Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Powerful buds that monitor your heart rate

Beats currently has its best-ever lineup of audio products. To keep building momentum, the Los Angeles-based company wants to make sure no one is forgotten, as it’s just releasing its long-anticipated Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds.

This is the second iteration of the Powerbeats Pro. However, long-term users know this is actually the seventh model in the Powerbeats lineup, which was first introduced in 2010. Before releasing these earbuds, Beats invited BGR to an exclusive hands-on briefing with this product in New York, followed by two weeks of testing.

Unlike any Beats or Apple products, one of the highlights of the Powerbeats Pro 2 is the new heart rate sensor available on the earbuds. With that, Apple shows this is just the beginning of its long-term plan to combine wellness, health, and audio experiences. Matthew Costello, Apple VP of Hardware Engineering, told BGR that “this is the product we wanted to build 10 years ago.”

This in-depth review includes everything you need to know about the Powerbeats Pro 2.

Powerbeats Pro 2 specs

Design and comfort

Image source: José Adorno for BGR

At first, Powerbeats Pro 2 looks similar to its predecessor. However, a lot has changed with it. Unlike AirPods or Beats’ other earbuds, the company bets on earhooks with these buds. The company says it’s the “ultimate solution for a stable and more secure fit.” The beautiful four new colors, Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple, and Electric Orange, are just the beginning of the possibilities Beats could eventually introduce.

Stylish and made for athletes, Beats made the earhooks 50% smaller with new nickel-titanium alloy wiring material for increased comfort and stability. With five different ear tips, the company added a step between Medium and the old Large size. This instantly improved an issue I had with the previous generation, which was the need to adjust the earbuds all the time for a secure fit.

Powerbeats Pro 2 still features the popular physical volume buttons, an action “b” button for controlling the music, and the new ANC and Transparency options. Beats added an IPX4 rating to protect these earbuds against sweat, but it’s a miss that neither the case nor the earbuds are dust-resistant. And, even though the case got 33% thinner, it’s still not the best option to put in your pocket. That said, Beats finally added some long-awaited features, including wireless charging and a USB-C port.

Image source: José Adorno for BGR

Over the past two weeks, I have been using Powerbeats Pro 2 to work out, ranging from strength practices to indoor runs. While I’ll talk about the sound quality in a moment, I want to discuss comfort. While some people have issues with Apple’s AirPods, I always thought they offered the best fit for my ears. With Powerbeats Pro, they eventually started hurting the back of my right ear. Also, sweat dripped from the earhook directly into my ear while working out, ultimately making me take it off to dry.

While Beats says it has reshaped the Powerbeats Pro—and the second generation indeed feels more secure in my ears—I have experienced some discomfort in the right ear, as would happen with the first generation. Still, if you had a great time with the 2019 version, you’ll likely love this one. And if you’re tired of falling earbuds, these are the best options available.

AirPods Pro 2-like sound with Beats extra bass

Image source: Chay Lazaro for BGR

I’ll spend some time here, but long story short, AirPods Pro 2 are the best-sounding earbuds, in my opinion. Powerbeats Pro 2 offers the same level of quality with extra spiciness on bass, which is perfect for those who love rock, pop, rap, hippie-hop, and so many other genres.

The first Powerbeats Pro already sounded incredible, but Beats went off the charts with this generation. Among the upgrades are a new amplifier, allowing for optimal frequency response and loudness with better overall performance, next-gen acoustic mesh that also offers greater protection against liquid and debris ingress, and axial-aligned transducers, which help for the most direct delivery of sound to the ear canal.

Powered by Apple’s H2 chip, Powerbeats Pro 2 offers a superb Active Noise Cancellation feature thanks to its six mics (three in each earbud). The Transparency option is great for outdoor exercises, mainly because the first generation didn’t have either of these features. Still, its seal was good enough to pass as passive noise cancellation. With that, you can jam with your favorite songs while also being aware of your surroundings.

The new processor also brings Apple’s personalized Spatial Audio, which makes Dolby Atmos songs exceptionally immersive. These earbuds are also great for watching shows and movies; you don’t have to worry about the mic quality when answering the phone. Beats uses the same audio algorithm available with the latest AirPods, which means wind and outdoor noise disappear when you’re speaking. Even though these earbuds don’t have the same design as AirPods, they still have an impressive mic quality when on the phone. Truly mindblowing.

