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The Powerbeats Pro ($250) are true wireless earbuds from the Apple-owned Beats that combine the design, sweat-resistance and sound of Beats’s Powerbeats3 Wireless ($200), a workout headphone staple, with the true wirelessness and functionality of Apple’s second-generation AirPods ($159+). They cost $250 and are available in four colors: black, navy, moss (green) and ivory (off-white).
The Good: The Powerbeats Pro have almost all of the same conveniences of second-generation AirPods; they quickly pair to your iPhone, have “Hey Siri” functionality, and they have good sound and call quality. They also charge via your iPhone’s Lightning cable, leaving you with one less cable to carry. The Powerbeats Pro also offer a couple key upgrades over AirPods. They are sweat resistance (IPX4) so you don’t have to worry about your workout killing them, and their design gives them a more snug fit than old Powerbeats3 Wireless. (Great news if AirPods don’t fit in everybody’s ears.) They offer better battery life, an incredible nine hours for each earbud. And they come more colors than just white.
Who It’s For: Anybody with an iPhone looking for the best running true wireless earbuds that money can buy.
Henry PhillipsWatch Out For: The charging case of the Powerbeats Pro is huge, frankly. It’s roughly twice the size of the AirPods charging case and almost three times as heavy. There’s basically no way you’re fitting it into your pocket. The odd shape of each of the Powerbeats Pro’s earbuds makes it sometimes difficult getting them back inside the charging case. The experience is nowhere near as snappy as slipping AirPods back into their perfectly-sized charging case. Their odd shape can make it difficult to get them in your ears. They can’t wirelessly charge. They’ve got no sensors or coaching features, and they’re pretty expensive to boot.
