Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs. Lexie B3 Powered by Bose

Check out our comparison of the Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Lexie B3 Powered by Bose. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.

Score
4.1
Apple AirPods Pro 3
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SoundScore 3.3/5
$199 per pair
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Score
4.6
Lexie B3 Powered by Bose
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SoundScore 4.7/5
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AirPods Pro 3
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B3 Powered by Bose
Review

Product Overview

AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose
Form Factor
Expert Rating
Score
4.1
Score
4.6
Hearing Loss Level
MildModerate
MildModerate
Product Features
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidIP57
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidIP68

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose

HearingTracker Score

AirPods Pro 3
4.1AVERAGE

Apple AirPods Pro 3 combine excellent earbud features with adjustable hearing support and up to 10 hours in Hearing Aid mode. Fit, comfort, battery life, and controls remain important limitations.

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B3 Powered by Bose
4.6EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 OTC hearing aids deliver Powered by Bose sound, Bluetooth streaming, IP68 durability, and app-based personalization for clearer conversations.

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HearAdvisor SoundScore

AirPods Pro 3
3.3BELOW AVERAGE

Apple AirPods Pro 3 achieved a SoundScore of 3.3/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #49 of 65 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.68/5.

B3 Powered by Bose
4.7EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 achieved a SoundScore of 4.7/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #1 of 65 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.68/5.

Build Quality

AirPods Pro 3
4.8EXCELLENT

The build quality is solid with a pocket-worthy portable case. AirPods 3 also have a slightly improved IP57 rating meaning they should offer better protection from debris and moisture. AirPods commonly last around 2-3 years.

B3 Powered by Bose
4.8EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 hearing aids offer excellent protection from moisture and debris with an IP68 rating. The portable charge case also appears well built and should easily hold up to daily use.

Battery

AirPods Pro 3
4.6EXCELLENT

Airpods Pro 3 offer around 10 hours of use per charge with their Hearing Aid feature. This is an improvement over the previous generation. While this still may not be enough for all-day use, recharge time is fast with several quick-charge options.

B3 Powered by Bose
4.6EXCELLENT

B3 offer an impressive 32 hour battery life per charge, which is more than many products on the market. The portable charging case also offers up to 3 additional charges before needing to be plugged in. As such, we found the overall battery offering excellent.

Bluetooth

AirPods Pro 3
5.0EXCELLENT

I have found Bluetooth to work almost flawlessly on iPhones, offering a solid connection every time. I can't speak for Android devices though Apple reports they are fully compatible with other Bluetooth devices.

B3 Powered by Bose
5.0EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for wireless app control, audio streaming, and hands-free calling.

App Features

AirPods Pro 3
4.0AVERAGE

AirPods Pro 3 offer impressive and useful features to aid speech clarity. I particularly like the ability to take an app based hearing test, or directly upload hearing thresholds. While the menu system is not user-friendly, you also have other options for personalizing your experience such as active noise cancellation.

B3 Powered by Bose
4.5EXCELLENT

The Lexie app has a user-friendly interface and modern, appealing design. It includes practical features like volume control and a tone balance. We especially liked that B3 now includes a hearing assessment to better personalize the audio performance to your hearing.

Comfort

AirPods Pro 3
4.0AVERAGE

AirPods Pro 3 are generally comfortable, though my initial impressions favor the fit of the previous Gen 2. With that said, Apple claims to have improved the overall fit with improved ergonomics and new foam-infused ear tips.

B3 Powered by Bose
4.8EXCELLENT

I found B3 very comfortable, and the flexible earwires easily molded to my face which helped provide good retention and speaker placement in my ears.

Design

AirPods Pro 3
5.0EXCELLENT

AirPods Pro are unmistakably Apple with their sleek, bright white, aesthetic. You will want to look elsewhere if you are searching for a discrete hearing solution. Furthermore, earbuds are commonly associated with being distracted or disconnected and people will not know that you are using them as hearing aids to stay present and engaged in conversation.

B3 Powered by Bose
4.8EXCELLENT

B3 are relatively small and have a modern receiver-in-canal design. One potential downside is that they are currently only available in a mat grey color.

Value

AirPods Pro 3
5.0EXCELLENT

Apple AirPods Pro 3 has a value score of 4.9/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

B3 Powered by Bose
4.6EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 has a value score of 4.5/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Handling

AirPods Pro 3
4.0AVERAGE

I find Bluetooth pairing and general use exceptionally easy. However, navigating the deeper personalization features, and touch controls, could be more user friendly.

B3 Powered by Bose
4.8EXCELLENT

I did not run into any issues while using B3 or the Lexie mobile app. First-time users may need some practice to get accustomed to inserting the receiver-in-ear style properly.

Pro Support

AirPods Pro 3
1.0BELOW AVERAGE

You can receive technical support from Apple, but no audiologic support is offered at this time. You may be able to find a hearing care provider willing to assist with programming your AirPods Pro based on your needs.

B3 Powered by Bose
3.0ABOVE AVERAGE

B3 are over-the-counter hearing aids and are designed to be fit without a hearing care provider. However, Lexie offers remote care which includes both technical and hearing support from their team of Lexie Experts for the lifetime of your hearing aid.

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose
Busy Cafe
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose
Quiet Office
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose
Streaming Music
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose

HearingTracker partners with HearAdvisor to provide recordings and performance data from an acoustic laboratory that follows standard scientific procedures. All hearing aids are fitted and performance-tested for mild sloping to moderate hearing loss. All audio samples cutoff above 10kHz.

Accessories

Compatible accessories for each hearing aid

AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose
Battery Charger
None

B3 Charger

The Lexie B3 comes with a rechargeable storage case that charges via USB-C and provides about three extra full charges, for up to 5 days of total runtime. The hearing aids take about 3 hours to recharge and can run up to 32 hours per charge without streaming. Magnetic seating and status lights help confirm the aids are placed correctly and charging.

Hardware

AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose
Accelerometer
Yes
No
Bluetooth® Audio
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
  • LC3
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
Gyroscope
Yes
No
Hands-Free Calling
  • Bluetooth® (HFP)
  • Bluetooth® (HFP)
IP Rating
IP57
IP68
Push Button
No
  • Program control
  • Volume Control
  • Mute control
  • Power on/off
  • Streaming start/stop
  • Call accept/reject
Rechargeable Batteries
Lithium-ion
Lithium-ion
Tap Controls
  • Play/Pause
  • Audio passthrough on/off
  • Accept/end calls
No
Voice Assistant
  • Siri
No

Software Features

AirPods Pro 3
B3 Powered by Bose
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
Yes
No
Active occlusion cancellation (AOC)
Yes
No
Directionality
Conversation Boost
Automatic Sound Focus
Feedback Suppression
No
Yes
Listening Programs
No
4
Noise Reduction
No
Yes
Resonance Normalization
Adaptive EQ
No
Self-fitting
  • Tuned based on hearing test through device
  • Tuned based on audio preference selections
  • Tuned by user directly
  • Tuned based on audio preference selections
Spatial Audio
Yes
No
Unique Amplification Strategy
Adaptive TransparencyHeadphone Accommodations
No