Standing out in the realm of fully wireless Bluetooth headphones is complicated by the wide variety of models available. And when you talk about active noise cancellation options, there are a few names that shine above the rest, such as Apple’s AirPods Pro (2022). But there are alternatives to consider, especially when looking for something cheaper, see the Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen). We put them face to face to know their characteristics, their differences and their price.
Includes AirPods Pro (2022) and Amazon Echo Buds (2nd generation)
specifications |
AirPods Pro (2nd generation) |
Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) |
---|---|---|
Dimensions and weight |
Ear cups: 1.25″ high x 0.75″ wide, 0.95″ thick, 0.2 ounce | Case: 4.52 cm high x 6.06 cm wide x 2.17 cm d thickness and 50.8 grams of weight |
Earpiece: 20.0 x 19.1 x 19.1 mm (without dome or fin) and 5.7 grams; Charging case: 66.8 x 28.6 x 39.1 mm and 44.4 grams |
sound technology |
Apple custom high excursion driver, custom high dynamic range amplifier, active noise cancellation, adaptive ambient mode, slotted pressure compensation, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking and adaptive EQ |
Compact, high-performance dynamic driver, active noise cancellation (ANC) and vents to reduce ear pressure |
Sensors |
Two beamforming microphones, an inward-facing microphone, skin sensor, motion-detecting accelerometer, voice-detecting accelerometer, and touch control |
Three microphones, accelerometer, proximity sensor, touch sensor and Hall effect sensor (housing) |
Chip |
Apple H2 chip for headphones and U1 chip in MagSafe charging case |
Realtek RTL8763C Bluetooth system-on-chip with integrated audio codec, NXP digital signal processor |
controls |
Press once to play audio, pause it or answer a call; double tap to skip to next song; triple tap to return to the previous song; press and hold to switch between active noise cancellation and adaptive ambient sound mode; swipe up or down to adjust volume, and say “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, get directions, and more. |
Gesture control |
Sweat and water resistance |
IPX4 |
IPX4 |
charging case |
Compatible with MagSafe charger, Apple Watch, Qi certification and Lightning charging |
USB-C wired charging (top model with wireless charging) |
Autonomy |
Up to 6 hours of audio playback on a single charge (up to 5.5 hours if spatial audio is enabled), or up to 4.5 hours of talk time | With the case, you get up to 30 hours of audio playback or up to 24 hours of talk time. Five minutes of charging equals one hour of reading or talking |
Up to 5 hours of music playback per charge with ANC and Alexa voice control. Up to 15 hours in total with the charging case |
connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.3 and H2 chip |
Bluetooth 5.0 |
Compatibility |
iPhone and iPod touch models with the latest version of iOS, iPad models with the latest version of iPadOS, Apple Watch models with the latest version of watchOS, Mac models with the latest version of macOS and models of Apple TV with the latest version of the latest version of tvOS |
iOS and Android (intended for use with mobile devices and the Alexa app) |
Price |
299 dollars |
From $119.99 |
Echo Buds (2nd Gen) Wireless Earphones with Active Noise Cancellation and Alexa | Black
AirPods Pro (2nd generation)
-
Design: The second generation AirPods Pro retain the appearance of the first model, so they are easily recognizable. Amazon’s Echo Buds don’t have such a distinctive design, and while they’re lightweight, They are not too compact, as shared by Xataka colleagues who have been able to test them; They are quite large and do not go too unnoticed. Of course, they stay firmly in the ears and do not get in the way, but that also depends on the person.
-
sound technology: Apple’s proposal is quite complete with its powerful active noise cancellation, its adaptive ambient sound mode, spatialized audio with dynamic head tracking and adaptive equalization. Amazon’s Echo Buds also have active noise cancellation and an ambient sound mode. The ANC quality is decent and sufficient to isolate street or cafeteria noise.
-
Chip: Apple debuted AirPods Pro (2022) the new H2 chip in the headphones for better active noise cancellation and connectivity, and in the case a U1 chip has been placed to be able to locate it in the event of loss through the research network. Amazon says it uses the Realtek RTL8763C Bluetooth system-on-chip with integrated audio codec.
-
controls: the AirPods Pro (2022) incorporate a new system to raise and lower the volume by sliding a small touch panel, something that is not entirely common in Bluetooth headphones. Amazon also lets you volume up and down on the Echo Buds if you set the action to three taps or a long press. You can also switch between noise cancellation and ambient sound in the two proposals, skip songs, etc.
-
charging case– AirPods Pro (2022) are Apple’s only wireless Bluetooth headphones that come standard with Lightning, Qi and MagSafe charging, as wireless charging is optional on AirPods 3. Echo Buds are charged via USB -C,Y if you want to charge wirelessly you have to pay a little more
-
Autonomy: Amazon promises up to 5 hours of playback per charge with active noise cancellation and up to 15 hours with the case. Apple has improved the numbers on the original AirPods Pro and claims up to 6 hours of audio playback per charge (5.5 hours with Spatial Audio) and up to 30 hours with the case.
-
Compatibility: Although the AirPods Pro (2022) are Bluetooth headphones and can be used with devices that support this technology, are designed for use with Apple productsotherwise not all of its features will be available (see spatial audio). The Echo Buds, for their part, are integrated with the Alexa app, and this is available for iOS and Android.
-
Price: Apple’s proposal is significantly more expensive than Amazon’s: 299 dollars against 119.99 dollars for the version with wired charging box (139.99 dollars for the version with wireless charging).
AirPods Pro (2022) VS Amazon Echo Buds (2nd generation), which one to buy?
We have discussed this several times: if they are immersed in the Apple ecosystem, thethe best experience is achieved using your devices due to the high level of integration between them. This is the case with AirPods Pro (2022) and Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. Also, it is an essential requirement if you want to take advantage of the spatial audio feature with dynamic head tracking, as it would not work if other devices were used.
Amazon’s Echo Buds work with the Alexa app, and it’s compatible with iOS and Android, but there’s AirPods connection – other Apple devices, The Echo Buds may be more interesting to use with tablets and smartphones with the Google operating system. But if price plays a role and we’re only interested in active noise cancellation, we can save a lot of money with Amazon’s alternative.
Echo Buds (2nd Gen) Wireless Earphones with Active Noise Cancellation and Alexa | Black
AirPods Pro (2nd generation)
Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may benefit Applesfera.