RW verdict: A worthy upgrade, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are a class-leading pair of workout buds boasting a secure, bounce-free design, superb sound quality, mega battery life and additional smart features. However, they are seriously pricey and the new heart rate monitoring feature is still a long way off in terms of usability.
Pros
- Rich sound profile
- Secure and comfortable fit
- Superb battery life
- Lots of smart features
Cons
- Heart rate monitoring limited on iOS
- Very pricey
- No customisable EQ
| Type | In-ear, ear hook design |
|---|---|
| Battery life | 10 hours per bud, 45 hour with case (8 hours with ANC/transparency, 36 hours total) |
| Noise-cancelling | Yes |
| Controls | Button |
| Weight | 9g per bud, 68g case (86g total) |
| Accessories included | Charging case, USB-C cable, x5 ear tips |
It’s been almost six years since Beats first launched the Powerbeats Pro headphones, during which time the brand has sold over 30 million units. So it’s safe to say, the follow-up has been a long time coming and Beats isn’t holding back on the hype – or the superlatives.
The company claims these are its ‘most advanced product ever’, ‘the best-fitting headphones ever’, and ‘the most impressive product in Beats’ history’. Bold statements, but do they hold up?
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On paper, there’s certainly a lot to be excited about. The latest buds introduce heart rate monitoring for workouts, a redesigned ear hook and significant upgrades to sound, battery life and call performance. Couple that with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ and wireless charging, and you’ve got yourself a very attractive package.
I’ve been busy testing the Powerbeats Pro 2 during my recent marathon training block to see if they can live up to the hype – and the best running headphones on the market. Let’s dive into things.
Set-up and design
Beats says the Powerbeats Pro 2 has been tested alongside nearly 1,000 athletes, so I was expecting big things when it came to the design. And I haven’t been disappointed.
The buds stick to their signature ear hook style, with a snug-fitting ear-tip that sits comfortably in your ears (Plus, with five ear tip options – extra-small, small, medium, large and extra-large – you can fine-tune your fit even further). But Beats has made some big improvements, particularly to the hook itself. Now made from a nickel titanium alloy – seemingly the earphone gold standard for flexibility and durability – it offers a more adaptive fit for greater comfort. The change makes the Pro 2s 20% lighter than their predecessor while cutting their overall size in half. The earbuds themselves have also been reshaped for a more ergonomic fit, housing improved acoustics in a sleeker design, while there's four colours to choose from: black, ivory, orange and lilac.
The fit is, quite frankly, flawless. These headphones do not budge an inch – even when I’m thrashing out intervals on the treadmill. My only criticism is that they’re a bit fiddly to get on, because you need to hook them over your ears and insert the tip in your ear canal. But it’s worth the few extra seconds for how stable they are on the move, with no mid-run adjusting necessary. Plus, with an IPX4 rating, they’re tough enough to handle training in rain, snow and heat.
When you’re not using the buds, you can pop them away inside the charging case – now 33% smaller than the previous version (though still a little too chunky to be called pocket-sized) and boasting wireless charging, as well as USB-C.
To set up the earbuds, open the charging case and press the black middle button to activate Bluetooth pairing. Then, the Powerbeats Pro 2 should automatically come up as an option in your Bluetooth settings.
As I’ve got an iPhone, the Powerbeats Pro immediately appear in my device settings. If you've got an Android, you'll need to download the Beats app. In here, you can access a variety of controls:
- Switch between three sound modes (ANC, HearThrough and Off)
- Configure controls to your personal preferences
- View the exact battery life of your left and right earbud (plus the battery case)
- Enable heart rate sensor
- Enable automatic ear detection
- Enable personalised spatial audio
- Ear tip fit test
- Activate Find My
Controls
My biggest gripe with a lot of sports-specific headphones is when they use touchpads instead of physical button controls, as it makes things incredibly fiddly on-the-run — especially if you're wearing a pair of gloves. Thankfully, the Powerbeats Pro 2 use two main button controls: the ‘b’ button and the volume rocker, which you'll find on both buds.
The ‘b’ button is located on the outside of the acoustic housing and within a reachable location when you’re on the move. Press it once to play or pause audio, double-press to skip to the next track and triple-press to skip to the previous track. Pressing and holding the ‘b’ button will also toggle between ANC and Transparency. It's all rather simple and intuitive.
The volume rocker is on the side of the acoustic housing – a little fiddlier to get to grips with, but simple enough to use once you’re familiar with its placement. You can press this up and down to change the volume on the buds.
