Apple began selling refurbished AirPods 3 wireless earbuds on Friday. Those willing to buy a previously-purchased unit save $30 off the regular cost.
At this time, the only refurb option from Apple is the version that comes with a MagSafe Charging Case.
AirPods 3 offer most of Apple’s best audio tricks
AirPods 3 were a significant jump up. Most obviously, they dumped the original design for one that resembles AirPods Pro but without silicone ear tips.
And the changes are more than skin deep. In addition to general improvements in sound quality, the headphones include spatial audio with Dolby Atmos as well as dynamic head tracking. This allows them to offer a surround sound-like experience without needing more than two tiny speakers.
Unlike the Pro line, AirPods 3 do not include active-noise cancellation. But ANC adds $70 to the cost of the higher-end model.
I bought a pair on day one, and have been quite satisfied with them.
Your headphones starting feel old?
Apple introduced the third generation of its wireless earbuds back in late 2021 — almost two years ago. A pair of AirPods bought much before then are likely starting to show their age.
An inescapable fact of science is that li-ion batteries offer only so many recharge cycles. Eventually, the length of time between needing a recharge gets reduced.
AirPods 3 last up to six hours before needing a visit to their charging case. If your headphones from 2020 or before can’t go anywhere close to that, it could be time for an upgrade.
Save $30 on refurbished AirPods 3
The Apple online store now lists Refurbished AirPods (3rd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case, a product added Friday.
The price is $149, a savings of $30 off the non-refurb version. That’s about 17% off.
Buy it from: Apple
Refurbished units of the version of the earbuds that comes with a case that supports only charging via a Lightning cable are listed at $139, but the Apple store says “out of stock.”
What is ‘refurbished’?
When someone buys a product from Apple then returns it, it is resold after going through a refurbishment process.
Apple says each unit goes through “full functionality testing” and a one-year warranty is included. The product gets repackaged with appropriate manuals and cables.
Want to know more? Read the Cult of Mac guide on why you should buy Apple Certified Refurbished products.
