Now with the Powerbeats Pro 2, Apple is expanding that experience to users who have a more active lifestyle than what the AirPods Pro cater to. Released in early February, these offer essentially the same experience as the AirPods Pro while also being better at the same time. I have spent a week with these new earbuds and this is how I feel about them.
Design and Comfort
At a time when TWS casing is becoming smaller and smaller, the Powerbeats Pro 2 come in a relatively bulky case, but that’s for good reason. If you know and remember the first generation Powerbeats Pro, you’d realise that the new case is 33% smaller and the buds are 20% lighter than their predecessor.
This means that even with the earhook, the buds are extremely comfortable to wear for longer durations, something that athletes — or just people who workout regularly — will appreciate. With the earhook, you know that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will stay in your ear no matter how much or how aggressively you move.
While I’m not exactly a very active person, I did realise this while travelling with the Powerbeats Pro 2. If I’m in a flight, in a train or in the backseat of a car going on long road trips, you will find me asleep with my earphones on. And I’m embarrassed to admit that I have woken up with one missing earbud on several instances. Thankfully I never lost them, but did skip a heartbeat trying to hysterically look for it. The point I’m trying to make is, this never happened with the Powerbeats Pro 2. I can move, run, walk and sleep, and know that they will be right where I left them — in my ears.
So if you’re not an active person, but travel a lot and do not find headphones comfortable, I can recommend these without blinking twice. They are also rated IPX4 for sweat and water resistance. Additionally, this time Beats has provided a fifth size of the ear tip for a more personalised comfort — ranging from extra small to extra large.
Battery Life
The battery on the Powerbeats Pro 2 is commendable. Beats claims that the earphones offer up to 45 hours of battery life with the charging case. While I haven’t exactly counted the hours, they did last me a whole week with 40% juice left in the case with the listening time ranging from one to two hours every day. And they also charge pretty quickly if you do find yourself in a situation where you need to leave home in 10 minutes. On top of that, the case also features wireless charging, which is a first for any Beats earphones.
Heart Rate Monitoring
This is what makes the Powerbeats Pro 2 stand out from the competition and even differentiates it from the similarly priced AirPods Pro. With the help of LED optical sensors, the Powerbeats Pro 2 measure your heartbeat and relay it to the compatible fitness apps. Currently, Runna, Nike Run Club, Open, Ladder, Slopes and YaoYao are the third-party iOS apps that support this feature. All these apps send their data to the Apple Health app, which is where you can see a detailed review of your performance. However, it is important to note that if you are wearing an Apple Watch with the Powerbeats Pro 2, then the apps would prioritise the data coming from the Watch over the earphones.
For Android, all fitness and wellness apps that have heart-rate monitoring capabilities should be fully compatible with Powerbeats Pro 2.
This feature could especially come in handy for people who do not prefer wearing a smartwatch while working out.
If you don’t use any of the apps and still wish to check your real-time heart-rate, then you can do so by opening the Apple Health app on iOS and the buds would automatically start relaying your data to the device.
Listening Experience
On paper, the Powerbeats Pro 2 offer most of all the features of the AirPods Pro — the Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, Personalized Spatial Audio, Adaptive EQ and more. However, the sound does seem to fall slightly flatter than their Apple counterparts. And being honest, I do not know if I want to hold them to it. The difference is very minimal and the quality, by no means, is bad; it’s pretty close to the AirPods Pro but would not make me jump from my seat. I would still pick them over several others in the price range because of the kind of features they come with.
Controls and Connection
For Apple users, the Powerbeats Pro 2 offers features like one-touch pairing, automatic switching, and Audio Sharing, while Android users can access similar conveniences through the Beats App. The app allows for customisable controls, battery status checks, and over-the-air updates.
For calls, the Powerbeats Pro 2 includes a voice accelerometer and three microphones that work with machine-learning Voice Isolation to reduce background noise. Even in noisy environments, such as the gym or the road, the earphones offer great call quality and reduce most of the background noise if not all.
The earbuds also offer easy on-ear controls, including a tactile volume rocker, so you can adjust audio without reaching for your phone. The physical buttons are also very responsive.
Verdict
At ₹29,999, the Powerbeats Pro 2 is a solid choice for those who want premium wireless earbuds tailored for an active lifestyle. They offer a secure fit, strong connectivity, clear call quality, and useful fitness-focused features like heart rate monitoring.
While the sound quality is slightly behind the AirPods Pro, the difference is minimal, and the added stability makes them a great option for workouts and travel. If you’re looking for high-performance earbuds that won’t fall out no matter how much you move, the Powerbeats Pro 2 is worth considering.
