AirPods Pro 2, Two Years Later: Still the Default?

Apple's flagship earbuds are ubiquitous. Are they still the right pick?

The AirPods Pro 2 became the default for a reason: seamless iPhone integration, class-leading ANC and a case that just works.

But the earbud market has moved. The Sony WF-1000XM5, Bose QC Ultra Earbuds and Sennheiser Momentum TW4 all make strong cases for stepping out of the Apple ecosystem.

Two years in, here's how the Pro 2 holds up — and when we recommend something else.