We put Apple’s top earbuds head-to-head: AirPods Pro 2 vs. Powerbeats Pro 2. We tested everything from workouts to chill time — sound, fit, battery life, and more. No need to overthink it — we did the hard work and broke it all down so you can pick the right pair.

Apple's latest earbud offerings, the AirPods Pro 2 and the Powerbeats Pro 2, present intriguing options for consumers. Both products were evaluated based on design, sound quality, battery life, and additional features. The AirPods Pro 2 are favored for their sleek design and superior sound quality, including more immersive noise cancellation. On the other hand, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are highlighted for their robust battery life and workout-friendly design, featuring more secure ear hooks and built-in heart rate tracking. For Android users, the Powerbeats Pro 2 offer better compatibility and customization. While both earbuds are priced similarly, the AirPods Pro 2 are frequently available at discounted rates. Ultimately, the choice depends on personal preferences such as design, usage scenarios, and connectivity requirements.



AirPods Pro 2 vs. Powerbeats Pro 2

The AirPods Pro 2 are everywhere. Almost everyone you'll see out in the wild is wearing them. If there's anything that comes close, though, it's probably Beats PowerBeats Pro. Well, those finally got an update with the new PowerBeats Pro 2, and it is impossible not to compare these two earbuds. They have a lot of the same features. They even have the same chip packed inside, but also some very obvious differences. So let's dive in. Let's start with the most obvious difference between these two earbuds. It's the design. The AirPods Pro 2, these are very much your standard earbuds. You've got this nice case that we've seen for a while. The actual buds themselves, pretty sleek and compact. The PowerBeats Pro 2, these actually are a lot slimmer than the original model. It's somewhere around 30 to 33%, but when you compare the two, these are still a lot bulkier. They're definitely pocketable, which was not really something I could say about the original PowerBeats Pro. And when you look at the actual earbud design, again, much slimmer than the Gen 1 model, it is still a different type of earbud. You know, these clip on your ears. They have kind of this rubber hook for that extra secure fit when you're working out. So let's talk about sound quality. Now, these two earbuds pack a lot of the same technology inside. You've even got the same Apple H2 chip powering them both, but they do sound different. And if we're talking about sound quality and active noise cancellation, I personally prefer the AirPods Pro 2. Everything just sounds fuller, more immersive, more satisfying. When I wear these for a while, you know, I get used to it. I still think they sound good for what they are, but I do think in terms of overall quality, you're gonna wanna go with the AirPods Pro 2. On the flip side, the PowerBeats Pro 2 are the longer lasting earbuds by a pretty good margin. The AirPods Pro 2 are rated for up to six hours on a single charge or 30 when you factor in the case, whereas the PowerBeats Pro are rated for 10 hours of nonstop playback and up to 45, you know, with charges factored in. And in my experience, that difference is definitely noticeable. On top of the better battery life on the PowerBeats Pro 2, Beats finally addressed one of my biggest issues with all of their earbuds, and they did that by adding wireless charging, finally. They each have a few unique traits, especially in terms of health. These earbuds actually have built-in heart rate tracking, which is something we've seen on a few other buds, still not super common yet, but it is really unique and really nice to have. The AirPods Pro 2 kind of take a different approach, and thanks to a recent update, can actually help you stay on top of your hearing health. You can actually use these to take a hearing test, after which your iPhone will let you know if you have any signs of hearing loss, and it'll kind of guide you in the right direction from there. You can also enable a noise reduction feature that allows you to essentially use these almost like earplugs. These actually can even be used as a hearing aid. On iPhone, these work almost identically. You know, you pop them open, they pair right away. It's really effortless. Switching between devices is smooth. All the things you'd expect on a pair of Apple earbuds you'll get on either of these. Now, when you switch to Android, that's where there's an obvious advantage with the Beats, PowerBeats Pro 2. You know, AirPods Pro can pair to an Android phone, but you don't really get any type of customization, features, things like that. PowerBeats Pro 2, you pair these with your Android device. If you have a supported phone, you get Google Fast Pair. You've got Find My Device support, and you get access to the dedicated Beats app on Android, which really, if you compare it to the settings menu you get in iOS when you're fiddling with your AirPods, pretty one-to-one there. So if you're an Android and you're deciding between these two, it's pretty much a no-brainer. It's time to talk about price. Now, these two earbuds technically have the same retail price, $249, but the AirPods Pro 2 are almost always cheaper than that. These are pretty much perpetually on sale. We've seen them drop to as low as $150, $160 during big sale events. That being said, the PowerBeats Pro 2 are a new product. There's plenty of time for them to go on sale. We've seen Beats products get some pretty good discounts fairly shortly after launch. So there you have it. The AirPods Pro 2 and the Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 are two of the best earbuds I've tested, two of the best you could buy. There's not necessarily a bad choice. If I'm speaking for me personally, I prefer the AirPods Pro 2. It really comes down to the sleeker design. I definitely love the better sound quality in ANC. Those things are super important to me. But with all that being said, there are a lot of reasons why you might gravitate towards the PowerBeats Pro 2. These are obviously tailor-made for working out. You get better battery life. You get built-in heart rate monitoring. You know, these work better with your Android device. So if you fall into any of those camps, these are definitely right for you. Both of these earbuds, they're both awesome, but hopefully you have a better idea of which one you might wanna actually buy. And as always, for more tech reviews, keep it locked to CNN Underscored.

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