Beats Powerbeats Pro Review

8.5
8.5 score
[Editors rating (8.5) + Users rating (10.0)] / 2 = (WalkJogRun) score (8.5)/10


0
Editor rating: 8.5 / 10
User's rating: based on 2 user ratings
1 star
0%
2 star
0%
3 star
0%
4 star
0%
5 star
100%
Add your Rating

For some people, even the most wireless headphones available, aren't wireless enough. A lot of them still have a headband or neckband to keep them on or to make it convenient to pop the buds out and let them dangle. For those who want an entirely wireless experience, there are the Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds. They don't even have a neckband.

Clothing won’t have the chance to rip these out of your ears because there’s nothing to grab onto. The hooks that allow them to stay on your ears are adjustable and create a comfortable, stable, secure fit. They are resistant to water and sweat, but not completely waterproof, so you want to still be very careful with them.

You can control which track is playing, the volume it’s playing at, and when you want to pause and/or play it via buttons or voice command. The Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds are currently available in Black, but soon they will be offered in Moss, Navy, and Ivory as well. Availability of colors may change.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

Completely wireless

H1 Chip

Interchangeable tips

Individual bud audio control

Water-resistant

Cons

Expensive

Connection Issues

Brand

Beats is an audio brand founded by Dr. Dre, along with Jimmy Lovine, in 2006. The company offers premium speakers, earphones, and headphones. They push the limits and think outside of the box so that the products produce the best sound possible. Thanks to their success - emotion, excitement, and energy have found their way from the recording studio to the music lovers’ ear.

The first product that Beats introduced to the market was Beats by Dre (headphones). In the advertisements for this product, Dr. Dre pointed out that music lovers weren’t experiencing ‘all’ there was to enjoy in audio because they weren’t able to hear it all.

Beats allow listeners to hear each element in a recording. The elements that the artist gets to hear. When compared to other headphones on the market, Beats products deliver bigger, better bass.

Battery Life

The Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds give you up to nine hours of playback time. When you use the charging case, you can get yourself up to twenty-four hours of listening time. If you need a charge in a pinch, five minutes of Fast Fuel charging will give you an extra hour and a half of listening time.

Sensors in the buds will detect when they are idle and automatically enter sleep mode to help you preserve precious battery life. They can also detect when they’re placed in your ears and they will automatically start your playlist for a seamless start to your workout.

It is important to manage your battery’s life as closely as possible, as long as you’re wanting to get all of the time you can out of your charge. These batteries are very small, and there’s only so much you can expect from something so small. Therefore, it goes a long way to take extra measures to make them last longer.

Controls

What’s great about the Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds is that, like others, there are controls on them. It doesn’t seem possible since they’re so compact with no neckband. However, on each earbud, you will find an action button. They have the Beats logo ‘b’ which acts as the MFB button. An MFB button will power on the headphones, begin the pairing process, answer and end phone calls, control the play/pause function, and powers the headphones down.

Each Beats Powerbeats Pro earbud is equipped with volume control, connectors for charging in the case (which are magnetic), a microphone, and adjustable ear hook, and ear tips (which can be changed to different sizes).

Siri (or Google assistant, etc) can be activated by holding either one of the action buttons down. Just wait until you hear Siri react and let go of the button. You can’t give each earbud their own jobs via the action button, but both earbuds can perform the same actions.

Via the action buttons, you are able to play/pause, skip forward/back, seek forward/back, answer and end calls, change the volume, and power the headset on and off.

Pairing

In order to pair your earbuds with an Apple product, simply place the Beats Powerbeats Pro buds in the charging case (with the lid left open), and place your desired device to be connected to near the case. As long as it is running the latest version of iOS, all you need to do is tap connect (in your Bluetooth settings) and be on your way.

Once you’ve paired your Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds to an Apple product, they can automatically pair to your other Apple devices. They can only do this if you have an iCloud account and multiple devices, of course. It works this way when you unpair a device as well.

If you need to pair your Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds with a device that isn’t an Apple product, there is no need to panic. All you need to do is place both earphones inside of the case (with lid left open), locate the system button that is inside the charging case, press it for a couple of seconds (until you see the light flashing white), and you will be able to manually pair your earbuds with other Bluetooth devices.

Comfort

An important factor when purchasing any style of audio listening devices is whether they’re going to be comfortable and stable. Some people prefer big, over-ear headphones with a headband. Some prefer the on-ear headsets with neck cables. Some love the earbuds with a small cord wrapping around their neck. And then there are those who prefer the completely wireless design of the Beats Powerbeats Pro buds.

If this is the style that you prefer, but you’re worried about the way they will fit into your ear, fear no more. There are four different sizes of ear tips included in your purchase. They are small, medium, large, and extra large. Originally, the medium size is what you’ll find on your earbuds. You can easily remove the tips and replace them with the larger, or smaller, tip to optimize your fit.