Heart rate monitoring is just the start of more health-related features

Apple recently introduced hearing aid features with AirPods Pro 2. With Powerbeats Pro 2, the company took a different approach by unveiling its first-ever heart rate monitoring for workouts on earbuds. The company explains that it uses four different components in addition to a custom algorithm.

The heart rate measurement uses an LED sensor, photodiode, optical lens, and accelerometer to read data from the two earbuds and create an accurate heart rate measurement, releasing output every five seconds. BGR testing reveals that the readings between the Apple Watch and the earbuds are on pair. However, there’s a trick.

If you wear an Apple Watch while working out, the Powerbeats Pro 2 will prioritize the data from your Watch. That said, if you have an Apple Watch, you shouldn’t be too excited about this technology because you won’t use it. If you don’t, you can download some of the Beats partners that reveal your heart rate measurements while you’re working out, including:

• Nike Run Club
• Runna
• Ladder
• Slopes
• Peloton
• YaoYao

iPhone users can also ask Siri questions related to heart rate measurement. While iOS users will have their measurements taken as soon as they start working out, Android users must start and end a workout session through the Beats app. All the data is stored within Apple’s Health app or the preferred health app on Android devices.

That said, seeing this technology in action makes me look forward to those rumors about a future AirPods Pro that will be able to read your temperature and so on.

Impressive battery life

Image source: José Adorno for BGR

If you think your current Powerbeats Pro has an impressive battery life, you’ll love to learn that this new one offers up to 10 hours on a single charge (without ANC) and up to 45 hours in total. Beats says it can offer up to eight hours on a single charge if you have ANC on. Still, these numbers are so impressive that over two weeks, I didn’t have to care about recharging these earbuds, even though I would exercise for an hour and a half every day (kudos for me and Powerbeats Pro 2).

With the Fast Fuel technology, you can get an hour and a half of listening time in just five minutes. Once again, having a USB-C port and wireless charging capabilities are convenient ways to always have enough juice for running and other workouts.

Inconsistencies and features I wish Powerbeats Pro 2 had

Image source: José Adorno for BGR

Despite the discomfort with one of the sides of the earbuds during workouts—and, again, this is due to my ear shape, you might have a completely different experience—I was worried about some connectivity issues while doing outdoor walks. I live in a neighborhood full of antennas, so there are parts of the main avenue where the sound becomes unreliable, and even with my iPhone in my pocket, I need to pick up my phone so it gets closer to the earbuds.

While I have experienced this issue with all the earbuds and headphones I’ve tested, sometimes I get unreliable connectivity in areas that shouldn’t happen. At the gym, if I’m more than 10 steps away from my phone, the music playing gets unreliable, while with AirPods 4, that won’t happen.

Even though firmware updates can solve these issues, I have experienced unreliable connectivity with other Beats products, so it’s important to note that.

In addition, I would have loved it if Beats had added at least an IP54 rating to Powerbeats Pro 2. If these earbuds are focused on athletes, it feels like Beats forgot about those who practice sports at the beach. The dust resistance is a good-to-have feature. For the case, I praise the company for the extra perks, but Beats could have added an ultrawide-band chip for Find My capabilities, built-in speakers to help find these earbuds, and proper IP-rated protection as well.

Price and release date

Powerbeats Pro 2 is available to order today. It costs the same as the previous generation, $249.99, and the same price as AirPods Pro 2.

Is the Powerbeats Pro 2 worth it?

Image source: José Adorno for BGR

If you love exercising or have trouble with AirPods-like earbuds, the Powerbeats Pro 2 might be perfect for you. Its bold colors, combined with Apple’s latest technologies, are the best you can get right now. The sound is outstanding, the battery life is solid, and you have exclusive heart rate measurements.

This product release continues highlighting Beats’ commitment to its old and new audiences by delivering high-end products at a great price point. It seems Apple has finally understood the asset in the Beats brand, and it’s not afraid to show it off.

With Powerbeats Pro 2, both companies have strong earbuds lineups with consistent sound and options for every customer.