Apple Airpods Pro 2 - Long Term Review

After using my Apple AirPods Pro 2 for a 3 years now, I thought it would be worthwhile to write a long term review of how it has held up to daily use since then (specially the battery). Although these have now been replaced by the new AirPods Pro 3, they might still be worth considering if you’re on a budget and looking to save some money. I don’t always buy the latest release because sometimes you can save a lot of money by buying one generation behind. I did the same thing with my Sony Noise Cancelling headphones and only only bought them when a newer version was released

My Apple Airpods Pro 2 with the case

Call Quality

Let’s start with the call quality since I initially bought these Airpods to use for work calls. I attend a lot of Microsoft Teams Calls during the week and while I used to use my Sony Noise Cancelling headphones, I found them cumbersome since they’re large and feel heavy after several hours of meetings. I had tried several other bluetooth headphones but always found the quality unacceptable until one day, I noticed the voice quality of my colleague’s Airpods during a call. They were good enough that I decided to buy a pair.

These AirPods initially worked very well for Teams calls but at some point Microsoft updated Teams and it caused severe sound issues with my Airpods. The person on the other side of the call kept telling me that I sounded unintelligible and the audio was broken. Unfortunately, I couldn't fix it (even after trying to turn off noise isolation in Teams) and had to resort to using a different headset until Microsoft fixed the issue. This lasted for several months so keep that in mind if you are buying AirPods primarily to use for Teams work calls. Essentially when they work, they work very well but if there are any bugs with Teams then they can become unusable. I haven’t had any issues for the past few months and I hope it stays that way. I have had absolutely no issues at all for regular phone calls though, even when only using one side.

Sound Quality

One thing that pleasantly surprised me when upgrading from the Airpods Pro 1 is how much stronger the bass is. The audio sounds fuller and deeper and I have no complaints here at all. They sound just as good as when I purchased them.

Battery Life

According to Apple, the battery should last around 6 hours for listening. When my AirPods were new, they would last approximately 5 hours when used for phone calls (or Teams calls) and only slightly longer when used for listening only (with the noise cancelling turned on). 3 years later, it comes as no surprise that the battery life has decreased. After a 73 minute call, the battery now drops to around 72%, which extrapolated would give us around 250 minutes or 4 hours and 10 minutes for a full charge. To summarize:

• Battery Life New: 5 hours for calls (Real-Life)

• Battery Life After 3 Years: 4 hr 10 mins

• Battery degradation: ~24% (Estimated Battery Health ~75%)

The calculations above roughly matches my day-to-day experience, these usually give me about 4 hours of use before needed a charge. Despite the drop, I am still happy with the performance because it allows me to attend most work calls and place them back in the case for quick charging in between. Since these batteries are not user replaceable, the AirPods are essentially junk once the battery has degraded. Keep in mind that the values above are based on my experience on using them almost daily for work calls.

Noise Cancellation

The active noise cancellation works quite well and I haven’t noticed degraded performance. They are fine for day to day use like in an office or while commuting but for flights, I highly recommend getting proper over the ear headphones like these as they are just far superior.

The Case

The case has started to show signs of wear and tear and gets easily scratched. It is made out of cheap plastic and feels very un-apple like but even after years of use, it hasn’t loosened up or broken and is holding up fine. I have dropped it a few times and the headphones often popup when it hits the ground. If you are worried about scratches, I’d suggest adding a protective case.

Wireless Charger & USB-C

In true apple fashion, these were not updated to the latest USB-C even though it was ubiquitous at the time of release. Instead, apple waited to add that into the AirPods Pro 3 to give you a reason to upgrade. I don’t have a use for a lightning cable anymore but I found that charging these are a lot simpler if you get a wireless charger. Simply store your case on the charger and it will keep it fully charged at all times. The light flashes orange when charging begins and will flash green once full.

Apple Extras & Updates

1. FindMy

The addition of these in the FindMy App have been a useful feature in case you forget them behind. I haven’t had to use them but I do appreciate the feature that Apple has added to make them ring when you cannot locate them.

2. Apple Updates

With the latest update of iOS, my MacBook and iPhone now get a notification when my AirPods are fully charged. It’s a nice easter egg that was not there before and it is great to see Apple still supporting their older products.

3. Using AirPods for Sleep

As a light sleeper, I tried using these to sleep when I was travelling and it was unbearable because when the battery runs out in the middle of the night, they would screech this unbearably loud notification that would jolt me awake. I learned my lesson the hard way and had to use other headphones while sleeping instead. In one of the newer updates, Apple has fixed this bug and they no longer screech when the battery is low. I can now wear them to sleep and they just turn off in the middle of the night when the battery dies. (I wouldn’t recommend wearing them to sleep every day as there are risks of ear infection).

