Device hub · Earbuds · Desk research

AirPods Pro (1st generation)

AirPods Pro (1st generation) is the 2019 sealed Pro: H1, ANC + Transparency, three tip sizes, IPX4 buds, and a case Apple says is not sweat or water resistant.

Disclosure: Affiliate programs are not enrolled yet. See Affiliate disclosure. This page is manufacturer desk research, not a hands-on test — see Methodology.

In short

AirPods Pro (1st generation) is the 2019 sealed Pro: H1, ANC + Transparency, three tip sizes, IPX4 buds, and a case Apple says is not sweat or water resistant. Buy it only as an old-vs-old / used / refurb record. Hearing Aid is not supported. Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness are not on the original spec. The $249 US October 2019 launch is Apple’s published number, not a street price.

Who it is for

  • Writers and shoppers doing old-vs-old work: AirPods Pro (1st generation) versus Pro 2, versus AirPods 3, versus a used XM4-class sealed bud.
  • People who already own the 2019 Pro and need an honest earbuds-v1 table instead of a Pro 2 firmware changelog.
  • Used / refurbished / gift-drawer buyers who will accept H1, three tip sizes, and no Hearing Aid.
  • Anyone identifying A2084 / A2083 buds and an A2190 Wireless or MagSafe case (Identify 109525).

Who should skip it

  • Anyone who wants Hearing Aid, Hearing Test, or Hearing Protection. Those are Pro 2 and later — not 1st generation. Write “not supported,” do not imply a firmware surprise.
  • Buyers who want Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, or Personalized Volume. Those names are not on Support 111861.
  • Android-first buyers who want LDAC or a first-class Google / Samsung app. Apple lists Bluetooth use on non-Apple devices with limited functionality.
  • Shoppers who need a current Apple sell-in sealed flagship. That is AirPods Pro 3 (or leftover Pro 2), not this discontinued hub.

Key differentiators

  • First Apple sealed in-ear with named ANC + Transparency and Adaptive EQ. That is the 2019 job-to-be-done versus open-ear AirPods 2 / 1.
  • H1, force-sensor stem, three silicone tip sizes. Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking is on the 111861 audio list (later software / Spatialize Stereo footnote).
  • IPX4 on the buds only. Apple’s footnote: the Wireless Charging Case and MagSafe Charging Case for AirPods Pro are not sweat or water resistant.
  • Battery: up to 4.5 hours with ANC (5 hours ANC+Transparency off); more than 24 hours with the case; 5 minutes ≈ 1 hour. Old-vs-old worthy against Pro 2’s 6 / 30 table.

Caveats

  • Always say AirPods Pro (1st generation) in the product name, H1, and first sentence. “AirPods Pro” alone now reads as the current Pro on apple.com.
  • Hearing Aid is not published / not supported on 1st generation. Do not copy Pro 2 firmware language onto this hub.
  • No Adaptive Audio and no Conversation Awareness on the original spec. Do not backfill those names.
  • Case ingress is a hard Apple footnote: Wireless / MagSafe cases are not sweat or water resistant. Do not write IPX4 on the case.
  • Apple product photography is not hosted here. Third-party IP guidelines and Newsroom “editorial use” language do not give a commercial gadget site a clear redistribution license.

Earbud-category specs

Same manufacturer rows on every earbud page.

