Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs. Yeasound RIC700

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are wireless earbuds that offer hearing aid functionality. Our tests show they effectively amplify speech in everyday situations. While background noise can be challenging, proper tuning and reducing ambient noise reduction pushes the AirPods Pro 3 closer to being a truly competitive OTC hearing aid.

Apple AirPods Pro 3 achieved a SoundScore of 3.38/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

Yeasound RIC700 achieved a SoundScore of 4.15/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #11 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

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.

Yeasound RIC700 Plus have an ingress protection rating of IPX8. They appear well-built and approach the feel of a prescription hearing aid.

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.

RIC700 Plus last up to 31 hours per charge and take around 3 hours to recharge. You can expect shorter battery life while streaming, although the batteries should still last all day.

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.

RIC700 Plus offer wireless control and streaming with Bluetooth. While we could not test this on Android, functionality was fairly good on iOS with a few noted drawbacks.

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.

RIC700 Plus offer fairly good sound customization for a preset-based OTC hearing aid. I liked the addition of a 3-band equalizer and access to controls over noise reduction and microphone settings.

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.

I found RIC700 Plus very comfortable thanks to their small design and lightweight.

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.

Yeasound RIC700 Plus look like modern receiver-in-canal hearing aids and could easily be mistaken for prescription devices.

Apple AirPods Pro 3 has a value score of 5.0/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Yeasound RIC700 has a value score of 4.8/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

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

I experienced a few hiccups using the iYeasound mobile app. Otherwise, RIC700 Plus were easy to use and get in my ears, though you may need some practice if you have not worn receiver-in-canal devices before.

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.

Yeasound offers remote assistance from their technical support team. To our knowledge, they are not offering audiologic support from licensed providers at this time.