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Airpods (3rd generation)
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Fit Pro
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What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·

If you prioritize call quality and wear comfort, the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) may be better for you, with good mic and comfort scores, but be aware that they have poor sound isolation and aren't suited for noisy environments or focused music listening. Alternatively, if noise isolation is essential for you, particularly if you exercise a lot or are often in noisy places, the Beats Fit Pro with active noise cancelling and sweat resistance could be the better choice, though you may compromise slightly on comfort and call quality. For Apple device users, both earbuds are optimized and feature spatial audio, but only the Beats Fit Pro offer virtual surround sound, exclusively on Apple devices. Give Feedback

this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Airpods (3rd generation)
  • Good for music
  • Good for phone calls
  • Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Beats Fit Pro
  • The Beats Fit Pro has no clear advantages over the Apple Airpods (3rd generation).

Key differences

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Phone Calls

7.6
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
6.3
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is good for phone calls, while the Beats Fit Pro is only fair.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

8.6
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
7.6
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Beats Fit Pro is good.

Noise Reduction

2.5
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
8.3
The Beats Fit Pro is very good for noise reduction, while the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is poor.

Battery

6.0 Hours
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
5.2 Hours
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) has 6 hours of battery life. The Beats Fit Pro has 5.2 hours of battery life.

Build Quality

9.0
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
8.5
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) has excellent build quality, while the Beats Fit Pro has very good build quality.
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Key similarities

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Music

7.1
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
6.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple Airpods (3rd generation) to be good for music, while the Beats Fit Pro is only fair.

Gaming

5.4
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
4.9
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) and Beats Fit Pro are both poor for gaming.

TV and Video

5.5
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
5.6
The Beats Fit Pro and Apple Airpods (3rd generation) are both poor for TV and video.

Cost

$179
Airpods (3rd generation)
Fit Pro
$179
Product imageProduct image

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) has a price of $179 and the Beats Fit Pro costs $179.

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How the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) and the Beats Fit Pro compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Apple Airpods (3rd generation)Beats Fit Pro
Apple Airpods (3rd generation)Beats Fit Pro

GENERAL

Price
$179
$179
Brand
AppleBeats
Release Date
October 1, 2021November 1, 2021
Form Factor
EarbudsEarbuds
Connectivity
WirelessWireless

SOUND

Music Score
7.2/107/10
Phone Calls Score
7.6/106.4/10
Gaming Score
5.4/105/10
TV and Video Score
5.6/105.7/10
Exercise Score
7.2/107.3/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
6 Hours5.2 Hours
Wireless charging
YesNo
Charging time
1.5 Hours1.3 Hours
Bluetooth version
55
Case Battery Life
3018

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoYes
Noise Reduction Score
2.5/108.4/10
Virtual Surround
YesYes
Android App
NoYes
iOS App
YesYes
Mic Quality
7/106.7/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
9/108.5/10
Comfort score
7/107/10
Size
MediumMedium
Weight (headset or single earbud)
4.3 Grams5.6 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedIntegrated

Shopping

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Apple Airpods (3rd generation)

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Dig into reviews and images

Sound Guys

Lily Katz, Christian Thomas | February 2023
"The Apple AirPods 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 AirPods' spatial audio with head tracking, and enjoy HD audio during FaceTime calls. Of course, most of these features are limited to Apple hardware."

Beats Fit Pro

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Dig into reviews and images

SoundGuys

Lili Katz | January 2024
"The Beats Fit Pro is just as easy to use with an Android device as it is with an iPhone. It seems Apple-owned Beats is trying to appeal to a wider market, and it works. The Fit Pro fits like a pro with the ear tip fit test and multiple ear tips. Sound quality is sure to please most athletes, but the Fit Pro is just at home in the office as it is in the gym. The main factor holding the Beats Fit Pro back from gold is the price."

Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) or the Beats Fit Pro

About Apple

Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.

About Beats

Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.

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Why trust us

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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
122,900
Recommendations made
18,435
Consumer hours saved

About the Earbuds or Headphones team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Luis Torres

Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.

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