EarFun Air Pro 3 Earphones Review: Now Even Better

The budget-priced true wireless earphones market is on fire these days – and one of my favourite companies in that arena is back with an updated version of one of their favourite models – the Air Pro.

The EarFun Air Pro 3 earphones take everything that was great about the previous model – and add some more goodness on top. The sound quality is excellent (if a bit bass-heavy for some), the Active Noise Cancelling exceeds what you usually get at this price level, and the phone call quality is as good as ever.

So, what’s new? Battery times have been improved, the design is different (they look better), and there’s Bluetooth 5.2 support this time around, with AptX adaptive and even Bluetooth LE Audio – which is a promising audio codec that almost no one can use at this point in time.

Taking everything into account – are these the right earphones for you – and are they a worthy upgrade to the Air Pro 2? The short answer is Yes – with a few caveats. Read ahead for the full details…

Who Are The EarFun Air Pro 3 For?

Having used EarFun’s earphones for several years now (they’ve been around since 2018), I can safely say they’re at the top level of the mid-range true wireless market – and the new Air Pro 3 are great proof of that.

The first EarFun Air Pro model looked a bit like a cheap Apple Airpods knockoff, and while it showed promise, it was lacking in several areas.

Then the EarFun Air Pro 2 was released, in late 2021, and quickly became one of my favourite true wireless models (in fact, I was still using it occasionally, until the Air Pro 3 came along).

And now the, Air Pro 3 are here – and while this isn’t a major upgrade – it certainly improves on most of the aspects that made the Air Pro 2 great.

For starters, the sound quality is great. Out of the box, it may feel a bit too aggressive for some (more on that below) – which is fine if you like strong sounds, and fixable with a few app tweaks.

The Active Noise Cancelling levels are as good as you would expect from mid-range earphones these days – it’s excellent on train and aeroplane rides and muffles traffic sounds, but won’t help too much with people speaking around you, or kids screaming in the garden.

But as usual, the greatest trick EarFun pulls here is the price – for a suggested retail price of £79.99, which often comes down thanks to discounts – these certainly hit above their price level.

Using The EarFun Air Pro 3

Size And Comfort

With the ‘Air’ still in the name, the stem-style design, a-la Apple’s Airpods is still around – but this time around, they actually look good, and not like a pair of boring, grey, plastic stems.

This is in large part thanks to the new, circular touch-control zone on each earbud. It adds a unique look to the Air Pro 3 that was missing from earlier models.

But yes, they’re still very plasticky – especially the case, which is also a bit chunkier this time around, possibly due to the increased battery levels.

The earbuds themselves are very lightweight, and they’re very comfortable in the ear.

The touch area is easier to avoid this time around, thanks to that circular “button” – so it’s easier to avoid accidental touches.

In the box, you get three additional (4 in total) ear tip sizes – that’s less than the 6 that came with the Air Pro 2, but almost anyone would find the right fit with the included sizes.

You also get a USB-C charging cable, and the charging case, which supports wireless charging (so you just place the case on a supported charger, and it starts charging).

As before, the earphones have an IPX5 water and sweat resistance rating – which means you can safely use them in the rain or when working out, but you can’t fully submerge them in water.

And as usual, the charging case is NOT water-resistant, so be careful when you pull it out of your bag – you don’t want it to get splashed.

Pairing And Controlling The EarFun Air Pro 3

Pairing the Air Pro 3 with your phone (or other devices) is quite easy – they immediately go into pairing mode when you first open the case.

Then, reconnecting them to the same phone is almost instant – this is particularly evident when I get incoming phone calls, and I pull the earbuds out of their case. Other models take their time connecting, while I’m already hearing the person on the other side screaming “Hello, Hello!”. With these, I’m able to talk with the person, via the earbuds, in about 2 seconds.

And, thanks in part to the Bluetooth 5.2 support, the Air Pro 3 STAY connected.

Having used them for several weeks, I never once encountered sudden disconnections or Bluetooth noises and crackles – even when I walked around crowded places.

Controlling the earphones is easy, and the touch surface works just right – not too sensitive and not too hard. A tap on the left lowers the volume, a tap on the right raises the volume. Two taps start and stop the music and answer a phone call, while three taps skip a track forward or backwards.

A long tap on the left alternates between ANC / Ambient Mode / Normal Mode, and a long tap on the right activates your chosen voice assistant.

You can also use EarFun’s app to change these controls, and what each tap does, which is useful.

Sadly, the in-ear detection feature which was available on the Air Pro 2, has been removed this time around – which is a shame, as I’ve gotten used to it. So if you pull the earbuds out of your ears… nothing happens, and the music keeps playing until you either stop it via your phone, or put the earbuds back in their case.

