Beats Powerbeats Pro review: Bulkier than AirPods, but with better sound

I’ll lay it appropriate out there: The degree to which you’ll like the Powerbeats Professional, Beats’ to start with correct wireless earphones, will count mostly on how properly they fit your ears. If you get a comfy, comfortable fit with a restricted seal from one particular of the four distinctive sized bundled silicon strategies, you’ll in all probability enjoy these headphones and experience Okay about dropping $200 on them. Close up with a thing considerably less than that and you may well dilemma their worthy of.

I arrived close to acquiring a terrific fit. I would rate it between a B+ and A-. The problem wasn’t one particular of security I hardly ever experienced to get worried about them slipping off. With a couple tweaks to the legendary earhooks — they’re bendable — the Powerbeats Pros ended up essentially clipped onto my ears. I shot some hoops with them on and I suspect that they’d keep on even if I was able of, say, a 360-degree slam dunk. (Alas, I am not.)

Study much more: The greatest correct wireless headphones you can acquire in 2020

My tiny problem: Even with the premier ear strategies (certainly, they’re massive but not rather massive adequate), my ear canal wasn’t entirely sealed off, so much more ambient sound leaked in than I would have liked and audio high quality was impacted in noisier environments — like on the subway or the streets of New York. I was in the minority, on the other hand. I experienced CNET colleagues who ended up able to get a restricted seal and not only definitely liked the fit but ended up immediately amazed with the audio.

These did fit me better and much more comfortably than the earlier Powerbeats3 Wireless, which — unlike the Professional — have a wire connecting the left and appropriate earbud. And, in fact, the Powerbeats Professional have been engineered to be suitable with a higher share of ears than past Powerbeats. That is mainly because Beats, which is owned by Apple, refined their exterior style and design. In accordance to Beats, the Powerbeats Professional are 23% smaller than the Powerbeats3 and seventeen% lighter. They are not rated as remaining fully watertight, but they are sweat- and drinking water-resistant. With an IPX4 certification, they can be splashed from any route but could are unsuccessful if sprayed with a sustained jet of drinking water or are fully submerged. 

A person point that is unquestionably not compact is the charging circumstance. While it is not weighty, it really is a fantastic 3 to four occasions occasions the size of the AirPods ($a hundred thirty at Amazon) charging circumstance. It will leave a very major bulge in your pocket, so you’ll in all probability want to leave it in a bag or locker at the health club. Thinking about these expense $200, it would have been good if Beats experienced thrown in a protecting pouch to carry them about in for those occasions you want to leave the charging circumstance driving.

Study much more: nine strategies a methods to learn Beats’ entirely wireless earbuds

It is also worthy of noting that the circumstance will not present wireless charging, as the new AirPods Wireless Charging Case does. Nonetheless, it does demand by means of an bundled Lightning cable, which is better than Micro-USB. Beats’ earlier BeatsX also billed by means of Lightning.

Significant audio update from AirPods

Beats states these fellas use new upgraded piston drivers that are meant to cut down on distortion. They audio appreciably better than the primary AirPods, which is not that high a bar to obvious, but the Powerbeats Professional produce richer, cleaner audio with bass that is not only considerably more substantial but tighter. As I mentioned, a total seal is vital to maximizing audio high quality with these sorts of sound-isolating headphones, so if the strategies are not sitting snugly in your ear canals you can reduce some bass. 

In distinction, the AirPods have an “open up” style and design and sit much more loosely in your ears (however the newer AirPods Professional aspect a sound-isolating style and design). They allow in a whole lot much more ambient sound as a result. Assuming you get that fantastic seal, the Powerbeats Professional would be considerably better for, say, listening on an plane than the AirPods, for instance.