Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 Review
Pros
- Clear, detailed and balanced sound
- Strong noise-cancellation performance
- Long battery life
- Comfortable to wear
Cons
- Not the most exciting audio delivery
- No customisation of sound or ANC
- Charging case is still on the big side
- Expensive
Key Features
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Review Price: £249
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Heart-rate monitoring Keep track of your rate with compatible apps
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Battery life 45 hours of battery with ANC off
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Apple H2 chip Powers everything from the audio to the noise-cancellation
Introduction
It’s been nearly six years since the Beats PowerBeats Pro and plenty has changed. The introduction of the PowerBeats Pro 2’s puts it up against plenty of competition both affordable and premium.
The PowerBeats Pro 2 can’t just rinse and repeat the same formula and call it a day if it wants to be among the best workout headphones. Beats is hoping to do that with the addition of active noise-cancellation and heart-rate monitoring to track your exercises.
Beats’ slick marketing does a great job of convincing anyone to jump onboard; but there’s no better way of finding out if the PowerBeats Pro 2 are the real deal than heading to the streets and gyms to see if the hype is justified.
Availability
The Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 are priced at £249 / $249 / €299. You can get them from the Beats website, Apple UK and Amazon at the time of review.
The price makes them less expensive than the PowerBeats Pro, which are still available six years after they first went on sale, and surprisingly, remain at £269.95.
Design
- Lighter ear-hook design
- Extra-small to extra-large ear-tips
- IPX4 water and sweat resistance
The PowerBeats Pro 2 have, in Beats’ words, undergone a complete redesign. The ear-hook that settles on the back of the ear features nickel-titanium alloy wiring, and this “nitinol” wire allows for the ear hook to bend but stay tough and revert back to its original shape.
I’m not sure how much bending it should be doing unless you thrash your head to heavy metal during workouts, but the real benefit is the stability and comfort it offers. On the runs and workouts, I didn’t find the PowerBeats Pro 2 to be uncomfortable at all.
I did find them tricky to put on though. Although the ear-hook is over 50% smaller than the original’s, I found they still clashed with my glasses, which affected the fit and seal.
The PowerBeats Pro 2 come with a range of ear-tip sizes from extra-small to extra-large. I found the medium size (the default option) wasn’t the most secure, the headphones were loose and moving about during runs. So I switched to large which provided more security. The headphones still move and push out during runs but I’m not having to fiddle with them as much as before.
These Beats rely on physical buttons rather than touch controls or swipes. Physical buttons are always the better option for workout headphones but I still experienced accidental taps, especially when adjusting the fit or inserting the headphones.
The volume rockers are located on the inside, and while it’s welcome to have actual volume controls, for a person like me with big digits, it’s a little difficult to use them without accidentally unseating the earbuds.
So while they’re simple to use, the smaller size of the earphones – at least for me – makes them tricky at times. However, I don’t doubt that people with smaller fingers will get on just fine with the PowerBeats Pro 2.
The headphones are rated to IPX4 which protects against water and sweat. I thought they would have a higher rating but Beats says they’ve gone through Apple’s reliability and validation tests to scrutinize them to a higher level than IPX4 would indicate. The charging case does have an IP rating assigned.
Speaking of the charging case, Beats says it’s 20% lighter and smaller too. It’s still a big case, so while it’ll fit into your gym shorts, any tighter piece of clothing might be awkward.
When it comes to colours, Beats has far more character than Apple’s polished, glossy look. With the PowerBeats Pro 2, there’s a choice of Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple, and my personal favourite, Electric Orange.
Features
- ANC and Transparency modes
- 45 hour battery life
- Heart-rate support
The PowerBeats Pro 2 are marketed as offering similar experiences on both Apple and Android platforms. Sort of.
Apple users get more native features than Android users. Specific features for Apple users include Personalised spatial audio: Siri voice control, iCloud pairing (which is instant and across all Apple devices you have), Audio Sharing with another compatible Beats or Apple headphone, and finally Ultra Low Latency with an Apple Vision Pro.
Shared features amount to one-touch pairing (Google Fast Pair on Android): Locate My Beats (if they get lost), customisations and updates, which for Android users happens in the Beats app. To me that’s a rather standard set of features but at least Android users have something rather than nothing.
Sticking with the app, I’d love it if Beats allowed for audio and ANC customisation but that’s not happening. What you hear is what you get, and the only customisation you can perform is to rename the buds, customise the ‘Beats’ button, and toggle on features such as auto ear detection, heart rate and case tones.
The heart rate feature is interesting and a feature that’s become more popular in headphones (Sennheiser had it with the Momentum Sport). Heart rate monitoring is supported via several apps: Open, Peloton, Runna, Slopes, Ladder, Nike Run Club and YaoYao. For Apple users the heart-rate monitoring starts automatically whenever a workout session is started. Android users have to manually enable it through the Beats app.
I’ve used the PowerBeats Pro 2 with the Nike Run Club app and it’s worked without fuss in tracking my heart beat on runs.
The PowerBeats Pro 2 support active noise-cancellation and a transparency mode, which is pretty rare for an over-ear hook design. The former blocks outside noises while the latter lets them in. The noise-cancellation is very good – as long as the fit and seal is tight.
The headphones are good are clearing away workout machines and background noise in the gym, while outside they greatly reduced the hum of traffic and people talking in the streets. Even when it’s faced with wind, the microphones in the headphones don’t suddenly become a noisy mess.
The transparency mode is good: clear, open, spacious and natural enough that don’t sound distorted or too noisy.
Back to the ANC and it isn’t to the point where it’s silent – some outside sounds still get through but not in a way that distracts. Despite that, carrying out a pink noise test at home (listening to a loud sound similar to a waterfall), the Beats were better at shutting out noise than the Sony LinkBuds Fit, but they weren’t as good as our current favourite workout headphones in Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2.