EarFun Air Pro 3 Audio Quality

When testing true wireless earphones at these price levels, it’s always important to remember that you can’t really compare £80 earphones to £200+ earphones.

That being said – the Air Pro 3’s audio quality is quite impressive. The bass levels, especially out of the box, may feel a bit harsh for some (not for me though – I’m a deep bass fan) – but you can easily tweak that using the app.

For testing purposes, I listened to Kajagoogoo’s Too Shy. This classic pop song gave the earbuds a real workout, but the sound was crisp and clear.

The distinctive synth hook opening was ringing nicely, setting the tone for the rest of the track.

The falsetto vocals managed to cut nicely through the mix, with the infectious chorus sounding great, without any shrillness. The bassline was nicely pronounced thanks to the snug fit, and all in all, this 30+ year old recording ended up sounding fresh without causing fatigue.

Jumping a few decades forward, I listened to Harry Styles’ Watermelon Sugar. The Air Pro 3 provided a fun, immersive experience.

The song’s playful lyrics and joyful energy created a sense of being transported to a sunny beach, and with the earbuds’ great seal, I was able to entirely lose myself in the song’s cheerful vibes.

The infectious melody and bright, summery instrumentation were perfectly delivered with Styles’ smooth vocals. It’s hard to say whether the super-polished production raised the earbuds’ performance, or the other way around – but either way, the experience was a joy.

It’s also worth mentioning that, this time around, there’s support for Qualcomm’s advanced audio codec – aptX adaptive, which improves the sound over Bluetooth even further.

There’s also support for an even more advanced codec – LE Audio and the LC3 codec – but alas, there are almost no phones in existence that fully support it at this point, so this is, maybe, a promise for the future.

Then there’s the Active Noise Cancelling – which is pretty similar in its performance to the Air Pro 2’s ANC.

That’s not a bad thing, as I was quite impressed with the ANC on the Air Pro 2. EarFun is calling their ANC implementation “QuietSmart 2.0”, saying it offers “Hybrid” ANC that can deal with both low-frequency noises (like the deep rumble of an aircraft or a train) and higher frequencies like train announcement voices.

I like that when the ANC is On, it works even if you’re not listening to music – so during a busy train ride, for example, you can use the earphones to get some peace and quiet – even if you’re not actually listening to anything.

As usual at this price level, the ANC works best with low, constant rumbles – so it’s perfect for travelling – but it’s not as effective with people talking around you, or clicking keyboard sounds.

It’s not perfect, and some noises certainly manage to slip in, but it’s still one of the best implementations of ANC I’ve experienced at this price range, helping you tune the outside noises out, and focus on the music or podcast you’re listening to.

The “Ambient” mode does the opposite – it picks up some of the sounds around you and amplifies them. So it’s useful if you’re walking near a dangerous road, or otherwise want to be aware of your surroundings while still listening to music.

As for phone calls, the EarFun Air Pro 3 use the QuietSmart technology and 6 built-in microphones to eliminate noises for the person you’re speaking with on the other end.

It works particularly well when you’re in a windy area, which is often the ultimate phone call killer. Again, it’s not perfect, and a loud ambulance near you will still alarm the person you’re speaking with – but it’s a pretty decent implementation of this technology.

EarFun Air Pro 3 Battery Times

The Air Pro 2 had decent – though not amazing – battery times. The Air Pro 3 model makes things even better this time around.

You can now use the Air Pro 3 for up to 9 hours without ANC, and 7 hours with ANC on (compared with 7 and 6 hours on the Air Pro 2).

When you add the power that’s waiting in the case – you get a total of up to 45 hours without ANC, and 37 hours with ANC on.

As always, your mileage may vary, as these numbers depend a lot on the volume levels you’re listening with, and even the distance between the earbuds and your phone.

The case is charged via USB-C or with a wireless charger (though it’ll be slower that way), and also has a “Quick Charge” feature that will give you two hours of listening after just 10 minutes of keeping the earphones in the case.

Bottom Line: Are The EarFun Air Pro 3 Worth It?

In a world full of mid-range true wireless earphones, the Air Pro 2 managed to stand above the crowds two years ago.

The Air Pro 3 keeps EarFun ahead of the competition – the audio quality is as good as ever, the Active Noise Cancellation is still impressive, and the improved battery times give you an even better deal.

That being said – if you already have the Air Pro 2, there isn’t much reason to pay for an upgrade. But if you’re in the market for brand new, top-quality earphones at the mid-range price level – these are a great bargain.

Note: The earphones were supplied by the manufacturer for this review. As always, this did not influence my unbiased opinion of the product.