Sound quality
So much time has passed since the original Powerbeats Pro hit the market that many workout buds nowadays boast features that the Beats don’t. That includes active noise cancellation (ANC). Thankfully, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are powered by Apple’s H2 chip, which gives them many of the same features as the AirPods – including ANC. Overall, it’s excellent at blocking out ambient noise such as traffic on the run or the sound of my own feet slamming the treadmill in the gym. It’s not quite on par with the AirPods Pro 2 or Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds when it comes to total noise cancellation, though, and I've found that certain frequencies can still trickle through.
If you want a more natural listening experience, especially for outdoor activities, you can select transparency mode, which allows external noises to pass through the earbuds. I found it handy for crossing busy roads – especially because you can toggle it on quickly via the on-button controls – but bone conduction and open-ear headphones are still the best option for situational awareness.
That said, the Powerbeats Pro 2 really do deliver some of the richest and punchiest sound on the market – and certainly the best of any workout-specific buds – with clear highs, rich mid-range tones and deep bass. This is thanks to dual-layer drivers which help to minimise distortion, and a new venting system which improves bass while reducing pressure.
The sound output is excellent, too, and maintains clarity even as you crank up the volume. I rarely listen above higher than 70% of max volume, but even that delivers crystal-clear audio. In quieter settings, you can get away with a very low volume too.
The only downside to the buds is that there’s no EQ pre-sets or customisation to adjust the sound to your own liking. For a £250 pair of headphones, I would expect this feature.
You do get Apple’s personalised spatial audio, however, with dynamic head tracking to deliver powerful, immersive sound. Plus, call quality is decent – nothing exceptional, but enough that even my mum (a ruthless critic) didn't complain.
Battery life
Battery life is a big improvement on the first generation, going from nine hours, plus 24 hours with the charging case, to 10 hours of playback from each bud and a whopping 45 hours in total with the case. That's some class-leading battery life.
Of course, if you're using ANC/transparency modes, you'll sacrifice some of that juice, with eight hours from each bud and 36 hours in total. However, a quick five minutes on the plug will give you 1.5 hours of playback — a feature that is always appreciated.
Heart rating monitoring and extra features
Before we dive into the bulk of the Powerbeats Pro 2’s features, let’s discuss its headline update: heart rate monitoring for workouts. Each bud is equipped with LED optical sensors that pulse over 100 times a second to measure the light reflected back and calculate your heart rate in real time.
There's a few catches. though. Firstly, it requires wearing both earbuds to work (which, to be fair, does make sense in terms of better accuracy). It also has limited compatibility with apps on iOS (just seven at launch: Open, Peloton, Runna, Slopes, Ladder, Nike Run Club, and YaoYao – on Android, there's way more options) and can’t link up with Garmin or Coros. This means if you want to monitor your HR readings during a run – either because you’re trying to stay within a certain zone or you’re bashing out intervals – you’ll need to keep your phone out. And that’s just not very practical or useful for the majority of runners. What's more, if you have an Apple Watch, your Apple Watch heart rate data will override your Powerbeats Pro 2 data, while iOS in general has proved pretty tricky trying to get the feature set up at all. I've seen Android users have more success.
All in all, I can't see the heart rate monitoring being much use to people who are already tracking their heart rate in some form, be it through a running watch or dedicated heart rate monitor.
But temperamental heart rate monitoring aside, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are fully compatible with Apple devices, with one-touch pairing, automatic switching, audio sharing, hands-free Siri and Find My. So marks are awarded there.
RW verdict
Beats has knocked it out of the park with the Powerbeats Pro 2. From the improved, lighter fit to the impressive sound quality and long battery life, these earbuds are a strong contender for the best running headphones on the market. The addition of ANC and Transparency mode brings them up to speed with modern audio tech, while physical button controls ensure a seamless user experience mid-run.
However, they’re not without their flaws. The lack of EQ customisation is disappointing given the buds’ premium price tag, and while heart rate monitoring is an interesting addition, its limited app compatibility makes it feel more like a gimmick than a game-changing innovation at the moment. In short: I wouldn't buy these based on that feature alone.
If you’re looking for a secure, comfortable, and great-sounding pair of workout earbuds, however, you’ll be hard pushed to find better than the Powerbeats Pro 2. But at £250, they’re a significant investment. Ultimately, if you’re already a fan of Beats or want Apple ecosystem integration with top-tier sound for your workouts, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are a worthy upgrade.