In summary after 3 years:

✅ Battery still holding up (approx 75% battery health)

✅ No signs of damage

✅ Still receiving updates

✅ No sound/ANC issues

Given the above, I would buy them again. I hope they last me beyond 5 years and I do have hope since my 2013 Macbook Air still works and can hold a charge!!

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Air France Lounge Review - Terminal 2E Hall K

During my layover at Paris CDG Airport last year, I had the opportunity to visit a new Air France Lounge. I was flying from Montreal to South Africa with a layover in Paris. Air France runs several lounges to accommodate flights departing from each of CDG’s Terminals but my flight was departing from Terminal 2E Hall K so I headed to that lounge as it is the closest to my departure gate. The lounge is located just to your left after passing through Hall K security. You can walk right in and just scan your boarding pass at one of the many kiosks at the entrance otherwise the attendant at reception can scan your boarding pass. Access is complimentary for all Air France business class passengers. The lounge is spread out on two levels so you can head either upstairs or downstairs after the entrance.

Seating

There are lots of seats available throughout plus some private enclosed work areas as well. The seats by the walls have plugs to charge your electronic devices. They also have USB plugs directly in the wall outlets. I suggest bringing an adaptor if you’re coming from elsewhere, especially North America as the prongs is different (something like this works well).

The Lounge was very busy on this Sunday evening.

Food & Dining

The food was buffet style with hot and cold choices. There were 2 buffets, one in the centre and one at the far right of the lounge.

The side buffet

Bread and pastries

Salads

Dessert

It was difficult to find a high protein option. I ended up trying a lemon chicken dish which had a lot of bones and skin. It tasted all right. I tried a pastrami sandwich after and I found the food a bit disappointing overall considering this is Air France’s hub and this is a lounge for business class passengers. The food on the plane (read more about the flight) tasted far better and felt more fresh than what I experienced at the lounge.

An ok dinner

One noteworthy detail was this chart below that listed the country of origin for every meat product they served! Whether that’s to support local French agriculture or EU agriculture, it was nonetheless a great initiative to inform consumers (based on the disclaimer, it looks like this is due to a law). I really wish this was a law in Canada too!

Drinks

Next to the buffet was a tea and coffee station where I got a cappuccino. It was alright, cappuccino machines like these often tend to brew watery cappuccinos.

There was also a self serve bar offering up wine and champagne. No cocktails were available.

Bathrooms and Showers

The bathrooms were modern and clean. Showers are also available, just ask the attendant. If you are coming at a busy time, make sure to ask right away in case there is a waitlist.

I spent about two hours here before my flight. While I didn’t go hungry or thirsty, I much preferred the Air France Lounge in Hall L. It had better food, more drink options and better rest areas. It was also more open and spacious which made it feel less crowded. Overall this lounge was a decent place to spend a hour or two before my flight but I expected a bit more from Air France. At boarding time, I headed out and made my way downstairs to board my flight to South Africa. You can read my review of that flight here.

This post was originally published on March 30, 2026 but has been updated since.

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Premium Traveller Lounge Review - Paris Orly Airport

Before departing for my flight from Paris to Mallorca, I had some time to check out the Premium Traveller Lounge at Paris Orly Airport. The lounge accepts several memberships (including Dragonpass if you’re Canadian). As you enter the airside section of the Terminal 1, turn left right after security, and follow the signs. The lounge is easy to miss. It is located downstairs near Gates A1-A5.

The lounge entrance is right by the Gates (pictured above). Before entering, please note that this lounge has no washrooms/toilets. When I arrived, there was no one at the front desk. I rang the doorbell and the attendant showed up. I used my Dragonpass to enter the lounge by scanning the QR code in the app.

Hot Tip: make sure you display the QR directly in the app as screenshots won’t work since the codes expire.

The lounge was pretty empty on this Saturday afternoon. There was a view of the tarmac on one side where travellers can observe the planes at ground level.

I sat close to the windows to watch the planes coming in to park

Food and Drinks

The lounge had a basic buffet at the back. 

There were some meager options for food including a few cold cuts/deli meats and some bread rolls. Next to the buffet was a selection of hard liquor along with red and white wine.

I had a bite of this quiche and some nuts which prevented me from getting too hungry during my layover but the food was very disappointing. There was a sign as a reminder that we were not allowed to take any food or drinks outside of the lounge.

Charging stations or rest areas were nonexistent. After about an hour, I left to go board my flight. My lounge experience was abysmal and while I did enjoy the peace and quiet, I got lucky that the lounge was not crowded at this time. Air France’s lounges offer a far better and more premium experience. I didn’t really have any other lounge options with my lounge pass but if you are thinking about visiting this lounge, make sure that your visit is covered by membership, airline status, or a premium cabin ticket as this lounge is definitely not worth paying for, you’d be better off spending that money on a meal from a restaurant.

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