The AirPods Pro 2 Passed My Teen's Test, and They're $80 Off Right Now

CNET

a day ago

My 13-year-old daughter loves her music and her privacy, and for years she has wanted a pair of AirPods. I always considered them too expensive and she's been using cheaper options, like the Amazon Echo Buds, as a result. But after one too many pairs being mysteriously "lost," I figure there's never been a better time to upgrade her to a pair of AirPods Pro 2.
I picked them up during last year's sales, and they were definitely well-received. She's happy, she uses them every day and she hasn't lost them yet. They are currently $169 at Amazon -- a nice $80 discount on the usual price. While that's not the cheapest we've seen them go for, it's still a solid price for a high-quality pair like these.
Why I didn't wait for the AirPods Pro 3
Rumors abound that Apple will replace the Pro 2 with an updated Pro 3 version later this year. My kid wanted headphones sooner, so I got her the Pro 2s. But if you're on the fence, here's my perspective.
The main improvements to the Pro 3 are said to be heart-rate monitoring like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 have, as well as a new design. Other speculation points to improved sound and processing with Apple's H3 chip, temperature sensors, built-in infrared cameras, a touchscreen on the case, live translation of languages and more. There's no way to know what they actually will have, but I do know that they'll be more expensive than the Pro 2 (especially at this sale price). I don't think those new features are going to be worth the money, however.
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You might have a different take, especially if you want heart-rate monitoring on your headphones for fitness sessions or one of those rumored extras. In that case it might be worth waiting to see what the new versions include. The AirPods Pro 3 are expected to be announced in September and on sale soon after.
Why I didn't get the AirPods 4 instead
Why did I choose AirPods Pro 2 instead of the newer AirPods 4 with ANC? First off, as I mentioned in another article about a different pair of earbuds I bought, I think sealed, in-ear buds are better than open-design models like the AirPods 4. The seal creates another layer of noise isolation and contributes to superior sound quality, and if you want to pay attention to the world you can always engage ambient sound mode, which Apple calls transparency mode.
XS eartips mean an XL hug from a happy kid may be coming soon.
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Also a factor was the commentary of CNET reviewer David Carnoy, who considers the Pro 2 the best Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds: "While we're quite impressed with those new models -- and with the AirPods 4 ANC in particular -- the AirPods Pro 2 remain arguably the best Apple AirPods you can buy if you don't mind having silicone ear tips jammed in your ears."
My daughter uses earplugs all the time to help her sleep, so she definitely qualifies as somebody who's comfortable stuffing things in her ears. Like her fingers, when I start using words like "sigma," "skibidi" and "relatable" to try to relate to her.
I asked Carnoy about the Pro 2s potentially not fitting in her kid-size ears and he reassured me that the range of eartips that come with the Pro 2s "now include XS, so they should fit."
Should you buy now with the threat of tariffs?
It's no secret that President Donald Trump's tariffs are leading to higher prices for a lot of things, including electronics. We're actually tracking the price of the AirPods Pro 2 in our tariff tracker and as of press time the price has actually decreased since January.
If you're in the market for AirPods 2 now anyway, now is a good time to buy. A Reuters report from April said AirPods could be subject to a 39% price hike to cover tariff costs, but the tariff situation is fluid, so I wouldn't use that potential increase as a reason to buy now. If you wait until the new model comes out later this year, the price on the older AirPods Pro 2 might even get lower.
Do AirPods make a great gift?
It took me years to finally understand, but yes, for someone looking for wireless earbuds, AirPods -- especially the Apple AirPods Pro 2 -- make the perfect gift, regardless of whether you're a teenage girl or not.
If you're looking for more gifting options, check out our roundup of the best tech gifts under $100.