Apple AirPods 2 Or PowerBeats Pro — Which One Should You Buy?

Carl Velasco, Tech Times 10 April 2019, 07:04 am

Now that the PowerBeats Pro has been unveiled, now comes the hard part for Apple fans — this or the recently released AirPods 2?

Beats, which Apple owns, announced its wireless headphones earlier this month, mere days after Apple came out with the second-generation AirPods. Both have a lot in common. They have Apple's new H1 chip inside, which enables quicker Siri commands, improved battery efficiency, and decreased latency.

Still, there are a handful of notable differences between the two. Below, Tech Times has compiled things to consider to help you decide which one to get.

AirPods 2 vs PowerBeats Pro: Design

Perhaps the biggest difference here, the AirPods 2 looks very much like its predecessor with a casual yet sleek one-size-fits-all design. But unlike the PowerBeats Pro, there's no additional hook or mechanism to keep them firmly tucked inside the ears. Designed for fitness, the PowerBeats Pro borrows its design from previous PowerBeats models, featuring ear hooks that fit over the ears for an even, secure fit. If you frequent gyms, the PowerBeats Pro is the better choice here.

AirPods 2 vs PowerBeats Pro: Sound Quality And Noise Isolation

Although it sounds fairly decent, the AirPods doesn't feature ambient noise filtering since it's not designed to fit tightly in the ear canal. The PowerBeats Pro, on the other hand, feature in-ear plugs that keep them snugly inserted in your ears for a more isolated audio experience. It offers powerful, balanced audio with pure sound reproduction, enhanced clarity, and improved dynamic range, whereas the new AirPods are described merely as having "rich, high-quality sound."

AirPods 2 vs PowerBeats Pro: Buttons

In terms of physical buttons, you can tap on the AirPods to perform certain actions, such as making Siri voice commands, although thanks to the new H1 chip, you can just start with, "Hey Siri" and make commands that way, no need to tap anything. There are no actual buttons on the earbuds, however.

There are physical buttons on the PowerBeats Pro for adjusting volume, changing the track, and accepting or declining a call. If you like having buttons on your earbuds, this is the better choice.

AirPods 2 vs PowerBeats Pro: Battery Life And Charging

The PowerBeats Pro offers nine hours of wireless music playback, a whopping four hours longer than what the AirPods 2 promise. Both can be extended via their respective charging cases, but only the AirPods 2's case offers wireless charging.

In addition, the PowerBeats Pro offers a fast-charging feature called Fast Fuel that adds 1.5 hours of battery life in just five minutes, and up to 4.5 hours in just 15 minutes. The AirPods 2 has a similar feature but it's not as good due to its smaller battery, offering three hours' worth of playback with a 15-minute charge.

AirPods 2 vs PowerBeats Pro: Other Features

Since both devices are powered by the H1 chip, they share the same features such as decreased latency, faster switching between Bluetooth devices, hands-free Siri activation. They both pause music when you take it off, which is pretty useful especially in AirPods 2's case since it's more likely to fall off. Both need to be paired with a compatible Apple device first, though.

Because they're made with exercise in mind, the PowerBeats Pro are unsurprisingly sweat and water resistant. Apple makes no claims at all about the water resistance of the AirPods 2.

AirPods 2 vs PowerBeats Pro: Price

The AirPods 2 costs $199 with a wireless charging case, or $159 if you're okay with a non-wireless charging one. The PowerBeats Pro, on the other hand, costs $250, a whopping $100 more expensive than the base AirPods 2 model.

AirPods 2 vs PowerBeats Pro: Conclusion

The ear hooks on the PowerBeats Pro make them the perfect choice if you're always working out. For a more casual experience, the AirPods 2 is the better — and cheaper — choice.

The AirPods 2 and PowerBeats Pro are both available now on Apple's online store.