As a multi-day, multiple times a year sales event, Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days might not feel special, but you’re able to still occasionally find some discounts on everything fromAmazon’s own hardwaretosome great smartphones. The best deal so far from this year’s event is on the ever-popular, and soon, even more capablesecond-generation Apple AirPods Pro.
Apple’s premium wireless earbuds are not only excellent at blocking out the world around you, they also sound great too, thanks to the company’s audio architecture and the software work it’s done to ensure ear tips fit, and immersiveSpatial Audiotracks are personalized to your ears. The earbuds were last updated with the addition of a USB-C charging port on their charging case and a low latency connection with theVision Proin 2023, and will likely receive a revision sometime in the next few years. For now though, you can get a $249 pair of AirPods Pro for $168.99, and that’s hard to beat. If you need extra convincing, here’s why they’re worth purchasing.
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AirPods Pro 2 are packed with features
They’ll get even better via a software update later this year
Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation (USB-C)
The 2nd generation AirPods Pro with USB-C are normally Apple’s most expensive wireless earbuds without a sale. They offer support for personalized Spatial Audio, ANC, and Adaptive Audio that adjusts your volume and ANC based on the surrounding environment.
With the introduction of the fourth-generation AirPods, all of Apple’s wireless earbuds look more or less the same, and that’s because they’re drawing their design from the compact design of second-generation AirPods Pro. These earbuds won’t exactly disappear into your ears, but that’s to your benefit. The ear stems help with voice isolation during phone calls, and the silicone ear tips mean you’ll get a better seal and a more complete active noise cancelation than the fourth-generation AirPods with ANC are able to offer.
These earbuds won’t exactly disappear into your ears, but that’s to your benefit.
On top of the AirPods Pro 2’s ability to block the world out, they can also selectively let the world in. Apple has one of the best transparency modes out there, and the earbuds' ability to detect a conversation and disable ANC automatically is also pretty unparalleled. Apple’s addition of Adaptive Audio, which adjusts your listening settings based on your surrounding environment, also works surprisingly well. It means you’ll spend less time making adjustments and more time listening.
The majority of these features are enabled by the H2 chip, Apple’s custom silicon that manages everything from the AirPods Pro’s ability to detect if they’re in your ears and resume playing audio, to intelligently switching between Bluetooth connections to your various Apple devices. There’s a good chance future AirPods Pro will go further and track things like heart rate or your physical activity, but even now Apple is squeezing a lot from a little.
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The AirPods Pro are already fantastic, but there’s even more quality hiding just beneath the surface.
AirPods Pro will get even better with new hearing health features
Apple’s addition of hearing aid functionality is a big deal
Case in point, thenew hearing health featuresthe company plans on rolling out later this year. The AirPods Pro will not only protect your ears if you wear them in a loud environment after this update, but also act as an FDA-approved hearing aid to help you listen to the people around you, all without having to change the physical hardware of the earbuds themselves.
Apple’s various hearing health features shouldn’t be a substitute for consulting a medical professional, but they are a great option if your hearing loss is mild, or you can’t yet make the jump to other hearing aids.
That’s a huge benefit for anyone who already has a pair ofAirPods Pro, and it will make them one of the more affordable hearing aid options out there when Apple finally pushes out the software update. Apple’s wireless earbuds normally feel pretty expensive at $249, but with all the features the AirPods Pro 2 have and will get soon, I don’t know how you could really turn them down at $168.99.
Save $80 on AirPods Pro 2 and other Prime Day Apple deals
If you’re comfortable getting an older Apple device, you’re able to get great deals on AirPods, iPads, and more for Prime Day.
