If you’re on a budget but don’t want to compromise on sound quality, the EarFun Air Pro 3 are the perfect earbuds for you. Not only do they offer active noise cancellation and great battery life, but they also feature a new Bluetooth codec that sets them apart from their predecessor, the Air Pro 2. With their impressive features and unbeatable price point, these earbuds undoubtedly make a great addition to EarFun’s lineup.
Pros
- Excellent noise cancellation for under $90
- Ideal sound quality while not exactly meeting “perfection”
- Comes with four silicone tip sizes
- Impressive battery providing up to 45 hours of playtime
Cons
- The sound is not as precise as others in the market
- The design might push some customers away
Down-to-earth and user-friendly
The Earfun Air Pro 3 earbuds offer a unique control system that allows you to control playback, calls, and volume with taps. With two taps on either earbud, you can pause/resume playback or answer/end calls, while one tap on the right or left earbud will raise or lower the volume. You can also cycle between Normal, Noise-Cancelling, and Ambient Sound modes by tapping twice on the left earbud.
To get the full range of control, the Earfun app (available for both iPhone and Android devices) is the way to go—it allows you to update the firmware, enable Game Mode, and cycle through the various sound modes. For audiophiles, the app also has a six-band equalizer with four preset settings, allowing you to customize your sound to your liking.
Ideal base + no noise = Quality sound
- Driver: 11mm Wool Composite Dynamic Drivers
- Noise cancellation: QuietSmart 2.0TM, Hybrid, up to 43dB
After testing a range of EarFun products, the Air Pro 3 earbuds stand out for their fun and vibrant sound, even if they aren’t particularly neutral. Listening to various content made me appreciate the apparent powerful bass experience, balanced with enough room in the midrange.
The stereo panning of various parts also comes across clearly, though the soundstage isn’t especially wide—not unusual in earbuds. You can feel the abundance of movement in the stereo field, with good representation on the Air Pro 3; however, the soundstage remains quite narrow. With the neutral EQ setting, the low end has plenty of thump and the highs are treated nicely.
One noteworthy advantage of the Air Pro 3 is their instant compatibility with podcasts and audiobooks—male speakers often sound too bass-heavy on earbuds, but the Air Pro 3 handles spoken word nicely. Air Pro 3’s active noise cancellation (ANC) is also surprisingly effective, though this depends on finding a good fit; with ANC enabled, there’s almost no noise when music or videos are playing.
If you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that allow you to stay aware of your surroundings, the Ambient Sound mode (also known as Transparency Mode) of the Air Pro 3s provides surprisingly good sound quality. Although Apple and some other brands are still ahead of the game, the Air Pro 3s are catching up quickly and offer a much more budget-friendly option.
Looking forward in connectivity
- Bluetooth version: V5.3
- Bluetooth profile: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
- Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LC3
- Low latency mode: 55ms
The EarFun Air Pro 3 earbuds are among the first affordable earbuds to feature Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Audio and the LC3 codec, which offers superior sound quality to the standard SBC codec while using a lower bitrate. Both Android and iOS users will benefit from improved sound quality, with AAC audio quality for Apple devices, and aptX Adaptive for Android devices.
The Multi-Stream Audio and Low Complexity Communications Codec (LC3) features of LE Audio enable true high-quality audio streaming. Field tests show that, compared to SBC coding, the bit rate of LC3 is half that of SBC, but THD/SNR and other indicators are improved and better than SBC, while consuming less power.
Furthermore, the Air Pro 3 earbuds come with Game Mode for reduced latency, and Multipoint Bluetooth for connecting to two devices at the same time. All in all, the EarFun Air Pro 3 earbuds offer an excellent value-for-money proposition for audiophiles who are looking for improved sound quality and convenience.
Ample playtime with a powerful battery
- Battery capacity (earbuds): 54mAh each
- Charging case battery capacity: 540mAh
The Air Pro 3 earbuds offer up to seven hours of battery life with active noise canceling (ANC) and up to nine hours without. The charging case adds an additional 30 hours with ANC and 36 hours without, making for a total of up to 37 hours of battery life with ANC enabled and up to 45 hours with ANC disabled.
During my testing, I was able to get slightly over seven hours of battery life with ANC enabled, though your mileage may vary depending on your listening volume. When it comes to charging, the earbuds take an hour in the case to fully recharge, while the case charges in two hours over USB-C, or three and a half hours wirelessly. Plus, with fast charging, you get up to two hours of playtime from just a 10-minute charge.
Comfortable/Solid plastic build
- Size: 60 x 50 x 31 mm (2.36 x 1.96 x 1.22 in)
- Weight (each earbud): 5.2 grams (0.18 oz) / with case: 52 grams (1.83 oz)
- Water resistance: IPX5
The Earfun Air Pro 3 has a straightforward design with a recognizable stem at the bottom setting them apart from the iconic Apple AirPods Pro. These earbuds are IPX5-rated water-resistant, making them ideal to take with you on a rainy day as they are splash-proof and sweat-proof. However, you should avoid submerging them in water. The Air Pro 3s come with four different sizes of silicone tips (extra small, small, medium, and large) to make sure you can find the perfect fit. Once you find the right tip size, you can wear them comfortably for hours as they are light and nearly unnoticeable.
Are EarFun Air Pro 3 Earbuds for you?
The EarFun Air Pro 3 earbuds are an excellent choice for truly wireless earbuds at a great price. Their larger overall drivers, along with their impressive active noise cancellation (ANC) and Ambient Sound mode, make them stand out among other options. Plus, their Bluetooth LE Audio and LC3 codec make them a particularly future-proof pick. Whether you’re an audiophile or just looking for a reliable pair of earbuds, the Air Pro 3 is an ideal choice.