Headphones

AirPods Pro 2 Review: Are They Worth It for Students?

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 deliver class-leading ANC and spatial audio — but at $249, are they a smart buy for budget-conscious college students?

4.7 out of 5
October 5, 2024
AirPods Pro 2 Review
$249
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Verdict:

The best ANC earbuds you can buy if you're in the Apple ecosystem — the noise cancellation alone is worth the price for anyone who studies in noisy environments.

Pros

  • Best-in-class active noise cancellation
  • Transparency mode sounds completely natural
  • Up to 6 hours per charge, 30 hours total with case
  • Adaptive Audio adjusts ANC level automatically
  • USB-C charging case (finally)

Cons

  • $249 is expensive for students
  • Only makes sense if you're on Apple devices
  • Ear tips can loosen during intense workouts

The Case for Spending $249 on Earbuds

Library noise. Loud roommates. Dorm common rooms. College is full of distractions, and your ability to focus directly impacts your GPA. The AirPods Pro 2 exist to create silence on demand — and they do it better than anything else in their class.

Noise Cancellation

The H2 chip drives ANC that measures and adjusts 50,000 times per second. What that means in practice: HVAC hum disappears entirely, ambient chatter drops to a murmur, and you can enter flow state in a Starbucks that sounds like Grand Central.

Compared to the previous generation, Apple claims 2x better noise cancellation. In our testing against Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, the Pro 2 matched or beat both on low-frequency noise and maintained a more natural sound profile.

Sound Quality

These are tuned for clarity and spatial balance, not thumping bass. Music sounds wide and accurate. The Personalized Spatial Audio feature (which uses your iPhone camera to map your ear geometry) creates a genuinely convincing surround-sound effect for Apple Music content.

Battery & Case

Apple rates 6 hours per charge with ANC on, 30 hours total with the case. Real-world use tracks the claim. The case now charges via USB-C — no more hunting for Lightning cables — and also works with MagSafe.

Bottom Line

If your phone is an iPhone, these are the best earbuds you can buy under $300. The ANC alone justifies the price if you study in noisy spaces. If you’re on Android, look at the Sony WF-1000XM5 instead.