Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)

The AirPods Pro 2 cost $399 at the Apple Store. You'll pay around $294 at JB Hi-Fi. If you own an iPhone, stop reading reviews and just buy them. If you own an Android phone, stop reading this review and look at the Sony WF-1000XM5 instead.

That bluntness isn't laziness. It's the truth. Apple built these earbuds for the Apple ecosystem, and inside that ecosystem, nothing else comes close to the smooth experience. Automatic switching between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac works without touching a setting. Conversation Awareness drops the volume and lets ambient sound in when you start talking. Find My tracks each individual earbud. The integration is so deep it feels like cheating.

Noise cancellation is elite. On a packed 400-series bus, the active noise cancellation (ANC) cuts through engine drone and passenger chatter with authority. Not quite Sony XM6 levels of total silence, but close enough that the difference only matters to people who compare earbuds for a living. Transparency mode is the best in the business. It genuinely sounds like you're not wearing earbuds at all.

For the all-day calls test: six hours of Teams meetings is manageable. The 5.3g weight is light, and the silicone tips seal well. Call quality is better than most competitors, with Apple's beamforming mics doing solid work even in moderate background noise. For the lawn mowing test: the IP54 rating handles sweat and dust. They stayed in my ears through vigorous yard work, though the smooth stem design means greasy hands make removal tricky.

Sound quality is good but not audiophile. AAC-only codec support means you're capped on audio quality compared to LDAC-capable competitors. For most people streaming Apple Music or Spotify, this won't matter. For the person who can tell the difference between 256kbps and lossless, the Sennheiser Momentum TW4 is your pick.

The repairability situation is grim. iFixit gives these a 0 out of 10. Everything is glued. When the battery degrades (and lithium-ion batteries always degrade), there's no repair. You replace the whole unit. Apple offers a battery service for $89 per earbud, which at that point you might as well buy new ones on sale.

Available at JB Hi-Fi ($294), Harvey Norman, Officeworks, Apple Store, and Costco Australia. OzBargain regulars know these hit sub-$280 during end of financial year (EOFY) and Black Friday sales.

Your rights under Australian Consumer Law: At $294, these are premium earbuds, and a reasonable consumer would expect 3 to 4 years of reliable function. Apple's warranty is 1 year. The law doesn't care what Apple says. At this price, if the ANC fails, a bud dies, or the case stops holding charge within 3 years, that's a consumer guarantee claim. The fact that these are unrepairable actually strengthens your position: if it can't be repaired in a reasonable time, you're entitled to a replacement or refund. Go to JB Hi-Fi or wherever you bought them. Do not let them redirect you to Apple. The retailer must handle it.