Beats Beats by Dr. Dre Powerbeats Pro 2 Wireless Review

The Powerbeats Pro 2 are elite workout earbuds, but average for everything else. The secure earhook fit is unbeatable for sports, and battery life is fantastic. However, sound quality is mediocre for the $200-$250 price. Only buy these if staying put during exercise is your number one priority. For general use, better options exist.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 are a bit of a specialist. They're not trying to be the best-sounding earbuds for everyone. Instead, they laser-focus on one thing: staying on your head while you're moving. With those signature earhooks and an IPX4 rating, they're built for the gym, the trail, or the morning run. If you've ever had a standard earbud pop out mid-squat, you'll understand the appeal immediately.

What makes them interesting this time around is the addition of active noise cancellation and a heart rate monitor. Beats is clearly aiming to be your all-in-one workout buddy. You can block out the gym's terrible playlist and keep tabs on your cardio, all without pulling out your phone. It's a feature set you don't see combined very often.

Our data shows they score highest for fitness, which is no surprise. They're also decent for travel and budget, but they take a serious hit in the music category. That tells you everything: these are tools for activity first, and critical listening devices a distant second. If your priority is pure audio fidelity, you're looking in the wrong place.

Let's talk numbers. The battery life is a monster, sitting in the 94th percentile. You get 10 hours from the buds and a whopping 35 from the case, which is enough to forget your charger for a week. The fast charge is handy too—five minutes gets you an hour and a half, perfect for a quick top-up before a workout. The microphone quality is also top-tier at the 91st percentile, so your calls will sound clear even if you're panting a bit.

Now, the elephant in the room: sound quality lands in the 36th percentile. That's not great. It means that for the price, you're getting audio performance that's just okay. The bass is punchy as you'd expect from Beats, but the overall balance and detail retrieval can't compete with top-tier music-focused earbuds. The ANC, while decent at the 84th percentile, is good enough for blocking gym noise or a busy street, but it won't drown out an airplane cabin like some competitors can.

Priced between $200 and $250, the Powerbeats Pro 2 ask you to make a choice. You're not paying for the best sound. You're paying for a unique combination of unshakable fit, long battery life, and fitness features you can't get elsewhere. Compared to a $250 pair of Sony XM5s, you're getting worse sound but a far more secure design for activity.

It's a niche value proposition. If your primary use case is anything other than sports or intense exercise, there are better values. But if you need a bud that stays put above all else, and you want the battery and heart rate monitor as bonuses, the price starts to make sense. Just know exactly what you're buying.

The obvious competitor is the Apple AirPods Pro. They're more discreet, sound better for music, and have a more compact case. But they can fall out during high-impact exercise, and they lack a heart rate monitor. If you live in the Apple ecosystem but don't work out hard, the AirPods Pro are probably the better daily drivers.

For noise cancellation and sound quality, the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra are in another league. They'll provide a much richer, more detailed listening experience and better ANC for travel or commuting. However, their fit is more traditional and less secure for sprinting or burpees. The Jabra Evolve2 Buds are a closer call for hybrid work/athletic use, with great mics for calls, but they lack the dedicated fitness tracking.

Skip the Powerbeats Pro 2 if you're a music purist or an audiophile. With a sound quality score in the bottom third of all earbuds, you'll be disappointed by the lack of nuance and soundstage. Your money is better spent on the Technics EAH-AZ80 or Sony WF-1000XM5 for critically listening to your favorite albums.

Also, give these a pass if you want a single, discreet earbud for all-day wear at the office, on flights, and at home. The design is sporty and conspicuous, and the case is too big for a suit pocket. For a true all-rounder, the Apple AirPods Pro or Bose QuietComfort Ultra are much more versatile choices that still offer good (if less secure) fit and better sound.

Buy the Powerbeats Pro 2 if your life is dominated by fitness. If you're a runner, a gym rat, or someone who just can't keep normal earbuds in their ears, these are arguably the best tool for the job. The fit is legendary, the battery won't quit, and the heart rate monitor is a genuine value-add. They're the pickup truck of earbuds: not the most refined ride, but incredibly capable at their specific task.

Skip them if you're an audiophile, a frequent flyer needing top-tier ANC, or just want a sleek, all-purpose earbud for daily life. For those people, the money is better spent on the Sony XM5s, Bose Ultras, or AirPods Pro. The Powerbeats Pro 2 make too many audio compromises to recommend as your only pair of headphones, unless your primary activity is sweating.