AirPods Pro 2 USB-C vs. Lightning difference

[Silly John Fatty]

What cable is it that is different? It’s the cable for the headphone’s case?

I’m not sure if I see how the system works. You can either use MagSafe to put the case in it, or connect it via USB/lightning to a power socket? Is that it?

Also, do I get this right that the USB-C version will mention USB-C on the rear of the box, whereas the lightning version won’t mention anything?

Apart from that, is there any advantage having the USB version?

 

[Sirious]

The connector on the charging case is USB-C. You also get a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box.

Also, for some reason it also also enables Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency with Vision Pro - the lightning version of the same thing doesn't let you do that.

So, 2 differences.

If you have no intention of buying Vision Pro, or still use all lightning devices, there is no real compelling reason to "upgrade" to them.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

The connector on the charging case is USB-C. You also get a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box.

Also, for some reason it also also enables Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency with Vision Pro - the lightning version of the same thing doesn't let you do that.

So, 2 differences.

If you have no intention of buying Vision Pro, or still use all lightning devices, there is no real compelling reason to "upgrade" to them.

I don’t have Vision Pro and I don’t have AirPods currently but I see a lot of new ones for sale online and some seem to be the newer version with USB-C and some don’t mention USB-C at all, so I believe these are the older models.

I have an iPhone 13 mini so it’s using lightning and it would make more sense to get the lightning AirPods then (if I travel I’d need one less cable) but I’ll still get the USB ones to be future proof I think.

The lightning version has USB-C in the other side? My Mac Mini uses USB-C.

 

[waw74]

Currently the upgraded audio has only been announced for Vision Pro. Just a guess on my part, but future iPhones will probably also include the necessary hardware, So getting the USB-C version might be an advantage when the new phones are announced later this year.

Both versions of the case also support wireless charging, with Qi or the watch charger. So depending on your setup, the actual connector on the case may not matter as much.

Also, for some reason it also also enables Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency with Vision Pro - the lightning version of the same thing doesn't let you do that.

They updated the AirPods themselves also. You can now buy a standalone USB-C case, it will work with the AirPods sold with a lightening case, but you do not get the lossless audio just by upgrading the case.

from the store page for just the case

AirPods Pro (2nd generation) product features are determined by the charging case originally shipped with the earbuds and are not impacted by a change in charging case.