These Beats-brand buds put fitness first, with a secure, comfortable fit and the addition of a heart rate monitor. Very solid battery life and fun style pose a major challenge to the AirPods Pro 2.
For
- Good battery life
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Dynamic, pulsing bass
- Great style
Against
- Large charging case
- Some audio quality issues
- Heart rate monitor hiccups
The AirPods Pro 2 are Apple’s best buds to date with great sound performance that is enhanced through immersive spatial audio. They come with adaptive ANC, stronger IP protection and USB-C charging.
For
- World-class noise cancelation
- Volume controls right on the stem
- Dolby Atmos spatial audio
- Improved battery life
Against
- Audio performance needs finessing
- Lackluster call quality
- Lanyard costs extra
The AirPods Pro 2 have been on the market for over two years, but remain one of my favorite wireless earbuds thanks to some compelling updates. For example, the AirPods Pro 2 can now act as OTC hearing aids for users with hearing loss.
But there's a newer pair of Apple-owned earbuds that seem to beat the AirPods Pro 2 at their own game: I'm talking about the Powerbeats Pro 2. Available now for $249, the Powerbeats Pro 2 pack more than a few upgrades (such as integrated heart rate sensor) that the current-gen AirPods Pro can't match.
Both models are great picks that deliver active noise cancellation, sound quality, and special features. In fact, these are two of the best wireless earbuds money can buy. As for which ones is the better purchase for you, my in-depth comparison of the Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2 below has your answer.
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Specs compared
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Powerbeats Pro 2 | Apple AirPods Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
Price | $249 / £229 / AU$399 | $249 / £229 / AU$399 |
Colors | Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple, and Electric Orange | White |
Size | 1.8 x 1.6 x 0.9 inches (per bud); 3.0 x 2.6 x 1.3 inches (charging case) | 1.2 x 0.9 x 0.9 inches (per bud); 1.8 x 2.4 x 0.9 inches (charging case) |
Weight | 0.3 ounces (per bud); 2.4 ounces (charging case) | 0.19 ounces (per bud); 1.8 ounces (charging case) |
Battery life (rated) | 10 hours, 45 hours with charging case | 6 hours, 30 hours with charging case |
Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC, Apple H2 chip, multi-point | Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC, Apple H2 chip, multi-point |
Durability | IPX4 | IP54 |
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Price & availability
Apple originally launched the AirPods Pro 2 at $249, but the buds are almost permanently on sale for as low as $169. Meanwhile, the newer Powerbeats Pro 2 have a $249 price tag as well, though they will be harder to find on sale, at least for now.
You can purchase either model at major online retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy, or on each brand’s website (the Powerbeats Pro 2 are available on both apple.com and beatsbydre.com.)
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Design
The Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2 design differences are rather significant in terms of size, comfort, fit and colors. Most obviously the Powerbeats Pro feature the product line's iconic ear hook design, but the whole profile is way more slender than before. It has more natural curves to it to almost resemble the shape of an ear. The hooks are more flexible than before, too, which makes them really comfortable for longer periods of time.
AirPods Pro look a lot more low-profile between the singular color option and smaller size. If you're just sitting down, AirPods are more comfortable and feel more "barely-there," but when you get moving, without an ear hook, they're definitely more prone to falling out.
To make sure the Powerbeats Pro 2 fit properly, they come with 5 total eartip sizes. That’s a first for Apple — the AirPods Pro 2 only have 4, and it was a big deal when they offered the extra small eartip. The Powerbeats Pro 2 have an added extra large option, meaning these should fit properly for a larger population of people.
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Controls and compatibility
For controls, the AirPods Pro 2 feature force sensors that produce excellent tactile feedback that ensures listeners of intended commands are being met. The touch sensors allow for seamless volume adjustment with small swipes on the eartips. Then there’s “Hey Siri” voice activation to instantly fire up the feature when speaking the wake-word phrase and registering voice commands as quickly as it executes them.
The Powerbeats Pro 2, by comparison, have two physical control buttons on each bud. One of them is a volume rocker, while the other can be assigned controls like switching between ANC modes or navigating playback. You can make these assignments, for both Powerbeats Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 2, within settings when the buds are paired to your source device (ie. iPhone, iPad or Mac.)
