My primary use for headphones or earbuds is to work out or do house chores outside. I’ve needed something that can keep up with my pace and, of course, something that is water and sweat-proof, as I tend to move around a lot. I’ve tried a wide range of products over the years, from budget options to pricier ones, and haven’t found anything that ticks all the boxes.
Sure, cheaper headphones are great in a pinch, but they often lack clarity due to their audio drivers. More expensive sets sound better, but they are more fragile. I’ve essentially resorted to using my AirPods Pro for the last few months, which I feel checks most of my boxes, but they are hard to keep in my ear during a set of squats or when clearing leaves.
The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Are Made For Daily Activity
The Powerbeats Pro line is new to me, and I like Apple’s latest iteration, the Powerbeats Pro 2, which features noise cancellation, transparency mode, clips to secure them to your head, spatial audio, a heart rate monitor, and the ability to take calls on them.
Apple went back to the drawing board for the Powerbeats Pro 2, incorporating many of the features I mentioned above, as the 2019 release lacked them. It aims to be the number one product for active lifestyles, and it does a great job of making a compelling case for its claim.
The Powerbeats Pro 2 comes in several colours (Electric Orange, Hyper Purple, Jet Black, or Quick Sand), and they’re all nice colours, so preference is the only thing that matters here. Apple says the charging case is ~33 percent smaller with wireless charging included, and the battery life lasts 10 hours on a single charge using ANC and eight hours without ANC. The case features 45 hours of charge, and a five-minute top-up provides approximately 1.5 hours of usage time.
The earbuds feature an updated hook that wraps snugly around your ears, allowing you to move freely without worrying about dropping them. They not only fit almost perfectly but are just as comfortable to use for extended periods. There are also five tips for a range of ear tips to ensure a secure fit when using the Powerbeats Pro 2. With an IPX4 water-resistance rating, they can handle some sweat and water, but the charging case isn’t. It is a shame, as other headsets on the market can withstand some water, sweat, and dust without issue, so not having that feature here feels unfortunate.
As this is an Apple product, pairing the Powerbeats Pro 2 with your phone, iPad, or MacBook is straightforward. Android users can use the Beats app to sync it with their device and customize the earbuds’ controls as intended.
In settings, you can name them, turn on Active Noise Cancellation, adjust call controls, complete an eartip fit test, and a few other settings. It’s overall very easy to customize your experience with them.
What I like about the Powerbeats Pro 2 is the heart-rate monitoring it features. Using an optical sensor on each earbud, it can be linked to your Health app to provide data and activated by a long press on the ‘b’ on either earbud. From there, select Powerbeats HR when you start your workout to begin monitoring. Of course, if you own an Apple Watch, you can simply use it, as it utilizes the same technology for monitoring.
Apple’s H2 Chip Is A Workhorse
A lot of tech can be found inside the earbuds and case. With Apple’s H2 chip, which uses Bluetooth 5.3, we also get Transparency Mode, Active Noise Cancellation, and heart-rate monitors on both earbuds. Compared to my AirPod Pro 2nd Gen, the number of features here is far superior to Apple’s flagship earbuds. I can also seamlessly swap between my Apple devices, use spatial audio, and use Siri. Android devices have access to one-touch pairing via the Beats app, so you can also customize your experience.
Noise cancellation is impressive here and does a lot of heavy lifting when I’m on the go or at the gym. I can essentially tune out a lot of noise, and they significantly reduce the things I don’t want to hear, except in rare instances where I can listen to people (mostly when someone walks up to me to ask a question).
Placing calls sounds great too, thanks to the H2 chip. I was told, as I was using the Powerbeats Pro 2, how clear and crisp my voice sounded, yet I was on the elliptical, working on closing my cardio goals for this week.
Verdict
The Powerbeats Pro 2 are impressive and deliver an elevated experience over their predecessor. With a long battery life, a built-in heart rate monitor, and tons of features, the seamless compatibility between my Apple devices is pretty cool, and it is often easy to enjoy my music when I’m working outside, at the gym, or at my desk. The noise-cancellation goes a long way if you need a break from the outside, and even when playing music, the bass is decent, allowing for sound playback of your favourite artists. Sure, the AirPods Pro 2 are slightly better, but those are a bit harder to wear when you want to be active.
[Beats provided a launch retail unit for this review.]
