Earfun has put out a series of wireless earbuds over the last couple of years with one important commonality: They’re very good values, made more so by frequent discounts. I’ve highlighted previous deals on its Air Pro SV and Air Pro 2, as well as the more recent Earfun Air S. Now the company is releasing its new Earfun Air Pro 3 earbuds, which I’ve been testing for the last week and feature the latest Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with aptX Adaptive for Android and other devices that support it. They’re due to ship on Jan. 30 and are on sale now for $56, or 30% off their list price of $80.
Lightweight and comfortable to wear — I got a good seal with the largest ear tip size — these aren’t a huge upgrade over the Earfun Air S, but they are clearly better. They have slightly larger wool-composite drivers (11mm versus 10mm), slightly improved noise canceling and better battery life (up to seven hours with noise canceling on, according to Earfun). They also support the new LE Audio standard and LC3 audio codec, which is superior to the SBC codec (they also support AAC for Apple devices). Their transparency mode seems to be a touch more natural sounding than the Air S, too.
Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds for 2023
In short, the Earfun Air 3 deliver strong performance for their modest price, with robust bass, good clarity and a relatively wide soundstage. They also pack in a lot of features, including a wireless charging case and “multidevice” connectivity. (I could pair them to two devices simultaneously but had to pause the music on one device and hit play on the other for the audio to switch.)
They’re IPX5 splash-proof and have touch controls that could be a little more responsive but work OK. And, finally, the buds connect to the Earfun Audio app for iOS and Android, which allows you to update the firmware and tweak their sound profile.
The wireless charging case isn’t tiny, but it fits in a pocket easily enough.
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNETI listened to the buds using an iPhone 14 Pro and an Asus ROG 6 Android smartphone that’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 mobile platform. With the Asus, I was able to stream high-resolution tracks from Qobuz (with aptX Adaptive) and the sound had a bit more depth and detail and the overall sound was impressive, again given the price.
However, they can’t compete with high-end buds like the new $400 Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2, which offer better definition and more accurate sound. I know that’s an unfair comparison, but I only mention it to say that while the Air Pro 3 sound quite good for relatively cheap earbuds, they do have their limitations, particularly when it comes to bass definition — the bass is a tad overemphasized at the default setting.
If you’re wondering where these stand for voice calling, they perform well, with decent background noise reduction in noisier environments (like the streets of New York, where I tested them). But I wouldn’t say they’re excellent for making voice calls; callers said my voice sounded “reasonably” clear outdoors, not crystal clear. You can use either bud independently of the other and use a single bud to listen to audio or make calls.
Here’s a quick look at the Air Pro 3’s specs, according to Earfun. For now they’re only available on Earfun’s website, but eventually they should hit Amazon and perhaps go on sale there.
- Compatible with Earfun audio app
- Multidevice connectivity
- Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with aptX Adaptive
- QuietSmart 2.0 hybrid active noise cancellation up to 43dB
- 6-mic array
- Bluetooth 5.3 + next-gen LE Audio & LC3 codec
- 11mm wool composite drivers
- <55ms ultra low latency mode for better video and gaming experience
- IPX5 sweat and water resistant
- Up to 7 hours of battery life with ANC on and 9 hours with it off (extra 4 charges in the case)
- Get 2 hours of playtime from a 10-minute charge
- Wireless charging case with USB-C
- Price: ($80 list, $56 sale price)
