The first round of AirPods Pro 3 reviews are out, but the one review that stands out to us is the one by DC Rainmaker, a site by a triathlete and adventurer. What’s great about DC Raimaker’s review is that he takes a close look at the heart rate sensor in the new AirPods Pro 3 and checks its accuracy. If it’s not accurate, then it’s simply a gimmick–inaccurate data is practically useless and problematic.
DC Rainmaker recorded heart rate data using the AirPods Pro 3, an Apple Watch Ultra, a Garmin Fenix 8 Pro smartwatch, and a Garmin Edge 850 paired with an HRM-600 heart rate monitor. He found that the AirPods Pro 3 is quite accurate, or at least tracks as well as the other methods. “I’m blown away. Like, legit blown away,” he wrote, stating that Apple’s PowerBeats 2 Pro, which were released earlier this year and have heart rate sensing, were “pretty darn bad” and that other companies have failed at optical heart rate technology, which is what Apple uses.
DC Raimaker talks about some of the problems that optical heart rate sensors can have, such as interference from the wearer’s footsteps while walking or running, and how body placement of recording devices affect results. “Apple has managed to do something that really nobody else has: Produce a pretty solid heart rate sensing device in your ears,” wrote DC Raimaker.
The review is definitely worth a read, especially if you’re into training and plan to wear the erphones during activities such as biking and running. He even tests them while swimming, even though Apple advises against it. We’re working on our own review of Apple’s new earphones–in the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about the AirPods Pro 3.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.