Powerbeats Pro 2 assessment: They did it! Accurate HRM earbuds

“Fitness” can imply various things for various individuals. In America, the affect of automakers has given us too many unwalkable cities. Many European cities are walkable and have strong public transportation. Being capable of have the correct instrument for the correct want could make all of the distinction on this planet, and that’s the place Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 come into play.

It’s been nearly six years for the reason that launch of the unique Powerbeats Pro. Those turned Beats highest-selling in-ear headphones ever, and with good purpose. The locked-in match and the sound high quality labored for lots of people! In 2025, they’ve taken issues to a brand new stage by including a number of new options, together with coronary heart charge displays—all for a similar value as 2019’s Powerbeats Pro.

Previous makes an attempt at together with coronary heart charge monitoring in earbuds haven’t been all that nice, so let’s dive in and see what Beats is bringing to the desk this time round!!

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Price and availability

Arriving on the identical value because the 2019 Powerbeats Pro, the Powerbeats Pro 2 launched on-line on February 11 from Apple.com, with in-store availability on February thirteenth for $249.99.

You can decide up a pair in one in every of 4 colours: Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple, and Electric Orange. Beats has been pushing out new colorways in different merchandise as collabs with celebrities, so I’d count on to see these in another coloration choices sooner or later.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: What I like

Let’s start with the characteristic that’s probably going to face out most for a lot of shoppers, and that’s Apple and Beats’ first-ever earbuds outfitted with coronary heart charge displays. Yes, plural. Each earbud has an LED sensor that pulses over 100 instances per second, a photodiode, an optical lens, and an accelerometer. That’s the HRM equipment. The of us at Beats developed an algorithm that takes knowledge from the readings in every earbud to create correct coronary heart charge measurements. And, candy Christmas, are these readings correct!

To join the earbuds together with your telephone or appropriate smartwatch, you’ll double-tap and maintain both earbud till you hear a chime that allows you to know they’re now discoverable as HRMs. I examined this with a Google Pixel 9 and the Polar Flow, Strava, and Nike Run Club apps. I additionally linked to an Amazfit T-Rex 3. Google’s Pixel Watch 3, and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 (and Watch Ultra, for that matter) don’t assist connecting to third-party HRMs like chest straps. Despite that, I received the earbuds to connect with the Samsung Health app as an HRM. I’m nonetheless engaged on getting the app to acknowledge them for his or her guided exercise movies.

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Having used the earbuds for a few week, I’ve discovered the monitoring glorious! To validate the monitoring high quality, throughout exercises with the earbuds, I additionally wore a Polar H10 chest strap identified for being extremely correct because it receives electrical indicators immediately out of your coronary heart.

One of the downsides to many optical sensors is their lack of ability to maintain up throughout high-intensity interval coaching. Your heartbeat adjustments quickly, and lots of displays will lag behind of their real-time readings by as a lot as 3-5 minutes, although it is normally 30 seconds or so. In every situation I put the earbuds by means of, they matched my Polar H10 beat-for-beat, solely often being behind by fractions of a second of their real-time readings.

In one in every of my 30-minute stair climber machine exercises, the Polar H10 measured a mean coronary heart charge of 136 BPM, with a max of 151 BPM. The Pro 2’s measurements agreed with the max however had a mean of 137 BPM. The sauce was my HR knowledge, although. Each graph that confirmed the adjustments in my coronary heart charge was nearly an identical relating to the peaks and valleys.

During an hour-long interval exercise the subsequent day, the information was once more reliably in settlement between the earbuds and my chest strap. There was a slight deviation resulting from how I enter every exercise sort and their period, however it was inside a suitable vary, and the guts charge graphs had been in settlement as my beats per minute peaked and dipped primarily based on my exercise ranges. Even with me dealing with every exercise in a different way on the apps I used to be utilizing that day, there was only a 2BPM distinction within the common and a 1BPM distinction in my most coronary heart charge.

I’m at present working my approach again as much as longer runs within the 45-minute to one-hour period, so we’ll see how the monitoring knowledge holds up beneath these situations, however throughout my hour-long, high-RPE weight coaching, the Powerbeats Pro 2’s held their very own in opposition to my Polar H10 chest strap.

Design and Sound

With that out of the best way, let’s again up a bit. These Bluetooth 5.3, IPX4, and Apple H2-equipped Powerbeats Pro 2 nonetheless include loads of Android assist by means of the Beats app. You’ll get one-touch pairing, button customization, firmware updates, Locate My Beats, and the power to vary listening modes.

This yr, you get extra ear suggestions, with mediums on by default and 4 extra choices within the field, starting from XL to XS.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 controls are nonetheless amongst my favorites in a sea of gym-ready exercise earbuds for his or her responsiveness as a result of they’re mechanical, not touch-based. And in 2025, they nonetheless have bodily quantity rockers on the bridge of every earbud. What’s modified, although, is the ear hooks.

The Powerbeats had been already a number of the most snug earbuds I’ve worn, however now, with thinner, extra ergonomic hooks made with nickel-titanium wiring on the within, the buds really feel lighter and much more snug, and so they match nice with glasses and a motorbike helmet on.

The housings of the earbuds have been redesigned; they’re smaller, and but they match a number of tech into them. In addition to the sensors for coronary heart charge monitoring, there are additionally optical sensors for in-ear detection. Furthermore, the acoustic chambers have additionally been redesigned. They’ve upgraded the amplifier, and the Apple H2 chip does a strong job of digital sign processing.

That digital sign processing performed out effectively in how I loved my music. These are earbuds, in spite of everything. The Powerbeats Pro 2 have an general balanced sound that does lean a bit to the nice and cozy aspect of issues, with strong bass and sub-bass copy, clear highs, and heat mids that give a pleasant presence to vocals, even in mixes that bury them. Case in level, one of many check tracks I usually use that is among the muddiest, bass-heavy hip hop tracks, Method Man’s “Biscuits,” is reproduced with the vocals and different backing vocal nuances clearly outlined.

