We think the AirPods (3rd generation) are superior to the AirPods (2nd generation) in several aspects, including a more comfortable fit, an IPX4 water-resistant rating, support for spatial audio, a MagSafe charging case, and better battery life. They also feature a skin-detect sensor for improved play/pause automation, bass-reflex ports, and Adaptive EQ for audio adjustments. Despite this, neither model excels in sound isolation, and for those prioritizing sound quality and noise cancelation, there are better options available, such as the AirPods Pro.

Spatial audio with Dolby Atmos is Apple’s version of 3D sound. It uses head-tracking technology to create a more realistic, immersive experience with music and movies. Apple introduced Spatialize Stereo with the AirPods (3rd generation), which doesn’t require source material with more than two channels to work. Spatialize Stereo isn’t particularly great, but it works well on tracks initially mixed in mono.

Apple’s spatial audio works just with the AirPods Pro (1st generation and 2nd), AirPods Max, AirPods (3rd generation), and the Beats Fit Pro.

No, none of the Apple AirPods support Bluetooth multipoint. However, you can take advantage of automatic device switching between Apple hardware under the same iCloud account. This means when you’re listening to music on your iPhone and start playing a video on your MacBook, the AirPods (3rd generation) will stop playing from your phone and immediately switch to the laptop’s audio output.