Earbuds · Model guide · Maker specs
AirPods (3rd generation)
Get AirPods (3rd generation) cheap if you want open-ear AirPods with Spatial Audio and an IPX4 rating, and can live without noise cancelling.
Product images
AirPods (3rd generation), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get AirPods (3rd generation) cheap if you want open-ear AirPods with Spatial Audio and an IPX4 rating, and can live without noise cancelling. Apple rates them for up to 6 hours a charge, 5 with Spatial Audio on, and 30 with the case, which comes in Lightning and MagSafe versions. For noise cancelling without tips, look at AirPods 4 with ANC; AirPods 5 is Apple's current tip-free model.
Who it is for
- iPhone owners who want Spatial Audio without silicone tips. Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking and Adaptive EQ come in a bud that sits in your ear without sealing it.
- Gym-goers who sweat. The buds and the case both carry an IPX4 rating for workouts that stay out of the water.
- Owners of AirPods (2nd generation) who want more battery and a sweat rating without moving to silicone tips.
- MagSafe users. The MagSafe Charging Case charges on MagSafe chargers and Qi-certified pads as well as by Lightning.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants noise cancelling or Transparency mode. Neither is here; AirPods 4 with ANC has both without tips, and every AirPods Pro pairs them with a sealed fit.
- People who need Apple's hearing features. Hearing Aid, Hearing Test and Hearing Protection begin with AirPods Pro 2.
- Android users. Apple supports non-Apple devices only as Bluetooth headphones with limited features, and Spatial Audio profiles and settings are tied to iPhone.
What sets it apart
- Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking and Adaptive EQ, played through a custom high-excursion driver and high dynamic range amplifier.
- IPX4 on the buds and the case. AirPods 2 has no rating, and the first AirPods Pro rated only its buds.
- Up to 6 hours per charge (5 with Personalized Spatial Audio) and up to 30 hours with the case; 5 minutes in the case gives about an hour.
- A force sensor on the stem instead of taps: press once to play, pause or answer, twice to skip, three times to go back, and hold for Siri.
Caveats
- Both cases charge by Lightning, not USB-C; the box includes a Lightning to USB-C cable.
- Spatial Audio needs an iPhone with TrueDepth to create your profile, and it only works with compatible content and apps.
- One size and no tips, so there's no way to tune the fit.
Key specs
In the same order on every earbuds page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Open-ear, short stem; no silicone tips | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Fit and tips | One size; no tips included | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Driver and acoustics | Custom high-excursion Apple driver; custom high dynamic range amplifier | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Chip | H1 headphone chip | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Active noise cancellation | No | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Transparency mode | No | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Spatial / 360 audio | Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ | Apple AirPods 3 tech specsCreating the personal profile needs an iPhone with TrueDepth; Spatial Audio works with compatible content and apps. |
| Hearing features | Not supported; Apple's Hearing Aid, Hearing Test and Hearing Protection begin with AirPods Pro 2 | Apple AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 tech specs |
| Battery, buds | Up to 6 hours of listening per charge; up to 5 hours with Personalized Spatial Audio on | Apple AirPods 3 tech specsApple notes that battery life depends on settings, environment and use. |
| Battery, with case | Up to 30 hours of listening with either case | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Charging | Lightning on both cases; 5 minutes in the case gives about 1 hour of listening; Lightning to USB-C cable in the box | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Wireless charging | MagSafe Charging Case: MagSafe chargers, Qi-certified chargers or Lightning. Lightning Charging Case: Lightning only. | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Water and dust, buds | IPX4: sweat and water resistant for non-water sports and exercise | Apple AirPods 3 tech specsThe resistance isn't permanent; don't charge the buds wet or swim with them. |
| Water and dust, case | IPX4, the same rating as the buds | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Microphones | Dual beamforming microphones; inward-facing microphone | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Controls | Force sensor: press once to play, pause, answer or mute; twice to skip or end a call; three times to skip back; press and hold for Siri. Hey Siri by voice. | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Device switching | Switches automatically between Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account; no Android-style multipoint | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Sensors | Dual beamforming microphones; inward-facing microphone; skin-detect sensor; motion-detecting accelerometer; speech-detecting accelerometer; force sensor | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Weight, one bud | 4.28 g (0.15 oz) | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Weight, case | 37.91 g (1.34 oz), Lightning or MagSafe Charging Case | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Size, one bud | 30.79 × 18.26 × 19.21 mm (H × W × D) | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Size, case | 46.40 × 54.40 × 21.38 mm (H × W × D) | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Finishes | White | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Phone and OS compatibility | Latest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS and tvOS for every feature; limited features as Bluetooth headphones on earlier Apple software and non-Apple devices | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Find My and UWB | No U1 chip, case speaker or lanyard loop listed, and no Find My details | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| App and firmware | Managed in iOS Settings, with no separate app; firmware comes through Apple software updates | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| US price at launch | $179 (US) | Apple Newsroom, 2021-10-18Apple Newsroom, 18 October 2021. |
| Price band | Midrange true-wireless ($150–$200 at US launch) | Based on Apple's $179 launch price |
| Announced | 18 October 2021 | Apple Newsroom; Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Availability | Discontinued; as of 19 September 2026 Apple's AirPods range is AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2, and Apple's compare page still lists both AirPods (3rd generation) versions | Apple AirPods compare; Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
AirPods (3rd generation) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning vs MagSafe case | Lightning Charging Case: Lightning only. MagSafe Charging Case: MagSafe chargers, Qi-certified chargers or Lightning. Apple gives one size and weight for both. | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Model numbers | AirPods (3rd generation), introduced 2021: buds A2565 and A2564; MagSafe Charging Case A2566 (2021); Lightning Charging Case A2897 (introduced 2022) | Apple, Identify your AirPods |
| In the box | AirPods (3rd generation); Lightning Charging Case or MagSafe Charging Case; Lightning to USB-C cable; documentation. No ear tips. | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Recycled content | Apple says 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, 100% recycled aluminum in both cases' hinges, and 100% recycled tin in the solder of both cases' main logic boards | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
| Accessibility | Live Listen, Headphone levels, Headphone Accommodations | Apple AirPods 3 tech specs |
Apple announced AirPods (3rd generation) on 18 October 2021. They kept the tip-free, one-size fit of AirPods (2nd generation) with a shorter stem, moved the controls to a force sensor, and added Personalized Spatial Audio and an IPX4 rating for buds and case. The first case was the MagSafe Charging Case; a Lightning-only case followed in 2022.
