorporates a retro-age technology that promises better audio performance: lossless audio. thanks to a new wireless audio protocol that communicates between the H2 chip in the Vision Pro and the H2 chip in the new AirPods, the 2nd-Gen AirPods Pro 2 offer lossles audio, which makes for sound at low latency when paired with the Apple Vision Pro.

Related

Your AirPods aren’t the only Vision Pro-compatible headphones

Apple’s Vision Pro even offers third-party headphone Bluetooth connectivity, but there are some compromises to consider. Here’s what to know.

While AirPods aren’t the only earbuds that work with the Vision Pro, they are the only buds that currently offer this lossless audio compatibility. However, when Pocket-lint’s Jason Cipriani tested the Vision Pro with both the 2nd-Gen buds and other third-party in-ear buds, and didn’t find there to be much of a difference.

Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation (USB-C)

The beauty of AirPods is their convenience, and the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation (USB-C) are no different. The upgrade to USB-C only adds to this, while the extra features and additional software enhancements make for an overall excellent experience.

The bottom line: If you have an older pair of AirPods (other than the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation), then the new AirPods Pro 2nd Generation are a great buy and come with a range of features like Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio, Personalized Audio along with the three features mentioned above. If you have AirPods Pro 2nd Generation from 2022, save your money and take advantage of some of those newer software features like the ability to mute calls and Conversation Awareness that you’ll still get with the 2022 Pro model.