AirPods Pro 3 drop to $179 at Amazon in early Prime Day sale
In short
Amazon is selling Apple's AirPods Pro 3 for $179, down from a $249 list price, in an early sale tied to its fall Prime Day event, according to three tech outlets. Two of them say the price matches the lowest level tracked since around June. The discount lands weeks after Apple released the cheaper AirPods 5, which start at $129.
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Amazon has cut the price of Apple's AirPods Pro 3 to $179, down from a $249 list price, in a sale the outlets describe as starting ahead of Amazon's fall Prime Day event. 9to5Mac, The Verge and MacRumors all reported the price on the same day. MacRumors described $179 as a match of the all-time low, and The Verge said it was the first time the price had gone below $190 since Prime Day in June. 9to5Mac said it had tracked the lower price only once before today. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The timing is tied to Amazon's autumn shopping event. 9to5Mac said the fall Prime Big Deal Days was roughly 48 hours away when Amazon began offering the discount, while The Verge referred to the promotion as October Prime Day. The Verge said it expected other retailers to offer a similar price in the coming days. [ 1 , 2 ]
The discount follows Apple's release of the AirPods 5, which the reports price below the Pro model: $129 for the base set with active noise cancellation and about $149 to $149.99 for the version with a wireless charging case. 9to5Mac and The Verge both argued that the Pro 3 is the better value at roughly $30 more, though The Verge noted the AirPods 5 suit buyers who prefer earbuds that do not form a seal in the ear. [ 1 , 2 ]
On features, the outlets differ. 9to5Mac said the Pro 3 delivers 3x better active noise cancellation, longer battery life, heart rate sensing and Hearing Aid features, and that Apple added a custom EQ option alongside iOS 27. MacRumors said the model launched in September 2025 with 2x better active noise cancellation than the previous generation, a revised fit, Live Translation for in-person conversations and heart rate sensing for workouts. The Verge cited five ear tip sizes, live translation and noise cancellation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The coverage is deal-oriented. MacRumors disclosed that it is an affiliate partner with some vendors and may receive a payment when readers click links and buy, and The Verge's item included a product link. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The sale puts Apple's higher-end earbuds at $30 more than the newest base-model AirPods 5 with a wireless charging case, a price gap the outlets say favours the Pro 3. For shoppers, the deal is an early signal of the discounts retailers are expected to run around Amazon's fall Prime Day event. All three reports come from tech outlets that carry affiliate links, so the coverage is aimed at buyers.
Key facts
- Amazon listed the AirPods Pro 3 at $179, down from a $249 list price, during an early fall Prime Day sale. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Two outlets said $179 matches an all-time low price not tracked since around June. [ 2 , 3 ]
- 9to5Mac said the price is one it has only tracked once before today. [ 1 ]
- Apple recently released the AirPods 5, priced at $129 for the base model and about $149 with a wireless charging case. [ 1 , 2 ]
- MacRumors said the AirPods Pro 3 launched in September 2025 and has 2x better active noise cancellation than the previous generation, a revised fit, Live Translation and heart rate sensing. [ 3 ]
- MacRumors disclosed it is an affiliate partner of some vendors, and The Verge's report included a product link. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Amazon offered the AirPods Pro 3 at $179, down from the $249 list price. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The $179 price is the lowest level the outlets say they have tracked since around June, when a similar low occurred around Prime Day. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The discount comes after Apple launched the AirPods 5, which cost $149 with a wireless charging case. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- How much better the AirPods Pro 3's active noise cancellation is than the previous generation. 9to5Mac says 3x better, MacRumors says 2x better; the two outlets disagree and neither attributes the figure to Apple.
- Whether other retailers will match Amazon's $179 price. The Verge says it expects similar prices from other retailers in the coming days, but no other outlet confirms a matching offer.
- The exact price of the AirPods 5 with a wireless charging case. 9to5Mac gives $149, The Verge gives $149.99.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- 9to5Mac reports Amazon has cut the AirPods Pro 3 to $179, saying the sale starts ahead of fall Prime Big Deal Days. [ 1 ]
- The Verge reports the same $179 price, saying it is the first time the price has dropped below $190 since Prime Day in June. [ 2 ]
- MacRumors reports the $179 price as a match of the all-time low. [ 3 ]