Hey there,
This month I put Apple's whole earbud lineup head to head — AirPods Pro 3 against the AirPods 4 I recommended a couple months back, and against my go-to Beats Solo 4 for travel. One pair won a permanent spot in my pocket.
Three more quick picks below, plus what I passed on and why. Scroll to the bottom for that one. 👇
🎧 Pick of the Month
I've been rotating through Apple's whole earbud lineup, and the Pro 3 is the first pair that's made me stop reaching for my Beats Solo 4 on flights. The active noise cancellation is a genuine step up — not a marginal one — over the AirPods 4, and the new heart-rate sensor is a nice bonus if you're already in the Apple Watch ecosystem.
vs. AirPods 4: still the better buy if you don't care about ANC — lighter, cheaper, plenty good for daily wear. The Pro 3's premium is entirely about noise cancellation and seal quality.
vs. Beats Solo 4: different category, but if you're choosing one for travel — Beats win on battery and bass, Pro 3 wins on portability. I'm packing the Pro 3 for short trips and saving the Beats for long-haul.
Pros
- ANC is a real step up over AirPods 4
- Comfortable seal out of the box
- Heart-rate sensor for Apple Watch users
- USB-C, wireless charging case
Cons
- Priced well above AirPods 4
- ANC premium wasted if rarely needed
- Shorter battery than Beats Solo 4
⚡ 3 Quick Picks
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
The Wi-Fi 6 upgrade is the real story — my old stick used to buffer during peak hours, this one doesn't. The AI-powered search actually understands vague descriptions.
Take a Look →
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB
The glare-free display upgrade is noticeable outside, which is where I actually read most. 16GB is overkill for text but nice for graphic novels or audiobooks.
Take a Look →
Amazon Echo Show 8
This is the one that ended up on my kitchen counter instead of a shelf — the Alexa+ redesign makes the home dashboard actually useful.
Take a Look →🚫 What I Passed On
Blink Outdoor 4 XR
Not a knock on the hardware — the 2-year battery and 1000ft range are genuinely impressive specs, and the 4-camera bundle pricing is solid. I just covered a home security camera (eufy's E30) back in June, and running another one this soon felt repetitive rather than useful.
Worth a look if outdoor multi-camera coverage is specifically what you need — I just didn't want two camera reviews two months apart.
See Blink Outdoor 4 XR on Amazon →