Budget earbuds have terrible sound and battery. AirPods Pro seal perfectly, have noise cancellation, and actually stay in.
Why Not Just Buy the Cheap One?
AirPods Pro 2 have a custom-fit silicone tip sizing that creates an actual acoustic seal, delivering bass and noise isolation that budget earbuds like Amazon Basics simply cannot achieve without that seal. The active noise cancellation algorithm is tuned by Apple's audio team; cheap ANC sounds muffled and doesn't actually reduce low-frequency noise.
The Buy-Once Math
Buy three pairs of $40 budget earbuds that either don't fit your ears, fall out during workouts, or have worse battery than promised—that's $120 wasted on earbuds you don't use. AirPods Pro cost $249 and you'll wear them daily for five years because they actually work and stay put. One pair that you use beats three pairs gathering dust in drawers.