AirPods Pro 2 After 6 Months: Proceed With Caution!

Today I’m going to share my six-month experience with the second-generation AirPods Pro. I’ve been using these earbuds daily since their launch, and while they were outstanding for the first couple of months, I’ve recently started to notice some issues that have me concerned about their durability and longevity.

Design and Fitment

One of the main things that affect these earbuds, both positively and negatively, is their design. At a glance, they look pretty much the same as the last generation, with a few notable changes. On the back of the buds, there’s a new mic and vent placement which affects noise cancellation and adaptive transparency. On the stem, there are new touch controls that weren’t there on the previous gen.

The fitment of the AirPods Pro 2 is generally good. They’re nice and light, weighing in at 5.3 grams for each bud. Occasionally, the right earbud will try to push its way out, but that happens fairly infrequently. However, fitment is subjective and will be different for everyone to some extent. It’s important to find the right ear tips for your ears to ensure a comfortable and secure fit.

Touch Controls and Sound Quality

The touch controls were something that I was a little concerned with when I first got these earbuds. It took me a while to get used to them, but now I actually really enjoy them.

The touch surface on each bud points to the front, and I find that I have to be pretty deliberate to perform actions on here, so accidental touches are rare. This is a significant improvement over the previous generation, and it makes the user experience much more enjoyable.

The sound quality of the AirPods Pro 2 is outstanding, regardless of how loud it is. Everything sounds crispy and clear, the bass isn’t overpowering, and audio as a whole is balanced quite well. The real game changer in terms of sound quality is spatial audio.

While it doesn’t benefit many music tracks, it’s great for watching TV with my Apple TV. It sounds like I’m listening to everything through a fully fledged surround sound system. This is a feature that truly sets the AirPods Pro 2 apart from other earbuds on the market.

Noise Cancellation and Transparency

Noise cancellation on the AirPods Pro 2 is the best that I’ve tried in a set of earbuds. It’s incredibly effective at blocking out background noise, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in your music or podcast. On the other hand, adaptive transparency has been fantastic.

I find it really useful when I need to hear stuff around me. It does a really good job of not only bringing out your environment in the audio but adjusting the volume of that environment. This feature is particularly useful in situations where you need to be aware of your surroundings, such as when walking outside.

Software Experience

The software experience could be a bit less confusing. Right now, any adjustments are spread out across the settings app on your iPhone. I wish they would just consolidate everything into an AirPods app, similar to The Watch app.

However, the ease of use of just pairing these to your Apple account and using them across all of your devices isn’t comparable in any other product. This seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem is one of the key selling points of the AirPods Pro 2.

Battery Life

Battery life for me has been really solid. I still get around five to six hours on a single charge. The case charges up the buds super fast, and I rarely ever let the case drop below 50% charge. However, after a year or two, you can potentially see that battery life cut in half. This is something to keep in mind if you’re planning on using these earbuds heavily on a daily basis.

The Case and Durability Concerns

The negative side of the design has everything to do with the case that the earbuds sit in. Just like the earbuds, the case doesn’t really look that much different from its predecessor. It does have an added lanyard loop, which could be useful for some users, and an added speaker, which provides an audible cue when the earbuds start charging or when the battery is low.

However, the problem lies inside the case. About a month ago, I started to notice some weirdness where one of my AirPods wouldn’t charge overnight.

I took them into the Apple store, and they said that the contacts inside the case had corrosion on them. This is a pretty common problem, and it does have me a bit worried about the long-term durability of these earbuds.

I’ve been careful not to put them in the case when they have any moisture on them, but I still encountered this issue. I think what I’m seeing may be due to living in a humid climate close to the ocean, but regardless, having these for only about five months at the time with no direct contact with water in the case and having all these issues with corrosion already is concerning.

The Verdict

Despite these issues, I still love these headphones and would buy them again. However, I would do so with a little more awareness surrounding some of those weak points. I think it’s enough cause for concern that you should seriously consider Apple Care Plus if you’re buying a set of AirPods.

Not only for this corrosion issue but just in general. If you drop these wrong or they go through the wash, that extra peace of mind is nice to have.

Overall, the AirPods Pro 2(Amazon Link) are a premium set of headphones with great sound quality, noise cancellation, and transparency. They’re very hard to beat. However, their durability and longevity are something to keep in mind, especially considering their $249, £249 price tag.

Let me know in the comments down below if you’ve had these same issues or what your favorite and most disliked thing about the AirPods Pros is. Or, if you want to give a shout out to another set of earbuds, that’s okay too. Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll see you in the next article.

In conclusion, the AirPods Pro 2 are a fantastic piece of technology that offer a premium listening experience. However, they are not without their flaws. The corrosion issue is a significant concern, and the battery life may degrade over time.

Despite these issues, I believe that the AirPods Pro 2 are still worth considering, especially if you’re heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem. Just be sure to take good care of them, and consider investing in Apple Care Plus for that extra peace of mind.