Apple’s AirPods 2 vs Apple’s Beats Powerbeats Pro

Michael Grothaus 09/04/2019 – 2:59pm

Apple’s wireless earbuds face off against each other!

When you think of Apple’s wireless earbuds you almost certainly think of Apple’s sleek AirPods. But the company actually makes another entirely different kind of wireless earbuds. As some know, Apple owns the Beats brand of audio accessories. The company acquired Beats years ago before its launch of Apple Music.

Despite owning Beats outright, Apple hasn’t done away with the brand. It’s now just a separate subsidiary of Apple that makes its own headphones, earbuds, and more. Beat’s latest product is the Powerbeats Pro — a wireless set of earbuds that competes with all other wireless earbuds, including Apple’s own AirPods.

But just how do the Powerbeats Pro’s match up with Apple’s second-generation AirPods? Let’s find out.

Apple’s AirPods 2 vs Apple’s Beats Powerbeats Pro: Specs

Here are the specs for the new AirPods:

• Connectivity: Bluetooth, H1 chip
• Wireless charging: Yes
• Battery Life: 5 hours AirPod use, 24+ hours with charging case
• Sensors: Dual beam-forming microphones, Dual optical sensors, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer
• “Hey Siri” support: Yes
• Noise Isolation: No
• Sweat-proof: No

And here are the specs for the Powerbeats Pro:

• Connectivity: Bluetooth, H1 chip
• Wireless charging: No
• Battery Life: 9 hours Powerbeats Pro use, 24+ hours with charging case
• Sensors: Dual beam-forming microphones, Dual optical sensors, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer
• “Hey Siri” support: Yes
• Noise Isolation: Yes
• Sweat-proof: Yes

Apple’s AirPods 2 vs Apple’s Beats Powerbeats Pro: Design & Chipset

Internally, the AirPods and Powerbeats Pro are nearly identical. Both use Apple’s H1 chipset to make connecting to the iPhone incredibly easy. The H1 in both also makes switching the earbuds between devices much faster than previous generations.

Where the two buds differ is in their design. Apple’s AirPods are made to be as tiny and fashion conscious as possible. It’s a minimalist device that doesn’t even have any physical buttons. The Powerbeats Pro, on the other hand, are designed with physical fitness in mind.

The Powerbeats Pro offer ear hooks and four different sized buds so users can find the best fit for them. The Powerbeats Pro is also designed to be noise isolating—meaning they fit snugly in your ear canal and block out ambient sounds. They also offer physical buttons for music control. Finally, the Powerbeats Pro is also sweat proof—proof that these things are made for fitness enthusiasts.

Apple’s AirPods 2 vs Apple’s Beats Powerbeats Pro: Battery & Charging

Another major difference between the two… While the AirPods get you about 5 hours of use on a single charge, the Powerbeats Pro will get you 9 hours of usage. This is a major difference and the increased battery life is mainly due to the larger size of the Powerbeats Pro—there’s simply more room for Apple to put in a larger battery.

Both charging cases will get you more than 24 hours worth of charges, however, only the AirPods offer a wireless charging case.

Apple’s AirPods 2 vs Apple’s Beats Powerbeats Pro: “Hey Siri”

Both earbuds also support “Hey Siri” voice commands to activate Apple’s digital assistant. This is thanks to the fact that both earbuds sport the H1 chipset.

Apple’s AirPods 2 vs Apple’s Beats Powerbeats Pro: Price

The new AirPods go for £159 gets you the AirPods with the wired charging case. Or you can buy the new AirPods with the wireless charging case included for only £199—just £40 more.

The Powerbeats Pro only comes in one model (wired charging case). They’ll set you back £250. So, which should you get? If you’re a big gym-goer or fitness enthusiast, the choice is clear: grab the Powerbeats Pro. However, if all you want is some amazing wireless earbuds to use at your desk and your walk to work, you can’t do better from a price and quality standpoint than the new AirPods.