ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOf course, some travelers will always prefer to tote around over-ear headphones, including Apple’s AirPods Max, which offer superior noise cancellation but are significantly bulkier.<\/p>\n
But for many travelers, AirPods Pro are the way to go. With the launch of the second-generation model, however, I wondered if they’d be worth the splurge to upgrade.<\/p>\n
Well, after five flights and nearly 11,000 miles in the air putting them to the test, I have an answer.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNoise cancellation that’s better than ever<\/h2>\n The first generation AirPods Pro packed an impressive sound experience in an incredibly portable package, and the new model takes that to the next level.<\/p>\n
As a long-time user of Apple’s pro-level earbuds, I’ve grown accustomed to the sound experience they deliver, and I imagined the next-generation buds would be an iterative update in terms of the audio quality.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBut when I put them on for the first time, I was especially impressed by the upgrades to the active noise cancellation.<\/p>\n
Powered by the next-generation Apple H2 silicon chip, the new AirPods Pro can process advanced algorithms that weren’t previously possible on the first-generation model. This, combined with a new, more powerful audio driver (which physically produces the sound) unlocks nearly twice as much active noise cancellation as the previous generation.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOf course, there’s nowhere better to put Apple’s claims to the test than cruising at 30,000 feet on an airplane.<\/p>\n
And after five flights with the new AirPods Pro, the active noise cancellation was indeed impressive. I flew with both my first- and second-generation Pros and alternated which ones I used throughout the flights to get a sense of the sound quality upgrades.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWith the second-generation buds, I was disturbed by fewer announcements and chatty passengers than with the legacy model. The sound quality was noticeably better, too.<\/p>\n
Battery boosts for the long haul<\/h2>\n Throughout my travels, I tried to put the battery life improvements that Apple made with the second-generation AirPods Pro to the test.<\/p>\n
Nowhere was I more impressed than during my two transcontinental flights. With the first-generation buds, I’ve always needed to recharge my AirPods roughly three-quarters of the way through a transcon flight.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBut with the new AirPods Pro, the music kept playing until just after we landed. When I flew from New York to Seattle, I put on my AirPods Pro during boarding to help me focus on some last-minute work.<\/p>\n
I then listened to a podcast and played music for the rest of the flight. When I arrived in Seattle, I still had roughly 10% of the charge left on the AirPods Pro.<\/p>\n
With a gate-to-gate time of just over six hours, my experience with the second-generation AirPods Pro (slightly) beat Apple’s promise of up to six hours of listening time with the new Pros, which represents a one-third increase over the legacy model.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe additional 90 minutes of listening time went a long way during my transcon flights, and it also made a noticeable difference during my long-haul travels. (You’ll get an additional hour of talk time with the new Pros, too.)<\/p>\n
While you could always charge the AirPods Pro when they die (five minutes in the case delivers roughly an hour of listening time), I appreciated being able to keep listening during my flights without needing to disrupt my music or podcasts.<\/p>\n
Small speakers make a big difference<\/h2>\n The new AirPods Pro are also a great upgrade for travelers who are prone to losing things.<\/p>\n
For one, you can always keep them connected to your bag thanks to the new lanyard loop on the charging case.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAnd if you misplace your second-generation AirPods Pro, the new U1 chip in the charging case enables precision finding within the Find My network, which gives you an accurate look at exactly where they are.<\/p>\n
As you get closer, a new speaker in the case can play a sound to help you quickly locate your AirPods, regardless of whether they’re tucked into your couch or lodged between seats on an airplane.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPersonally, I’m someone who keeps my AirPods in my pocket, but I’m now reassured that if they were to fall out somewhere during my travels, it wouldn’t take too long to be reunited with my headphones.<\/p>\n
Volume within reach<\/h2>\n Controlling your sound experience while you’re on the go is getting easier with the second-generation AirPods Pro.<\/p>\n
Apple redesigned the touch area on the stem of each AirPod to give users more flexibility when playing music or talking on the phone.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWith the addition of a new capacitive sensing layer, you can now swipe up and down on the stem to adjust the volume. Pressing the stem controls your audio while holding the stem switches between noise cancellation and transparency modes. (You can always customize these options from the settings menu on your paired iOS device.)<\/p>\n
Personally, the new volume slider functionality came in handy during my travels when flight attendants came by my row and when important announcements were made.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhen that happened, I quickly lowered the volume directly on my AirPods without needing to use my phone or connected Apple Watch. Then, I was able to communicate with the flight crew and listen to the entire announcement without any interruption. (Alternatively, I could’ve switched to transparency mode \u2014 more on that below.)<\/p>\n
Of course, reaching for your phone or simply pausing your audio isn’t necessarily an inconvenience, but the new volume slider is a nice-to-have feature.<\/p>\n
Transparency Mode gets a big upgrade<\/h2>\n Sometimes, you want to be aware of your surroundings when you’re listening to audio on your headphones. Maybe you want to hear what’s going on around you as you navigate a new city or as you’re waiting to board a flight.<\/p>\n
In those cases, be sure to turn on transparency mode on your AirPods Pro. This feature will essentially play what’s going on around you without stopping your music.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAnd, the new AirPods Pro take the transparency mode experience to the next level with the introduction of Adaptive Transparency.<\/p>\n
When you’re passing by loud construction or a fire alarm goes off, the new AirPods Pro will dynamically adjust those noises down to a much healthier decibel.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYou can customize many aspects of this feature in the accessibility settings on your iOS device, but by default, adaptive transparency will kick in for any audio above 85 decibels. This should definitely help you avoid listening to harmful sounds that could eventually lead to hearing loss.<\/p>\n
