Independent tests show AirPods Pro 3 heart-rate monitoring rivals Apple Watch, thanks to a fast infrared PPG sensor. Accurate readings even during workouts.
© Apple
Apple has taken a meaningful step toward turning headphones into genuine health tools. The AirPods Pro 3 now offer heart-rate monitoring, and independent tests found the readings to be on par with medical devices. Triathlete and well-known reviewer DC Rainmaker compared the new earbuds against seven other products, including smartwatches and dedicated sports sensors. The outcome impressed: AirPods Pro 3 data virtually mirrored Apple Watch measurements, and their accuracy outperformed any other earbuds with a similar feature.
The key advance sits in the sensor. Unlike the Powerbeats Pro 2, which rely on a standard green LED optical setup, AirPods Pro 3 use a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor that operates with invisible infrared light at 256 pulses per second. That approach helps keep readings stable even during vigorous workouts. Apple describes it as the smallest heart-rate sensor the company has ever made, and early feedback suggests the claim isn’t just surface-level marketing.
Taking the tests as a whole, if you want both strong sound and precise pulse tracking, AirPods Pro 3 essentially stand alone right now. Most rivals still haven’t reached this level of accuracy, which makes the new model especially appealing for athletes and anyone who keeps a close eye on their health. The takeaway is hard to miss: for once, biometric tracking in earbuds doesn’t feel like a compromise.