EarFun’s flagship Air Pro 3 noise-cancelling true wireless earphones cost more at $99.99 than most of the company's other entries, but you get impressive, bass-focused audio and decently capable active noise cancellation (ANC) for this still-very-reasonable price. Other bonuses like a wirelessly charging case and an in-app EQ help justify the price, too. Overall, they almost manage to outduel the Editors’ Choice-winning Anker Soundcore Space A40 earphones ($99.99) for the top spot in the sub-$100 category, but we ultimately prefer Anker’s default sound signature and more sophisticated app experience. That said, if you enjoy lots of bass, the Air Pro 3 earbuds are an easy recommendation.
An Understated and Sleek Design
The stem-style Air Pro 3 feature a mostly black finish with silver exterior panels. In the box, you get four pairs of gray silicone eartips (XS, S, M, and L) that match the outer shell. The earpieces fit well, securely sealing off the inner ear canal.
Internally, 11mm wool composite dynamic drivers deliver a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. The earphones are compatible with Bluetooth 5.3 and support the AAC, AptX Adaptive, LC3, and SBC codecs. For sub-$100 in-ears, this is an especially inclusive range of codecs. LC3, in particular, is nice to see, as it should eventually take over for SBC as the default option. The aforementioned Anker model trades the more scalable AptX Adaptive and LC3 codecs for the higher-res LDAC option, so you should think about whether connection quality or a high streaming bit rate matters more if you are deciding between the two. Otherwise, the EarFun model supports multi-point connectivity for simultaneous connections with up to two devices.
Each earpiece has a capacitive touch control panel on the outside. Out of the box, one tap controls the volume level (left for down, right for up), two taps handle playback (same on both), and three taps handle track navigation (left for backward, right for forward). A two-second hold cycles through ANC and Ambient Sound modes on the left earpiece, or summons your device’s voice assistant on the right.
The modest IPX5 waterproof rating is slightly better than typical for noise-cancelling earphones. It means the pair can withstand moderate jets of water from any direction. These earbuds should handle rain and sweat just fine, though submerging them isn't a wise idea. If you need more durable earphones for running or other intense workouts, consider spending more for the IP68-rated JBL Reflect Aero ($149.99).
The non-waterproof case's rounded edges and matte plastic finish make it look somewhat cheap. A status LED sits near the lid's edge, while a USB-C port on the back enables charging via the included USB-C-to-USB-A cable. Alternatively, you can drop the case on a Qi wireless charger to replenish its battery.
EarFun estimates the Air Pro 3 earphones can last roughly 9 hours per charge and that the case provides an additional 36 hours of battery life (without noise cancellation active). With the ANC mode on, the respective numbers for the earbuds and case drop slightly to 7.5 hours and 30 hours. The company claims that the case takes 2 hours to fully charge from empty, that the earbuds completely recharge in 1 hour, and that 10 minutes of charging should get you roughly 2 hours of audio playback.
EarFun Air Pro 3 App Experience
The EarFun Audio app (available for Android and iOS) offers many useful extra features beyond firmware updates and has a sensible layout, but its graphics look a bit basic. Annoyingly, it initially asks you to create an account with your email address (in exchange for a longer warranty), but you can thankfully bypass this step.
The main screen shows the remaining battery life for each earpiece, as well as the case at the top. Below this, you can switch between the Noise Cancelling, Ambient, and Normal modes, but you can't manually adjust the levels for any of them. Further down, you can toggle the Game mode, which promises to prioritize low latency, potentially at the expense of connection quality.
An EQ section allows you to tweak the sound signature to preference—six bands cover a range from 63Hz to 15kHz. You can save multiple custom profiles or choose from four presets: bass boost, bass reducer, treble boost, and treble reducer. There’s also a tile for customizing the on-ear controls. Just about any function is fair game to assign to any of the supported gestures and each earpiece independently.
In the settings menu, you can rename the headphones, view tutorials on how to wear them, access FAQs, and download any firmware updates. To further customize the experience, you can change what sections appear on the main screen.
Better-Than-Budget Noise Cancellation
The Air Pro 3 earphones performed admirably in our noise-cancellation tests for their price. They substantially cut back the low-frequency rumble of engines and appliances, though a thin band of high frequencies passes through audibly (an unfortunate trait of many affordable ANC models). I noticed the same behavior on a more challenging test recording of a busy cafe; the lows and mids don't sound nearly as loud with the ANC mode active, though a masking hiss accentuates the highs the earbuds can't handle.
In head-to-head tests, I couldn't easily distinguish between the ANC prowess of this EarFun pair and the Anker Soundcore Space A40 earphones—both dialed back the lows just as effectively and cut a similar amount of complex high-frequency noise. That said, I give a very slight edge to the Anker pair because it seems more consistent; occasionally, I had to fiddle with the EarFun's fit to achieve better results.
Of course, neither provides an experience comparable with the $250 Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) or $299 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. But that's not surprising, because those class leaders are several times more expensive.
Otherwise, EarFun's Ambient Sound mode presents your surroundings with a good level of transparency. The signal slightly emphasizes higher frequencies, thus making it easier to understand speech.
The Bass Takes Center Stage
I tested the Air Pro 3 earphones primarily in their bass-forward default mode, but the EQ is effective at sculpting the sound to better suit your preferences.
On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the earbuds output a potent low-frequency response. The lows stay prominent at moderate volume levels and remain free of distortion at higher settings.
They had no problem reproducing the sub-bass progression at the 34-second mark of Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty”—the lowest of the descending synth bass line's notes comes across with audible rumble. Meanwhile, the vocals sound clear and don't struggle for presence in the mix.
Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a more varied track, better illustrates the sound signature. The drums on this track pack some thump, but they never sound wholly unnatural or threaten to overpower the rest of the mix. Callahan’s baritone vocals also get an extra helping of low-mid richness, but some higher-frequency sculpting offsets this emphasis. The latter treatment is present in the vocals, the acoustic strums, and the percussive hits. This is far from an accurate audio presentation, but that's not something I expect in the sub-$100 realm. Again, the EQ is your friend if you want to make changes.
On orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, the earphones introduce a little too much bass depth into the mix. The higher-register brass, strings, and vocals still sound bright and crisp, but you need to make some EQ adjustments to achieve a natural sound.
The multi-mic array works decently well. I had no issue understanding every word from an iPhone test recording, but other mics I've tested offer better clarity. The signal quality is more than fine for calls over a reliable connection.
Affordable Heavyweights
The EarFun Air Pro 3 earphones produce impressive bass depth and support a good range of codecs, which makes them a quality budget-friendly choice. We give the Editors' Choice-winning Anker Soundcore Space A40 earphones a slight edge because of their more consistent ANC performance, better companion app, and crisper (but still heavily sculpted) audio presentation. That said, the EarFun earbuds are still an excellent sub-$100 value, especially if you prefer a stem-style design or a heavy bass emphasis.