The ear hook can also provide you a more customized fit and better stability because it is flexible and can easily be bent up, down, in, or out in order to sit on your ear in a way that won’t apply pressure or pinch.

H1 Chip

The H1 Chip is included in the Beats Powerbeats Pro. It enables your headset to quickly pair with your Apple devices, it assists in keeping a steady Bluetooth connection, it comes with ‘Hey Siri’ compatibility and manages the battery life for increased usage time.

The H1 Chip also helps to manage the connection shared between both earbuds and processes the audio signals sent to the buds via your device. The chip can help detect when your earbuds are in your ears, which will help let them know when to connect, play, or pause your audio.

The H1 Chip, when compared to the W1 Chip, comes with one more hour of talk time, the more recent version of Bluetooth (5), and the option to double-tap OR voice activate Siri.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth technology has been impressive since the very beginning. However, it seems to just get better and better. These Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds are equipped with a Class 1 Bluetooth transmitter. With a Class 1 transmitter, you can expect your signal to reach as far as one hundred and fifty to two hundred and forty feet away. This capability will depend on the earbuds and the connected device.

These earbuds actually connect to Bluetooth independently from one another, giving you a better connection, and more freedom of use. Multiple microphones listen for, pick up your voice, and cancel out unwanted external noise. This makes your voice-activated commands work much more smoothly.

Audio Control

Something that is unique about the Beats Powerbeats Pro earphones is that the earbuds can be individually controlled. There are buttons on each bud that control volume and track selection. You can choose to listen to one ear and not the other, leaving yourself more able to hear what’s going on around you. You can listen to one at a higher volume than the other, in case you have hearing difficulties. Whatever your needs are, they can be catered to via the Beats Powerbeats Pro earphones.

Convenience

These buds are very small, and since they aren’t connected via a cord, they could potentially be extremely easy to misplace. That’s why it’s so great that the charging port is also a carrying case. Not only is this easy storage, but it’s also smart storage.

When you set your buds on the charging ports in the case, they will connect via magnets. If the case has been charged itself, it will then charge the buds. If the case has not been charged beforehand, simply plug it in while the buds are in place, and they will get a charge. If you take your case with you, with a full charge, you will be able to get up to twenty-four hours of listening time out of your Beats Powerbeats Pro earphones.

Water-Resistant

These headphones are categorized as water-resistant, not to be confused with waterproof. Please do not wear these and then expect to be able to jump in a pool and still listen to music. The IP (ingress protection) rating of the Powerbeats Pro is IPX4. This means that they are protected from splashes, no matter which direction they come from.

Therefore, they are not protected entirely from water. If the Beats Powerbeats Pro are submerged, they will suffer damages. If they are exposed to prolonged periods of dampness, they will likely suffer damages. Just be careful, no matter how waterproof an item is, to keep it as dry as possible. Even waterproof shoes can reach a threshold sometimes.

And when it comes to waterproof electronic products, do you really want to risk ruining your technology by testing its limits with water? Most people would have to say no to that. So, keep in mind that these are just water-resistant, not waterproof, and act accordingly.

Connectivity Issues

An issue that seems to be common among consumers when it comes to the Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds is that they have difficulties achieving and maintaining a strong connection between the buds and their compatible devices. With the quality of Bluetooth in this headset, it should have stellar connectivity power and be able to reach up to two hundred and forty feet away from your paired device.

However, for some, this just isn’t happening. Not even close. For some people, their earbuds are losing connection while they’re still right beside it or just across the room from it. This is irritating, to say the least, especially for people who need to workout hands-free.

Not only is the connection cutting in and out at inopportune times, but when it comes back in, it tends to speed up to catch up, which ends up being even more annoying. Some consumers hypothesize that maybe the H1 Chip is overwhelmed by all of the Apple devices at the gym.

You can try resetting your Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds and your paired device. You can try turning off your Bluetooth and turning it back on. You can try to disconnect and reconnect. But, if you find that you simply can not achieve a good connection no matter what you do, simply contact customer service and they will help to resolve the issue, one way or another.

Bottom Line

When you’re shopping for something convenient and simple to use for audio, there are a few things you want to keep in mind. You’re looking for great sound, premium comfort, a secure and stable fit, convenience, and performance.

The Beats Powerbeats Pro measures up in most areas. They give you the convenience of being completely cord-free, Bluetooth compatible (for both iOS and Android), having a decent battery life with the option to recharge throughout the day (wirelessly) via the charging case, and having options for ear tip size, with adjustable ear hooks.

These Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds may come at a higher cost, but they also offer up a lot that music lovers desire. Beats offers warranties, so what do you really have to lose?