AirPods Pro (1st generation) — key specs
AttributeValueSource / note
Form factorSealed in-ear with short stemApple Support 111861
Fit / tips / wingsSilicone ear tips in three sizesApple Support 111861 (In the Box)
Driver / acoustic architecture (OEM)Custom high-excursion Apple driver; custom high dynamic range amplifier; vent system for pressure equalizationApple Support 111861
Chip / processorH1 headphone chipApple Support 111861
Active noise cancellation (OEM)Active Noise CancellationApple Support 111861Named feature only. Apple did not publish a dB figure on Support 111861 (accessed 2026-09-19). Do not invent one.
Transparency / ambient (OEM)Transparency modeApple Support 111861Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio are not on this sheet.
Spatial / 360 audio (OEM)Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQApple Support 111861Support 111861 lists Spatial audio. Footnote: Spatialize Stereo supports stereo content with iOS 15 or later, Apple Music with Dolby Atmos or 5.1, and listed video formats. Later software — still an OEM row, not a 2019 launch-day hardware claim beyond Adaptive EQ.
Hearing features (OEM)Not publishedApple Support 111861; Pro 2 / Pro 3 Hearing Aid footnotesDo not imply a firmware path to Hearing Aid on 1st generation.
Battery — buds (OEM)Up to 4.5 hours of listening time with a single charge (up to 5 hours with Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency off)Apple Support 111861Apple October 2019 test footnotes (256 kbps AAC, 50% volume, iPhone 11 Pro Max).
Battery — with case (OEM)More than 24 hours of listening time with the Wireless Charging CaseApple Support 111861
Charging (OEM)Lightning on the Wireless Charging Case. 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour of listening. Lightning to USB-C cable in the box.Apple Support 111861
Wireless chargingQi-certified chargers on the Wireless Charging Case (2019). MagSafe Charging Case variant introduced 2021 (Support 111859) — Qi + MagSafe + Lightning.Apple Support 111861; Support 111859
Water / dust — budsIPX4 — sweat and water resistant for non-water sports and exerciseApple Support 111861 footnoteNot permanent. Do not charge wet. Not a swim bud.
Water / dust — caseNot sweat or water resistant — Apple footnote: the Wireless Charging Case and MagSafe Charging Case for AirPods Pro are not sweat or water resistantApple Support 111861 footnote
BluetoothBluetooth 5.0Apple Support 111861
Codecs (OEM)Not publishedApple Support 111861 footnotesApple’s battery footnotes use 256 kbps AAC test tracks. Do not invent LDAC.
Microphones / calls (OEM)Dual beamforming microphones; inward-facing microphoneApple Support 111861
On-bud controlsForce sensor: press once play/pause/answer; press twice skip; press three times skip back; press and hold ANC / Transparency; “Hey Siri”Apple Support 111861
Multipoint / device switchingAutomatic switching across devices on the same Apple Account. Not a named Android-style two-device multipoint toggle.Apple Support 111861 system requirements / product language
Sensors (OEM)Dual beamforming microphones; inward-facing microphone; dual optical sensors; motion-detecting accelerometer; speech-detecting accelerometer; force sensorApple Support 111861
Weight — one bud5.4 g (0.19 oz)Apple Support 111861
Weight — case45.6 g (1.61 oz) — Wireless Charging Case on Support 111861Apple Support 111861
Dimensions — one bud30.9 × 21.8 × 24.0 mm (H × W × D)Apple Support 111861
Dimensions — case45.2 × 60.6 × 21.7 mm (H × W × D)Apple Support 111861
FinishesWhite (the spec sheet does not list additional colorways)Apple Support 111861
Phone / OS compatibilityLatest iOS / iPadOS / watchOS / macOS / tvOS for full features on the current Support sheet. Usable as Bluetooth headphones on earlier Apple OS and non-Apple devices with limited functionality.Apple Support 111861
Find / Fast Pair / UWBNot publishedApple Support 111861Later Find My support for AirPods is software, not a 2019 U1 case. Do not copy Pro 2 Precision Finding language onto 1st generation.
Companion app / firmwareiOS Settings (no third-party app). Firmware via Apple OS updates. Hearing Aid is not a supported firmware target on 1st generation.Apple Support 111861
US MSRP (launch)$249 (US)Apple Newsroom 2019-10-28Apple Newsroom, 28 October 2019. Street and used prices go stale; re-check on write day.
Price bandFlagship true-wireless ($200–$300 US launch)Derived from Apple $249 start
Announced28 October 2019Apple Newsroom
AvailabilityDiscontinued. Old-vs-old hub. People still buy used and refurbished. Identify year introduced: 2019 (buds A2084, A2083).Apple Support 111861; Identify 109525

AirPods Pro (1st generation) extras

Unique to this line or SKU. Other earbuds keep the first table aligned and swap this extras list.

