Apple AirPods Pro 2 with MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C, A2968) review

Research-based assessment · exact 2023 USB-C case package checked against Apple US support 2026-10-28

Quick take

AirPods Pro 2 with MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C) are an earlier sealed in-ear ANC package. Their important distinction from the original Lightning-case Pro 2 is not a different basic wearing style: the case connector changes, Apple’s published protection rating changes from IPX4 to IP54 for buds and case, and this USB-C edition has a documented Lossless Audio arrangement with Apple Vision Pro. Apple lists up to six hours with ANC from one charge and up to 30 hours with the case. These are manufacturer maxima, not results from independent listening or battery testing.

Confirm the package before comparing

Apple identifies this package’s earbuds as A3047, A3048 and A3049 and its MagSafe Charging Case as A2968. The case charges through USB-C, MagSafe, Qi or an Apple Watch charger; it has an external speaker for Find My and a lanyard loop. Apple’s technical sheet lists a USB-C charge cable, four silicone tip sizes (XS, S, M and L) and documentation in the box. That differs from Pro 3, which supplies five sizes, and the 2022 Pro 2 package, whose case uses Lightning. In a used or replacement-case offer, a close-up of the case model number is more reliable than a title that simply says “AirPods Pro 2.”

Apple’s identification guide names the case and earbud families separately. This review treats the A2968 bundle as its own functional configuration, rather than treating a bare replacement case as a complete wireless-earbud product.

ANC, seal and everyday audio

The earbuds use a sealed tip fit. Apple lists Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Transparency, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation and Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking. The fit guide describes an acoustic seal test with a compatible iPhone or iPad and explains that different tip sizes, including separate sizes for left and right ears, may be needed. That is more useful than assuming the medium tip will work for everyone. A poor seal can undermine comfort and passive isolation, and no fit trial was performed here.

Apple names Bluetooth 5.3 and allows these as wireless Bluetooth headphones on non-Apple devices, but warns some functions may be limited. The reviewed specifications do not name a general audio codec or confirm two simultaneous Bluetooth sources. AAC appears in Apple's battery-test playlist, but that does not prove which Bluetooth codec is available to a phone. If you need multipoint, a specific codec, or full feature controls on a non-Apple computer, check the exact host capability before treating this as a fit.

A special Vision Pro mode is not a generic codec claim

Apple’s USB-C Pro 2 specification lists up to four hours of Lossless Audio listening with Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s test note describes a dedicated Vision Pro pairing and a separate low-latency audio mode. This is a specific host-and-feature pairing, not evidence that a phone can stream lossless audio over ordinary Bluetooth or that all USB-C headphones support the same behavior. The separate operating arrangement matters: ordinary Bluetooth ANC listening and Vision Pro Lossless are not merged into one vague codec tag.

Battery and water protection

Apple lists up to six hours from a charge, or 5.5 hours with Spatial Audio and head tracking, and up to 30 hours using the charging case. Footnotes describe Apple testing at 50 percent volume with ANC on and preproduction equipment; actual results depend on settings, environment and usage. There is no site measurement to compare with Apple’s claim.

The USB-C package is rated IP54 for dust, sweat and water on both the earbuds and case. Apple warns that resistance is not permanent, that the devices are intended for non-water exercise rather than swimming or showers, and that wet earbuds should not be charged. IP54 is not a promise of waterproofing. It is a distinct rating from the Lightning-case Pro 2 package’s IPX4 and from Pro 3’s IP57.

How it compares with Pro 3 and Lightning Pro 2

Pro 3 is the current Apple in-ear flagship in the reviewed comparison. Apple publishes up to eight ANC hours and 24 with its case for Pro 3, versus up to six and 30 for this Pro 2 USB-C package; those totals describe separate manufacturer test conditions. Pro 3 also adds a workout heart-rate sensor, a fifth tip size (XXS), a different case number and an IP57 rating. The USB-C Pro 2 case is smaller in stated width and a little heavier in the official specifications, although individual handling has not been tested.

Against the 2022 Lightning-case Pro 2, the A2968 case makes USB-C wired charging possible and Apple raises the rating for the whole bundle to IP54. Both support wireless charging methods and the basic sealed ANC use. The Lightning edition’s separate technical page does not establish the USB-C package’s Apple Vision Pro Lossless claim, so do not transfer that feature to a different case configuration without model-specific confirmation.

Who should still consider this edition?

Consider it when an exact, verified Pro 2 USB-C package fits an existing Apple setup, you want sealed ANC and case wireless charging, or you specifically need the Apple-documented Vision Pro mode. It is an earlier model, and Apple’s current US Pro 2 purchase route redirects to Pro 3; that says nothing about third-party availability or condition. Check case number A2968, earbud identity, cable and tip inclusion, seller warranty and returns, and supported host software. Skip it if you need a confirmed generic codec or two-device Bluetooth connection, an IP57 rating, a verified individual fit, or a promise of the stated maximum runtime.