What changed from AirPods (2nd generation)
| Spec | AirPods (3rd generation) | AirPods (2nd generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Bud size | 30.79 × 18.26 × 19.21 mm | 40.5 × 16.5 × 18.0 mm |
| Bud weight | 4.28 g | 4 g |
| Controls | Force sensor | Double-tap |
| In-ear sensor | Skin-detect | Dual optical |
| Spatial Audio | Personalized, with head tracking | Not published |
| Water resistance | IPX4, buds and case | Not published |
| Battery, buds | Up to 6 hours | Up to 5 hours |
| Battery, with case | Up to 30 hours | More than 24 hours |
| Quick charge | About 1 hour from 5 minutes | Up to 3 hours from 15 minutes |
By our arithmetic the two quick-charge figures run at the same rate, so that isn’t a difference. The real gains are an extra hour per charge, Spatial Audio with head tracking, and a sweat rating that AirPods 2 never had.
Sound and Spatial Audio
A custom high-excursion driver and a custom high dynamic range amplifier handle playback, with Adaptive EQ on top. Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking costs an hour of battery: Apple rates the buds for 5 hours with it on and 6 with it off. For scale, Apple rates AirPods Pro 3 at up to 8 hours a charge.
AirPods 3 vs AirPods Pro 2 sets this open pair against a sealed Pro with noise cancelling and Apple’s hearing features.
MagSafe or Lightning case
The MagSafe Charging Case also charges on MagSafe chargers and Qi-certified pads, while the Lightning Charging Case takes only the cable. Otherwise they match: Apple lists both at 46.40 × 54.40 × 21.38 mm and 37.91 grams, and both bring the total to 30 hours.
Calls, settings and finding them
Calls use dual beamforming microphones plus an inward-facing one. Settings live in iOS, firmware arrives with Apple’s software updates, and the buds switch automatically between devices on your Apple Account. Bluetooth is version 5.0, and Apple publishes no codec list. Apple lists no U1 chip, case speaker or lanyard loop for it; Precision Finding belongs to AirPods Pro 2.
Model numbers
| Version | Bud models | Case model | Case charging |
|---|---|---|---|
| With MagSafe Charging Case | A2565, A2564 | A2566 (2021) | MagSafe, Qi or Lightning |
| With Lightning Charging Case | A2565, A2564 | A2897 (2022) | Lightning |
Price
AirPods (3rd generation) launched at $179 in the US. Apple has stopped selling them, and as of 19 September 2026 its range is AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2, though its compare page still lists both case versions. A pair makes sense only well below that launch price, so check before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Apple Newsroom — Apple introduces all-new AirPods with spatial audio and longer battery life — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — AirPods 3 tech specs (111863) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — Identify your AirPods (109525) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple — AirPods compare — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple — Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Do AirPods (3rd generation) have noise cancelling?
No, and there's no Transparency mode either. AirPods 4 with ANC brings both to a tip-free design; every AirPods Pro pairs them with a sealed fit.
Are AirPods (3rd generation) waterproof?
No. IPX4 on the buds and case covers sweat and water during non-water sports and exercise. Apple says that resistance isn't permanent and the buds shouldn't be charged wet, so leave them out of the pool.
Should I buy AirPods (3rd generation) or AirPods (2nd generation)?
AirPods (3rd generation), unless the older pair is much cheaper. It adds Personalized Spatial Audio, the IPX4 rating, force-sensor controls and an extra hour per charge, with up to 30 hours from the case against more than 24.
Do AirPods (3rd generation) work with Android?
Yes, but only as basic Bluetooth headphones. Automatic switching and the iOS settings need Apple devices, and so does creating a Spatial Audio profile.
Do AirPods (3rd generation) have Hearing Aid features?
No. Hearing Aid, Hearing Test and Hearing Protection begin with AirPods Pro 2. This model has Live Listen, Headphone levels and Headphone Accommodations in accessibility settings.
Official product page: AirPods (3rd generation). Tech specs: AirPods (3rd generation) specs.