Apple's New AirPods Are a Major Leap Forward

If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser.

Welcome to The Check Out, our newsletter that gives you a deeper look at some of our editors' favorite things. Each week, we'll showcase a life-changing product, along with a bunch of other reviews, roundups, and deals that will help you live, work out, dress, eat, and take care of yourself better.

- The Editors at Men's Health

Apple's New AirPods Are a Major Leap Forward

Even though AirPods are among the most popular consumer tech gadgets ever made, Apple hasn't exactly rushed to push out new versions of its true wireless earbuds. The first iteration dropped in 2016 (back when the concept of walking around with stems sticking out of your ears sounded ridiculous), then the second gen, which introduced only a few internal performance tweaks and an optional wireless charging case, didn't follow until early 2019.

Sure, the AirPods Pro also came out in 2019, bringing silicon tips for an in-ear fit and advanced audio capabilities with a premium price tag—but that's technically separate from the base AirPods lineage. While iPhones and Apple Watches have an annual update schedule, the earbuds have stayed largely the same since they first debuted, roughly an eon ago by tech gadget timelines.

That all changes with the release of the new third generation AirPods, announced last week by Apple at its second hardware event of the fall. Unlike the previous update, the third gen AirPods have visibly morphed, bringing a sleeker, more streamlined look to the base version of the earbuds. But the improvements aren't just aesthetic. I had a chance to test out the new headphones for just under a week ahead of wide availability on October 26, and I found that the sound is much improved, too—and even though they're $70 less than the Pro model, they feel like a premium audio experience.

- Brett Williams, NASM (MH Fitness Editor)