AirPods Pro (1st generation) extras
AttributeValueSource / note
Wireless vs MagSafe case2019 Wireless Charging Case (Qi + Lightning) is the Support 111861 box. 2021 MagSafe Charging Case for AirPods Pro 1 is Support 111859 / Identify A2190 (serial suffixes 1059 or 1NRC). Wireless 2019 A2190 uses serial suffixes 0C6L or LKKT.Apple Support 111861; Support 111859; Identify 109525Same A2190 model family on Identify 109525; distinguish by year and serial suffix. Neither case is sweat or water resistant.
Hearing Aid detailNot publishedApple Support 111861; Pro 2 Support 111834 footnotes
Adaptive Audio / Conversation AwarenessNot on the original Support 111861 spec. Those names arrive on later Pro hardware / firmware families (Pro 2 and listed AirPods 4 SKUs).Apple Support 111861
Included tip sizesThree sizes (Support 111861 does not print XS/S/M/L letters — only “three sizes”)Apple Support 111861
IdentifyAirPods Pro 1 — year introduced 2019. Bud models A2084, A2083. Charging case A2190 (2019 Wireless or 2021 MagSafe).Apple Support 109525
In the box (Wireless Charging Case sheet)AirPods Pro 1; Wireless Charging Case; silicone ear tips (three sizes); Lightning to USB-C Cable; documentation.Apple Support 111861
Accessibility featuresLive Listen, Headphones levels, Headphones Accommodations, Conversation BoostApple Support 111861Conversation Boost here is the accessibility list on 111861 — not Conversation Awareness.

Overview

AirPods Pro (1st generation) is the October 2019 sealed Pro. Apple’s own framing on Support 111861 is H1, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency, Adaptive EQ, and a short-stem in-ear with three silicone tip sizes, in a Wireless Charging Case that charges on Qi or Lightning. It is not AirPods Pro 2 and it is not AirPods Pro 3. The first sentence, the H1, and the product name all keep “1st generation” so later writers do not collapse the line.

This hub exists so later earbud writers can clone one honest old-vs-old device record. Discontinued ≠ abandoned. People still buy used and refurbished 1st-generation Pros. The first spec table is earbuds-v1 — the same keys belong on AirPods 1, Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Sony WF-1000XM5, and Pixel Buds Pro. It is not a sitewide gadget schema and it is not watches-v1. Comparison URLs stay on their own -vs- slugs under /earbuds/…. This page’s public path is locked at /earbuds/airpods-pro/.

We do not claim we wore these on a commute or a run. Where Apple omits Hearing Aid, Adaptive Audio, or a case IP rating, we keep the key and write the omission.

Fit, tips, and form factor

AirPods Pro (1st generation) is a sealed in-ear. Support 111861 lists silicone ear tips in three sizes. That is the fit story versus open-ear AirPods 3 / 2 / 1, and versus Pro 2’s four printed sizes (XS–L) and Pro 3’s five foam-infused sizes (XXS–L).

Dimensions are 30.9 × 21.8 × 24.0 mm per bud, 5.4 g — the same millimeter box as Pro 2 USB-C at 5.3 g. Quote both sheets. Do not write “same weight.”

ANC, transparency, and spatial (OEM claims only)

Copy Apple’s names. Do not invent dB.

  • Active Noise Cancellation on the first table. No multiplier and no decibel figure on 111861.
  • Transparency mode on the transparency row. Not Conversation Awareness.
  • Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking + Adaptive EQ on the spatial row. Cite the Spatialize Stereo / iOS 15 footnote. Compatible content only.
  • No Adaptive Audio on this spec.

A Pro 2 page keeps the same anc key and adds Adaptive Audio plus the 2× footnote. A first-gen AirPods page writes No.

Battery and charging (OEM table only)

Copy this table, do not invent rundown curves:

Mode (Apple’s words)AirPods Pro (1st generation) claim
Listening with ANCUp to 4.5 hours
ANC and Transparency offUp to 5 hours
With Wireless Charging CaseMore than 24 hours
Fast charge5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour

In the box (111861): buds, Wireless Charging Case, three tip sizes, Lightning to USB-C cable, documentation. Wireless charging is Qi on that case; the 2021 MagSafe case adds MagSafe alignment and still uses Lightning for the cable (Support 111859).

ANC, fit, and battery

anc, fit_system, and battery_buds are earbuds-v1 rows: every later earbud page should fill them, even when the OEM only publishes “IPX4” or “not listed.”