In terms of Bluetooth it’s version 5.3, with support for SBC and AAC. I’ve not had any issues with the connection while running outside or at the gym. If you are looking to connect to two devices at once, there’s no Bluetooth multi-point support.
According to Beats, battery life is 10 hours per charge (8 with ANC on) and 45 hours (or 36 with ANC) in total. That compares favourably to the PowerBeats Pro which was 9 hours per charge and 24 hours in total. My tests, which involved listening to the headphones for an hour at 50% volume, saw the headphones fall to 89% on the left bud and 91% to the right.
Split the difference and that’s about 10.5% drop in battery life over an hour. That’s about 10 hours of battery life per charge with ANC on, better than what Beats states. At higher volume levels I reckon it’d be closer to Beats’ stats.
To boost the battery there is the option of wireless charging – a first for a Beats’ charging case – and Beats’ Fast Fuel charging via the USB-C input. That gives 90 minutes of battery life from a five-minute charge.
Sound Quality
- Balanced approach
- Adaptive EQ
- Sharp treble, clear midrange
If you’ve used any of Beats’ recent headphones, you’ll know by now that the sound has been revamped from its early days. The original PowerBeats Pro were on the cusp of that change by reducing that ‘boomy’ bass signature. What you get with the PowerBeats Pro 2 is a clear, spacious and balanced listen.
They do sound a little unexciting at default volume. While the presentation is clear it’s at the expense of energy and dynamism. Vocals come through clearly and naturally when listening to Estelle’s American Boy and Craig David’s Rewind, and the soundstage is wide, but the bass could do with more depth and power.
The PowerBeats Pro 2’s balance means it is an even and consistent performer across a range of music genres. You get the same delivery whether you’re listening to Jamiroquai’s Canned Heat to Jodeci’s Feenin’ or Muse’s Take A Bow and Groove Armada’s At The River. Sometimes I wish the sound would be more versatile and flexible.
That’s not to say I’m hankering for the boosted bass headphones of old, but for a workout headphone, I’d the bass to be more… explosive.
The PowerBeats Pro 2 find footing when the volume is pushed up. They sound sharper and crisper; as well as clearer and more detailed. The energy missing at default volume is found, and low frequencies have a greater presence.
The high frequencies in GoGo Penguin’s Erased by Sunlight are described in sharp, clear, and well defined terms; while the bass carries solid punch and weight.
When it comes to rhythm the Beats are clear-eyed and detailed but don’t display much of a switch in pace from fast to slow or vice versa. The neutrality they go for means they’re not the most energetic listen.
But the midrange performance is very clear, if a little thin at higher volumes. There’s plenty of detail to pick up on from vocals to instruments within a soundstage that’s impressively wide when listening to Jacob Collier’s Sky Above. There is some dynamism but the changes from quiet to louder are minor than major.
Switch ANC and transparency mode off and the Adaptive EQ kicks in. Beats says it offers “tailored” listening to your fit by taking into account the shape of your ears and how much sound might be leaking. For me, they don’t sound quite as sharp in this mode – a little smoother and less defined.
If you’ve bought into Beats’ current sound profile, the PowerBeats Pro 2 are a consistent, surprisingly mature and solid listen. They lean more towards ‘audiophile’ which means they lack a little fun. Still, the clarity and detail they offer puts them above most workout headphones. Just remember to turn the volume up.
Should you buy it?
If you’re in the Apple ecosystem
Although Beats continues to say that they’ll support both Apple and Android users, the PowerBeats Pro 2 will always be a slicker experience on Apple devices than Android.
The price is too much
The PowerBeats Pro 2 are less expensive than the original but still towards the top of the tree when it comes to paying for workout headphones.
Final Thoughts
The PowerBeats Pro 2 are the best-sounding Beats true wireless I’ve heard, and it’s a bit of a surprise that it comes from a workout ready pair. They’re not the most exciting to listen to, but they offer a consistently clear, detailed and balanced sound.
The noise-cancellation and transparency modes are very good but not class-leading – the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 have the upper hand and are less expensive. The design may differ depending on the size of your ears (or your fingers) but there’s no disputing how comfortable they are to wear and the stability of the fit once locked in.
Apple users get more of the juicy features such as personalised spatial audio and swifter integration for the heart-rate monitor. Android users get as much as Beats is willing to offer but regardless of which platform you’re using them on, they get a ding for the lack audio and ANC customisation.
The price is a bit steep though much less expensive than the Sennheiser Momentum Sport. There are plenty less expensive options from the aforementioned Jabra to the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, Bose Sports Earbuds and Cleer Arc Sport II to consider.
So are they the king of workout headphones? Not quite. But for some the Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 will be very fine company during workouts.
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every pair of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Tested with real world use
- Battery drain carried out
- Compared to rival headphones
FAQs
Yes, the Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 come with noise-cancellation to stop sounds from distracting you. They also have a transparency if you want to hear what’s around you.
Full Specs
| Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £249 |
| USA RRP | $249 |
| EU RRP | €299 |
| Manufacturer | Beats |
| IP rating | IPX4 |
| Battery Hours | 45 |
| Wireless charging | No |
| Fast Charging | No |
| Weight | 86.4 G |
| ASIN | B0DT4WR7ZB |
| Release Date | 2025 |
| Model Number | Powerbeats Pro 2 |
| Audio Resolution | SBC, AAC |
| Driver (s) | Custom-designed, dual-element dynamic diaphragm transducer |
| Noise Cancellation? | No |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Colours | Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple,, Electric Orange |
| Frequency Range | – Hz |
| Headphone Type | True Wireless |
| Voice Assistant | Siri |
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