bottom line<\/h2>\n While some travelers continue to swear by over-ear headphones, the new AirPods Pro offer a compelling reason to ditch those bulky headphones during your travels.<\/p>\n
With an even better sound experience in a package that easily fits in your pocket or purse, the second-generation AirPods Pro are especially great for travelers. They’re also better than the entry-level AirPods, which don’t offer active noise cancellation \u2014 a must-have feature for people who want to zone out when in transit.<\/p>\n
At $249, the new Pros are $70 more than the “regular” third-generation AirPods. That’s a worthwhile splurge, especially if you plan to travel with your earbuds.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe improved noise cancellation and battery boosts headline the travel-focused upgrades on the Pros, but additional improvements, such as precision finding, redesigned controls and a new adaptive transparency mode, make these Apple’s best travel-friendly earbuds yet.<\/p>\n
It is worth noting that AirPods (and Bluetooth headphones in general) still continue to pose a problem for those trying to use their earbuds with existing seat-back monitors on airplanes. While Bluetooth support is slowly rolling out on the newest jets, you’ll still need to pack a dongle (AirFly is our recommendation) on most others.<\/p>\n\n <\/noscript><\/span><\/div>ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFor those upgrading from the first-generation model, the new Pros do offer a handful of worthwhile upgrades. While an immediate upgrade may be necessary, it certainly can’t hurt to put the next-generation earbuds on your holiday wishlist.<\/p>\n
Who knows? Santa may be extra generous this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cCould Apple really do it again?\u201d That was the question I asked myself after watching the tech giant’s \u201cFar Out\u201d keynote event in September. While the biggest news from the special event was arguably the new iPhone 14 lineup and the launch of an all-new Apple Watch Ultra model, Apple also debuted the much-anticipated second-generation …<\/p>\n
After 10,000 miles, Apple’s latest AirPods Pro are my new go-to for travel<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":102867,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/airpods-pro-2-arent-working-properly-with-pixel-6-and-7\/","url_meta":{"origin":97435,"position":0},"title":"AirPods Pro 2 aren’t working properly with Pixel 6 and 7","date":"October 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"AirPods Pro 2 just came out a few weeks ago and are largely considered as some of the best earbuds on the market. Unlike most Apple products, AirPods generally work really well with Android phones and are a great choice for everyone including Pixel users. Unfortunately, though, the latest AirPods\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","img":{"alt_text":"AirPods Pro 2 A2DP Toggle","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/9to5google.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/10\/AirPods-Pro-2-A2DP-Toggle.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":104296,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/from-airpods-to-ipads-to-macbooks-here-are-todays-best-apple-deals\/","url_meta":{"origin":97435,"position":1},"title":"From AirPods to iPads to MacBooks, Here Are Today’s Best Apple Deals","date":"October 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Graphics: Joe TilleliIf you're an Apple fan, then you know that the company's popular iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watch, and AirPods don't come cheap\u2014and sales can be sporadic. That's why we'll do the hard work for you. Come here periodically to find the best bargains across all Apple devices. Scope\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":104792,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/from-airpods-to-ipads-to-macbooks-here-are-todays-best-apple-deals-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":97435,"position":2},"title":"From AirPods to iPads to MacBooks, Here Are Today’s Best Apple Deals","date":"October 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Graphics: Joe TilleliIf you're an Apple fan, then you know that the company's popular iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watch, and AirPods don't come cheap\u2014and sales can be sporadic. That's why we'll do the hard work for you. Come here periodically to find the best bargains across all Apple devices. Scope\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":101594,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/logitech-crayon-for-ipad-now-available-with-usb-c-port\/","url_meta":{"origin":97435,"position":3},"title":"Logitech Crayon for iPad Now Available With USB-C Port","date":"October 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Apple today started selling a new version of the Logitech Crayon with a USB-C port for charging. The original model with a Lightning connector remains available. Priced at $69.95 in the US, the Logitech Crayon is a lower-cost alternative to the Apple Pencil. The drawing tool features a slim aluminum\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","img":{"alt_text":"Logitech Crayon USB C","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/images.macrumors.com\/t\/PwIOwUgZ0EmANjYFwJmWgAjjcvM=\/400x0\/article-new\/2022\/10\/Logitech-Crayon-USB-C.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":101309,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/ipad-pro-and-ipad-now-include-woven-usb-c-cable-also-sold-separately\/","url_meta":{"origin":97435,"position":4},"title":"iPad Pro and iPad Now Include Woven USB-C Cable, Also Sold Separately","date":"October 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Apple's new iPad Pro and iPad models introduced today include a woven one-meter USB-C charging cable in the box for the first time. Apple is also selling the woven cable separately through its online store, with pricing set at $19 in the United States. The cable has USB-C connectors on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","img":{"alt_text":"iPad Pro Woven USB C Cable","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/images.macrumors.com\/t\/-c8czxMafFsOHH33RZXFCS7qkQ4=\/400x0\/article-new\/2022\/10\/iPad-Pro-Woven-USB-C-Cable.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":104730,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/apple-watch-series-8-now-100-off-airpods-3-more\/","url_meta":{"origin":97435,"position":5},"title":"Apple Watch Series 8 now $100 off, AirPods 3, more","date":"October 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"All of today's best deals are now live for Thursday, and we're tracking three notable discounts on Apple gear. Leading the way, you can save $100 on Apple Watch Series 8 with one of the first price cut; then go check out one of the best prices ever on Apple's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2022\/10\/Apple-AirPods-Pro-Second-Generation-09.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97435"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97435\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}