AirPods Pro (1st generation) fit is the three-size silicone tip + IPX4-buds-only story. Battery is the 4.5 / more-than-24 table. Hearing Aid does not belong in this generation’s first-table value beyond “not supported.”

Codecs, Bluetooth, and switching

Apple printed Bluetooth 5.0 and used AAC tracks in the battery footnote. It did not print LDAC, LC3, or SSC on Support 111861 we pulled. Keep codecs and write “not published.” Automatic switching is the Apple Account behavior, not a two-device Android multipoint toggle — keep multipoint and say so.

Hearing features and what not to invent

Hearing Aid is not on AirPods Pro (1st generation). Keep hearing_health and write “Not published on the spec sheet / not supported (accessed 2026-09-19).” Apple’s later footnotes say Hearing Test / Aid / Protection are AirPods Pro 2 and later.

Accessibility on 111861 still lists Live Listen, Headphone levels, Headphone Accommodations, and Conversation Boost. Conversation Boost on that accessibility list is not Conversation Awareness and it is not Hearing Aid.

No medical advice. No “this replaces an audiologist” — and no implication that 1st generation gained Hearing Aid.

Software, Find My, and compatibility

Full features: latest Apple OS family on the current Support sheet. Support 111861 does not list U1, a case speaker, or a lanyard loop. Do not copy Pro 2 Precision Finding into this extras table as if it were 2019 hardware.

The 2021 MagSafe case (111859 / Identify A2190) is MagSafe + Qi + Lightning. It is still not water resistant.

Price and SKUs

US launch is $249 (Newsroom, 28 October 2019). Year introduced 2019 on Identify 109525. Discontinued. Used and refurbished remain the live market. That is why this old-vs-old hub stays.

SKU split (do not merge)

SKUYear introduced (Identify 109525)Bud modelsCase modelNotes
AirPods Pro (1st generation) + Wireless Charging Case2019A2084, A2083A2190 (serial 0C6L or LKKT)Support 111861; Qi + Lightning
AirPods Pro (1st generation) + MagSafe Charging Case2021 caseA2084, A2083A2190 (serial 1059 or 1NRC)Support 111859; MagSafe + Qi + Lightning

In the box (Support 111861)

ItemPresent
AirPods Pro 1Yes
Wireless Charging CaseYes
Silicone ear tips (three sizes)Yes
Lightning to USB-C CableYes
DocumentationYes

Do not invent independent scores, Amazon star averages, or “we wore them for a week.” If you need a winner against Pro 2, that is a future /earbuds/…-vs-…/ page — this hub only describes one product.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Why does the H1 have to say 1st generation?

Because “AirPods Pro” on apple.com now means the current Pro. This hub’s productName, page H1, and first overview sentence all say AirPods Pro (1st generation). Clone pages must keep that string.

Does 1st-generation Pro have Hearing Aid?

No. Hearing Aid, Hearing Test, and Hearing Protection are documented for AirPods Pro 2 and later. On this hub the hearing_health row is “Not published on the spec sheet / not supported.” Do not invent a firmware unlock.

Does it have Adaptive Audio or Conversation Awareness?

Not on Support 111861. The original audio list is ANC, Transparency, Adaptive EQ, Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and the vented custom driver. Keep those names off this page.

Is the case water resistant?

No. Apple’s IPX4 footnote applies to the buds. The same footnote says the Wireless Charging Case and MagSafe Charging Case for AirPods Pro are not sweat or water resistant. Keep case_ingress as that sentence.

What case do I have?

Identify 109525: both the 2019 Wireless case and the 2021 MagSafe case are model A2190. Distinguish by year introduced and the last four serial digits (0C6L / LKKT versus 1059 / 1NRC). Support 111859 is the MagSafe case page.

Is the $249 price a street price?

No. $249 is Apple’s published US launch price in October 2019. Used and refurbished listings are not launch MSRP. Re-check the listing on the day you quote a number.

Did Apple publish a codec list or an ANC dB number?

No on both. Battery footnotes use 256 kbps AAC. ANC is a named feature with no decibel figure on 111861. Keep the keys and write “not published” rather than inventing LDAC or a dB chart.

Official product page: AirPods Pro (1st generation). Tech specs: AirPods Pro (1st generation) specs.