Review: Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

There’s plenty more bounty, from standards like in-ear sensors for auto-pause to advanced options like computational voice isolation for notably clear calling and Spatial Audio with head tracking (if you’re into that) via gyroscopes and accelerometers. The Pro 2’s IPX4 water resistance could (and should) be better, but they atone with an excellent battery life of up to eight hours with noise canceling on and 10 hours without, which bore out in testing, and 3.5 case recharges.

As true double agents, the Powerbeats Pro 2 provide exclusives for both sides of the mobile power struggle. Android users get extras like one-touch pairing and a dedicated Beats app for Locate My Beats, OTA updates, and some basic control customization. It’s not a ton, and the lack of multipoint pairing is notable, but it’s still way better than AirPods.

The buds are unsurprisingly Apple-optimized, with one-touch iOS pairing, hands-free Siri voice control, audio sharing and iCloud device switching, Find My, and OTA updates to (hopefully) add more features later à la Apple’s AirPods Pro 2.

There are a few missing AirPods features, including Adaptive Audio and the Pro 2’s new hearing aid feature. Unlike some new high-end earbuds we see, there’s also no Auracast (at least not yet), which could limit features like mass pairing with public devices. Whether or not Apple will add Aurocast to its devices or something more proprietary is still up in the air.

Heart Beats

As with AirPods, iPhone users can adjust the Powerbeats Pro 2’s features in Apple’s Settings, where you can turn on or off the new heart rate monitor—handy if you don’t want your ears to glow like futuristic green fireflies. Beats says those green LEDs combine with an optical lens, a photodiode, and an accelerometer to take heart rate readings every five seconds when both buds are in place.

I’m no doctor or heart rate expert, but looking into the Health app’s Show All Data section showed persistent measurements that looked similar to data from my Apple Watch Series 8. Beats says the Watch’s more advanced monitoring will take precedence, so I removed mine for testing. Like the Watch, the buds provide regular BPM check-ins via the Health app’s big board, but they’re really aimed at real-time heart monitoring with apps like Nike Run Club, which worked well for me on a quick run with no fuss. Other iOS apps include Runna, Ladder, Peloton, Slopes, Open, and YaoYao. Apple says “all Android fitness and wellness apps that have heart rate
monitoring capabilities … should be fully compatible.”

The feature isn’t as compelling if you’ve already got a Watch or Oura ring for constant tracking, but it’s a nice addition that feels futuristic, especially compared to earlier versions from wireless pioneers like the Bragi Dash.

Brash Beauties

It always takes me a while to warm up to the Beats sound, which offers a brasher midrange and treble and boomier bass than I usually aim for. Yet, as with the new Beats Pill (8/10, WIRED Recommends), this package is more nuanced than previous iterations. You get the same punch Beats fans adore, but you can clearly feel Apple’s engineers at the wheel and hi-fi chops behind the curtain.

Bass is musical and clean, even when it’s slightly overemphasized. While it does create some bass solos where there were none, it never obscured details in the vocals or high-register instruments. In lighter recordings, bass is surprisingly restrained, which may lead some thunderheads to protest, but feed the buds some big … er … beats and they’ll hit hard.

Occasionally, I found topside instruments and effects too metallic and forward in light recordings, but that was rare, and there’s real finesse here in instrumental colors and timbres. Horns, woodwinds, piano, and upper synths are often striking in their lyricism, while percussion is textural and well drawn.

That stems from great instrumental separation, along with an accurate and expansive soundstage. Multiple times while listening with transparency mode on, I was momentarily tricked into thinking the sound was coming from my studio speakers as it seemed to reach from outside, blending with the room’s natural ambiance. That’s rare with earbuds.

I wish Apple would provide even a basic EQ to sculpt things, but there seemed to be more depth and intimacy when turning off ambient sound modes, which transitions the microphones to adjust to your ear canals with Adaptive EQ.

The result of all this tech is a compelling and versatile package that should be a top contender for budding athletes and beyond. With tons of features, punchy sound, and serious comfort in a sport-friendly design, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are an impressive second coming and the best Beats Buds you can buy right now.