Thanks to the H2, both wireless earbuds also offer multi-point connectivity that lets the buds automatically switch playback source depending on what device you're using. The H2 chip also powers Find My, Audio Sharing, and other helpful connectivity features.
One major difference however, is that there's a Beats app for Android that lets the Powerbeats Pro 2 work for non-Apple devices. If you're like me and think that Bluetooth earbuds should be ecosystem-agnostic, this is a big advantage the Powerbeats Pro 2 have over AirPods Pro 2.
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Sound quality
When it comes to sound quality and audio-specific features for a pair of wireless earbuds, I think the AirPods Pro 2 are pretty phenomenal and very well-rounded. But on the Powerbeats Pro 2, in typical Beats fashion, the extension in the bass frequencies is incredible.
I’m talking rumble from bass guitars and low-end synths, punchy kick drums and pounding bass beats, especially in the genres that you might typically associate with working out. For hip-hop fans, expect sound that has weight and bounce to it. Vocals are clear, although high-range sounds can come off overly sharp especially after a while, I’d say for most ears, there’s a lot to like.
The fact that the Powerbeats Pro 2 get some established AirPods Pro 2 features like Spatial Audio is awesome, and of course active noise cancellation coming to the Powerbeats line was pretty much non-negotiable for the price (even if the ANC performance isn’t going to win any awards.)
That said, there are certain things on the audio front that are remaining reserved to AirPods Pro 2. The main ones I’d consider when making a buying decision are Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and all the hearing aid functionality.
When you consider that for the same price, and if we’re honest for a lot less since AirPods are almost always on sale, you might feel a little ripped off by the Powerbeats Pro 2. Not to mention, the noise cancellation quality and balanced sound profile of the AirPods Pro 2 are among best-in-class.
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Additional features
One of the more interesting differences between the AirPods Pro 2 vs. Powerbeats Pro 2 is the latter's heart rate monitor. This is far from a first in the earbuds market, but it is a first for an Apple-made pair of earbuds. Based on experience running 150 miles with the Powerbeats Pro 2, this functionality is a bit of a mixed bag.
You can basically use the Powerbeats Pro as your heart rate sensor for certain third-party apps such as Peloton and Nike Run Club. But it’s important to differentiate that you can’t use the Powerbeats Pro 2 to get an instant heart rate reading the same way you can with your Apple Watch. In fact, you can’t even use them as your heart rate monitor for Apple Fitness Plus which includes audio and treadmill running workouts.
I’m predicting that the AirPods Pro 3 will get a heart rate monitor, and that Apple is reserving some applications of said sensor to generate hype around that launch. For now, both are still some of the best running headphones, but the Powerbeats Pro 2 are officially the best ones overall.
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Battery life
The AirPods Pro 2 have a respectable battery life of up to 6 hours of playback, with 30 hours total provided by the charging case. However, they fall short of Powerbeats Pro, 2 which last up to 10 hours. The Powerbeats Pro 2 charging case also provides up to 45 hours of listening total.
When it comes to Fast-Fuel charging technology, AirPods Pro get 1 hour of use on a 5-minute charge while Powerbeats Pro get 90 minutes of use in the same amount of time.
Both charging cases support wireless charging, but only the AirPods Pro 2 case has dedicated Find My (complete with a speaker that'll ping to help you locate it.)
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Verdict
When two products from two well-known brands are the same price, making the right shopping decision might not seem easy. To summarize the Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2, it comes down to a few key factors.
Compared to the AirPods Pro 2, there are a lot of instances where I’d definitely go with the Powerbeats. Although I wouldn't consider the heart rate monitor a huge asset, the secure fit and long battery life make the Powerbeats Pro 2 the superior choice for working out. The solid sound quality and compatibility with Android help justify the price, too.
I still think AirPods Pro 2 are incredible, especially if you’re talking about versatility. The additional audio features paired with the caliber of ANC in a small package make the AirPods Pro 2 a tried-and-true recommendation, though only if you're getting them on a great sale price.
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