[Experience] AirPods Pro 2 Released After 3 Years... Ultimate Comfort with Noise Cancelling and Touch Control

First Impression Similar to 'AirPods Pro 1'
Noise Cancelling Performance Doubled
Easy Volume Control with Touch
Price Increased by 30,000 Won Compared to Previous Model

'AirPods Pro 1st generation' (left), 'AirPods Pro 2nd generation' (right). Although the exterior design remains almost identical, the AirPods Pro 2 features a hole for a built-in speaker on the bottom of the charging case.

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] After three years since the 2019 release of the 'AirPods Pro 1st generation,' the successor 'AirPods Pro 2nd generation' has been launched. The signature design of the 1st generation AirPods Pro, shaped like a "bean sprout stem," has been retained, making the appearance very similar. However, the noise-canceling feature, which led the popularization of noise cancellation, has been enhanced to twice its previous capability. Convenience has also been improved with an intuitive touch-type volume control function that can be operated with light hand gestures.

The first impression of the AirPods Pro 2 was that it was almost indistinguishable from the 1st generation to the naked eye. The white AirPods shaped like bean sprout stems look very similar externally. The glossy white charging case has nearly the same design and weight, making it difficult to distinguish except for the speaker built into the 2nd generation case, so the difference had to be identified by usage experience.

In actual testing, it was difficult to precisely measure whether the noise-canceling performance had doubled compared to the previous model as Apple claimed, but a significant improvement was felt compared to the predecessor. Apple explained that the new 'H2 chip' enables on-device processing. After wearing them, ambient noise was drastically reduced even when walking next to a busy road. Even at moments when noise intensified, such as entering the subway, listening to music or podcasts was not problematic. In fact, the noise-canceling performance was so good that it made me feel I needed to walk carefully as surrounding sounds were barely audible. The music also came out with rich bass and clear sound from both AirPods, allowing an immersive experience like an orchestra performance.

Newly released 'AirPods Pro 2nd generation'

Personally, the most innovative feature felt was the ability to adjust volume by touch. Although the previous AirPods had a recessed area on the side, Apple added touch control functionality with the release of the Pro 2. Without any separate settings, volume could be raised or lowered simply by lightly swiping, which felt very convenient.

Battery performance has also improved. The AirPods Pro 2 offers 1.5 hours longer listening time compared to the previous model, lasting up to 6 hours when using active noise cancellation. According to Apple, active noise cancellation can be used for up to 30 hours in total.

The charging case has evolved as well, serving as a guide with more diverse sounds through a built-in speaker. When playing sound by pressing the AirPods Pro 2 case via the 'Find My' feature on the iPhone 14, a sound was emitted. Sounds also played during pairing. Using the iPhone’s precision finding feature, the case’s location could be found by following the guided direction.

The relatively reasonable price was also seen as an advantage. The launch price of the AirPods Pro 2 was 359,000 KRW, only 30,000 KRW higher than the previous model. Compared to the new iPhone 14 series and Apple Watch released together last September, which increased by more than 200,000 KRW depending on the product line, the price felt relatively affordable.