SoundPEATS Air3 Wireless Earbuds

Sep 22, 2021 By: Ryan

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What’s New with the SOUNDPEATS Air3 compared to the TrueAir2?

If you’re like me and you previously purchased the SOUNDPEATS TrueAir2 earbuds, you’re probably wondering what’s new with the Air3.

Probably the biggest improvement you’ll notice is the addition of the auto-pause function when you remove either earbud. They work similar to the Apple AirPods: when you remove one earbud, your music automatically pauses and then resumes when you return the earbud to your ear.

Another improvement is the addition of the aptX-Adaptive codec. If your phone supports aptX (which is currently limited to certain Android phones), you can take advantage of the high sound quality of the aptX protocol.

SOUNDPEATS Air3 vs TrueAir2

The Air 3 also sport a new design, with a slightly shorter stem and a new case that feels more like the AirPods case in that you “drop” the earbuds in stem-first. The charging contacts have been moved to the bottom of the stem.

SOUNDPEATS Air3 with case vs the TrueAir2 with case

Performance

The sound quality is basically identical to the TrueAir2, meaning that the Air3 sounds great with a good bass response and clear mids. I did notice that highs seem to be a hair weaker on the Air3, but I don’t mind it and still think the Air3 sounds great overall. They are a strong competitor to the Apple AirPods for anyone looking to save some cash.

SOUNDPEATS Air3 vs Apple AirPods

SOUNDPEATS Air3 Features

  • Auto-pause: If you remove either earbud, it will automatically pause the music on your phone, then resume it when you place the earbud back in your ear.
  • aptX-Adaptive codec: As noted earlier, if your phone supports aptX, you can use this high quality protocol with the Air3.
  • Touch controls: While you can’t customize the touch controls like you can on the Apple AirPods, I found most of the features I need are already programmed. For example, you can decrease the volume with a single tap of the left earbud (and increase it with a single tap of the right earbud). You can play and pause by double-tapping the left earbud, and summon Siri with a triple-tap of the right earbud.
  • One earbud mode: You can use either earbud by itself while the other earbud is in the charging case.
  • Game mode: The earbuds have a low latency “game mode” that can be accessed with a triple tap of the left earbud.

SOUNDPEATS Air3 outside of their case

SOUNDPEATS Air3 Battery Life

Each charge gives you up to 5 hours of playback on the earbuds, with the charging case providing an additional 2.5 charges for up to 17.5 hours of playback before you need to find the USB-C charging cord and recharge the case.

Our Verdict

9.3
Awesome

The SOUNDPEATS Air3 add some new features like auto-pause when removing an earbud and the apt-x protocol for supported phones. If you already own the TrueAir2, these are not huge reasons to upgrade, but if you’re looking for a great pair of truly wireless earbuds with a semi in-ear design, the Air3 are a worthy competitor to the Apple AirPods.

PROs

  • Great sound quality
  • Auto-pause when one earbud is removed
  • Single earbud use

CONs

  • No custom EQ settings
Tags: earbuds headphones

About

Ryan Flick Hi, I'm Ryan! I've worked in the IT industry for over two decades and I love checking out new gadgets, apps, and services that make our lives easier. Read more...