I additionally listened to Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes” and “Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga” from the Get Out OST. I exploit these tracks for soundstage, and although the Pro 2’s have a great soundstage, it isn’t the deepest or most expansive.

Though I’ve said that they lean towards heat, it’s tracks like “Moanin’” (each Art Blakey and Charles Mingus variations) that present simply how a lot readability the Pro 2’s have. Instrumentation within the stereo area is well identifiable and delightfully layered. Art Blakey’s model has horns that shrill when listening with analytical headphones, however the readability of the Powerbeats Pro 2 is brilliant with out being fatiguing. The heat makes the upright bassline in Mingus’ model entertaining and fascinating.

For gymnasium headphones, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are extremely succesful and can assist drive your exercises with ease. For on a regular basis carry, they’re simply nearly as good. Listening to “Blue Eye Samurai” episode two, the Takio drums are impactful and resonant, whereas the Spatial Audio performance of the Powerbeats Pro 2 actually brings the anime’s sound design in that mountaintop combat scene to life.

Back to that digital sign course of for a short second. It and the amplifier do a strong job of making certain that bass response and different frequencies sound as satisfying at decrease volumes as at excessive volumes.

Battery killing options?

Now, one would suppose that with all of this new hotness constructed into the Powebeats Pro 2, the impact on battery life can be sizeable, however it isn’t. These numbers are affected by the quantity at which you’ll be enjoying your music, however Apple says you’ll rise up to 10 hours of playback on a cost, with as much as 45 whole hours if you depend in case recharges with solely Adaptive EQ mode energetic.

With sound management modes, they are saying you’ll rise up to eight hours, with 36 from the case. Fast Fuel charging will get you 1.5 hours of playback with 5 minutes of charging.

In my very own testing, an hour and quarter-hour of streaming music over Bluetooth with ANC activated and HR monitoring burned by means of between 12% and 15% of the earbuds’ battery on numerous outings. I have never been capable of kill the battery with ANC on, however primarily based on my exams and the quantity of drain I’ve been seeing, you may get a bit over eight hours with ANC or Transparency mode activated.

With music enjoying at roughly 75% from a Google Pixel 9, I burned by means of steady playback in a bit over 10 hours.

Despite the brand new case being 33% smaller (side-by-side, the distinction is placing), Beats was capable of (lastly) embrace Qi wi-fi charging along with USB-C charging.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: What may use enchancment

Though the Powerbeats Pro 2 are IPX4 water-resistant, that’s just about the baseline resistance for gymnasium earbuds. That mentioned, I haven’t seen or heard of too many individuals returning AirPods for wrecking them with profuse exercise sweating- each are made by and durability-tested by Apple. Just wipe your Powerbeats Pro 2 down and dry them earlier than putting them again within the case. This will save the earbuds and the charging pins within the case from corroding.

Let’s discuss name high quality. In a quiet room, the microphones sound nice. Connected to a Pixel 9 and making calls, issues received a tad muddy in loud city areas with a number of background site visitors noise. The earbuds did a superb job canceling that background noise, although. Even although it was a bit muddy, my voice was nonetheless audible, and on each name I made, the parents on the opposite finish mentioned I sounded clear.

Since Beats are marketed to each iOS and Android customers, it will be good to see hi-res Bluetooth codecs supported. The Powerbeats Pro 2 helps solely SBC and AAC codecs, which is okay however could possibly be higher.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Competition

The competitors on this area is comparatively nonexistent. There have been earlier efforts to carry PPG sensors and coronary heart charge monitoring to earbuds, however they haven’t been all that profitable, as Android Central’s Wearables editor, Michael Hicks, came upon when he put two pair to the check in 2024. I’d like to see how these fare with him as a result of he is a extra hardcore runner than I’m.

Currently, the one actual competitors Powerbeats Pro 2 has is the Sennheiser Momentum Sport, however as you possibly can examine on this article from Mr. Hicks, they didn’t fairly depart him feeling too assured of their potential to maintain up along with his wants for his stage of operating.

There are some nice choices if you happen to’re searching for non-HRM fitness-focused earbuds. My subsequent private favourite is the Beats Fit Pro. They’re locked in with the one wing suggestions I like, and so they sound nice. If you do not need something blocking your ears, I actually benefit from the Nothing Ear Open. Their stage of open-ear bass response is a market segment-defining characteristic.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Should you purchase them?

You can buy it if…

• You need a superb pair of gymnasium and on a regular basis carry earbuds
• You field or interact in different workout routines the place having the monitor in your ears can be advantageous
• You want chest strap accuracy in your coronary heart charge monitor

You shouldn’t purchase it if…

• You already personal a pair of earbuds you’re proud of and simply need a chest strap for round $100
• You don’t like ear hook type earbuds
• You want higher than IPX4 water resistance.

This is a product that may be very helpful within the gymnasium. If you’re into boxing or every other exercise, like kettlebell exercises, that makes carrying a smartwatch difficult, I can’t advocate the Powerbeats Pro 2 sufficient.

I’ve been approach past impressed with the extent of coronary heart charge monitoring accuracy, and the sound high quality on Android and iOS is excellent. Movies come alive with Spatial Audio and there is greater than sufficient bass response to fulfill drum and bass listeners with out sacrificing readability for these into extra classical instrumentation. And with all of this tech, you’d suppose battery life can be horrible, however it’s superb.

For their stage of coronary heart charge monitoring accuracy, the ear hooks, their sound profile, and the characteristic set, they’re at present my favourite premium exercise earbuds.