Fans of the iPhone curious about which AirPods are the best may want to consider going Pro.
On Friday, Apple launches its latest version of AirPods Pro ($249), advanced wireless earbuds boasting several features that sharpen the listening experience compared to standard AirPods.
I’ve been using these second-generation models for well over a week, and these legitimately feel like the best AirPods I’ve ever popped into my ears. They fit comfortably, provide top-tier noise cancellation and make losing AirPods a lot less frustrating with a revamped case.
The experience starts with personalized spatial audio, which provides a more robust surround sound environment. After you open the AirPods Pro case, you receive a prompt on your iPhone to connect.
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After this, you’ll scan both ears using your iPhone’s front-facing camera to help create an accurate listening experience. You hold the phone close enough so it captures each ear, then rotate your head to view different angles. It’s similar to setting up Face ID, although it might be a little tricky as you hold the phone to the side, while aiming to capture each ear. Once the process is complete, your AirPods are ready for listening.
These new AirPods feature an upgraded processing chip as well as a new low-distortion audio driver, amplifier and advanced computational audio. All together, you get a much crisper, deeper sound than you might notice on Apple’s latest standard earbuds.
There’s also improved active noise cancellation, which works phenomenally. I tried these at the gym and barely noticed the sounds of treadmills nearby. I wore these during a recent flight and was amazed at how much ambient sound the AirPods blocked while listening to a TV show.
However, if you want to let in more outside noise, you can flip the earbuds to transparency mode in iPhone settings.
Helping to cultivate this experience is the AirPods’ snug fit in each ear. The second-generation models now include an extra small ear tip along with small, medium and large to make sure they fit exactly to your ear.
Touch controls have been tweaked so users can swipe up and down to adjust volume, or press and hold the stem of an AirPod to flip between noise cancellation and transparency modes.
The case also adds more functionality and helps fix one of its biggest issues: lost AirPods. They now have a built-in speaker which can play noise if misplaced, and Apple has updated the Find My app to support precision finding for AirPods. Users can also charge their AirPods with an Apple Watch charger.
Yes, just like the first models, the second generation AirPods Pro are pricey. But if you want an elevated listening experience, they might be worth every penny.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AirPods Pro ‘2’ review: The perfect fit if you own an iPhone
