The Buying Game (Issue 15)
This week's picks include new watches, AirPods, a funky charger, and more.
How I’d spend $500: Apple AirPods Pro 3
Apple claims the new, improved, AirPods Pro 3 have the "world’s best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation." That's a bold statement. I'll test these soon enough, but better ANC is always welcome. Beyond the better noise blocking, these also get a heart rate sensor, better water resistance, and longer listening time, among other things.
Price: $249 (link)
Value Score: Good
The price of these stayed the same from the last generation. In my experience, this is a very fair price, or good value, especially if these can be your everything earbuds. One set of earbuds for exercise, travel, and watching movies? It should probably be these for iPhone owners.
How I’d spend $150: Zens Charging Cable USB-C Pro 3
This is a single cable that can charge three devices at once. It's available for pre-order now and will ship in October, so I can't comment on its actual use. The idea is clever if it works like it should. The cable is 1.5 meters in length and supports up to 140W of total power delivery, including Qi2 for wireless charging.
Price: $100 (link)
Value Score: Fair
This is a pricey cable, unless it's replacing a few devices and saving you space in your travel bag. In that case, it’s still a premium price, but less outrageous.
How I’d spend $50: James Bond Wall Calendar (2026)
In this case, there are no features or specs. This is just a 16-month calendar that starts now, in September 2025.
Price: $14 (link)
Value Score: Fair
Does anyone use a wall calendar anymore? I think they've become more art than function, in which case, this should make a neat wall covering for the next year.
The winning pick: Apple AirPods Pro 3
The new AirPods Pro 3 aren’t a revolutionary update, but after three years, they seem to be a worthy upgrade. I'm hopeful the tweaks to the physical shape and new ear tips will make a meaningful difference in comfort and ANC.
These are probably a good upgrade from any earbuds more than five years old, but if you just bought the AirPods Pro 2 last year, I wouldn't worry about buying these new ones yet.
Are you looking for even more picks this week? Here are a few things worth considering.
An expensive pick: Apple Watch Ultra 3
Only getting a new color of the Ultra 2 last year was very disappointing. This year's new rugged Apple Watch adds enough quality-of-life improvements to make it a fine upgrade. You might not ever need satellite messaging, but ever since I had to use it during a hurricane, it's been a must-have for me. The biggest choice for a lot of people will be choosing between the natural and black colors.
Price: Starts at $799 (link)
This week's other interesting deals and product news
- AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watches were available to pre-order on Tuesday. iPhones are available to pre-order as of this morning. All products will be out starting Friday, September 19.
- Nintendo is releasing old Virtual Boy games on the Switch 2 in 2026.
- Google leaked its upcoming cameras and doorbell.
- Lossless audio comes to Spotify as part of the regular Premium plan.
- The new Lego Death Star is its largest and most expensive set ever.
- Best Buy Plus or Total members can get $50 off an Apple Watch Ultra 3, bringing it down to $749.
This week's published stories
It's been a long week.
- 5 Reasons I'm Trading My Beloved AirPods Pro 2 for the Pro 3 (PCMag)
- Who Wants to Tell These Case Makers There's No Black iPhone 17 Pro? (PCMag)
- Robot umps are coming to baseball (PCMag)
- 7 Easy-to-Miss Apple Event Announcements That Could Help You Decide Which iPhone to Buy (PCMag)
- Dyson Doesn't Like Copycats. So Why Does Its New Spot+Scrub Ai Robot Vacuum Look So Familiar? (PCMag)
- Eyes-on with Roborock's RockMow Z1 at IFA (PCMag)
- Belkin 3-in-1 UltraCharge Pro review (How-To Geek)
- The Paper review (Yahoo)
- Nuki Smart Lock review (Yahoo)
- Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds review (Yahoo)
