AirPods Pro or Powerbeats Pro: which is better to buy?

Comparison of AirPods Pro or Powerbeats Pro

At the end of October 2019, Apple unexpectedly surprised us with an updated

version of their wireless headphones undercalled AirPods Pro, which featured active noise canceling, superior sound quality and a completely new design. It is worth noting that this is the second “Pro” headphones. The first were Powerbeats Pro under the Beats brand, which Apple released in April 2019. In this article, we will look at all the differences between AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro.

Design

AirPods Pro designed for everydayuse, while PowerBeats Pro is designed specifically for those who use headphones for training (running, cycling, training, etc.).

In terms of design, irAirPods Pro‌ are likeAirPods‌ 2, but with a much shorter leg and slim body design with flexible silicone earmolds, which were the first to be featured on the AirPods‌ line. Silicone ear buds snap right into the base of the AirPods Pro for a comfortable fit and active noise canceling technology.

Apple has developed special siliconelugs for AirPods Pro обеспечить to provide a comfortable fit in most users' ears, and the design was designed to fit the contours of each individual ear for superior sealing.

AirPods Pro has also been developed withAn “innovative ventilation system” that is designed to equalize pressure in the ear to minimize the discomfort that is characteristic of other models of in-ear headphones.

Apple claims AirPods Pro will force youfeel that there is nothing in your ears, and during testing, many have found that they are actually more comfortable than PowerBeats Pro, especially with prolonged use.

PowerBeats Pro‌ also uses siliconeear tips, very similar to AirPods Pro‌, but since they are primarily intended for fitness, they are worn on the ears with the aid of an attachment to secure themselves securely.

Powerbeats Pro‌ come in four sizestips, not with three (like AirPods Pro) and offer an individual fit for each user. Powerbeats Pro is designed to stay in your ears during activity. Note that Apple claims to have tested more than 20 headphone designs before settling on the current design that suits most people.

AirPods Pro and PowerBats Pro come in coversfor charging. The AirPods Pro charging case is larger than the AirPods 2 charging case, but still much smaller than the Powerbeats Pro case, which is simply huge. The Powerbeats Pro case has a clamshell shape and is much larger because it has to include behind-the-ear hooks, which makes it practically an out-of-pocket option. The AirPods Pro case fits quite comfortably in your pocket.

Active noise reduction

One of the key features of AirPods Prois Active Noise Reduction (ANC), and this is the first time Apple has integrated ANC technology into headphones. Powerbeats Pro‌ have silicone earmolds and soundproofing properties, but soundproofing is far less powerful than active noise cancellation.

ANC technology uses two microphones andApple software algorithms for adapting sound to each user's ears. One microphone is facing out and designed to detect external sound, allowing AirPods Pro to analyze and eliminate environmental noise, while a second inward-facing microphone listens to sounds to your ear to fine-tune noise reduction.

Active noise canceling AirPods Pro can drown out a lot more sound than PowerBeats Pro with simple noise isolation.

AirPods Pro also have a transparent mode thatDesigned to tune active noise canceling algorithms so you can continue to hear what's happening around you. Powerbeats Pro can muffle external sound at a high enough volume.

Sound quality

When Powerbeats Pro was announced, Applesaid that the sound quality was above all. Powerbeats Pro‌ are designed to deliver powerful, balanced sound with clear playback, enhanced clarity and enhanced dynamic range.

Superior sound is also an advantage.AirPods Pro plus AirPods Pro have an adaptive equalizer function. The adaptive equalizer adjusts the low and mid frequencies of the music that plays in each person’s ear, which, according to Apple, is an unusual and exciting listening experience.

AirPods Pro is equipped with a special amplifier with high dynamic range to create clear sound, as well as a special speaker that optimizes sound quality and eliminates background noise.

In testing, no significantSound quality differences between Powerbeats Pro and AirPods Pro, as both offer pretty good sound. The Powerbeats Pro‌ sounds a bit heavier due to the bass, while ‌AirPods Pro‌ sounds more neutral to our ears. AirPods Pro ”has less bass, but the sound profile allows you to clearly and clearly hear all the instruments.

Physical buttons

AirPods Pro have a force sensor, a unique methodcontrols compared to Powerbeats Pro and AirPods 2. The force sensor supports touch-based gestures, so you can click once to play or pause music; press twice to skip forward to the next track, press three times to skip backward, or press and hold to switch between active noise reduction and transparency modes.

PowerBeats Pro is slightly larger than AirPods Pro andtherefore have a place for physical buttons. There are buttons for adjusting the volume, changing the track of a song, and also for accepting or rejecting an incoming call. AirPods Pro does not have a built-in option for adjusting the volume, this must be done using the connected device.

Water resistant

‌AirPods Pro‌ and Powerbeats Pro‌ haveIPX4 waterproof, which means they can withstand splashing water in the enclosure from any direction, but can still fail when immersed in water. Thanks to their IPX4 water resistance rating, AirPods Pro and PowerBeats Pro can withstand perspiration, but rain, pools, and other excessive moisture should be avoided. Apple warranties do not cover damage from water or sweat that you should be aware of.

Colors

Despite rumors that AirPods Pro will bepresented in several colors, Apple released them only in white. Powerbeats Pro is available in black, ivory (off-white), navy and moss (olive green). AirPods Pro also comes with a white charging case, while all PowerBeats Pro models come with a black charging case.

Price

US PowerBeats Pro priced at 249dollars, like AirPods Pro, but you can find deals with a discount of about $ 50. In Russia, PowerBeats Pro costs 18 990 rubles, and the new AirPods Pro costs 20 990 rubles.

Processor, sensors and Siri support

AirPods Pro and PowerBeats Pro use Apple chipH1, offering easy setup, fast switching between devices, low latency and Hey ‌ Siri support without the help of hands. Powerbeats Pro‌‌ and AirPods Pro‌ all have the same sensors and features that come with the H1 chip, including hearing detection that plays / pauses music based on position. The H1 chip in AirPods Pro has a unique design. Powerbeats Pro‌‌ and AirPods Pro‌‌ support Live Listening.

Phone calls

AirPods Pro features an accelerometer detector andbeam forming microphones designed to filter out noise during a phone call or Siri request. PowerBeats Pro also have a similar feature. Both earphones are equipped with dual microphones for beamforming, and the microphones in PowerBeats Pro are located on the sides. The calls on AirPods Pro and PowerBeats Pro are clear and sound great.

Battery life

Battery life is the main area inwhich Powerbeats Pro have a significant advantage over AirPods Pro. Each PowerBeats Pro earphone offers nine hours of listening time, which is four and a half hours more than the AirPods Pro.

AirPods Pro provides 4.5 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation and five hours of battery life with the battery turned off.

Both AirPods Pro and PowerBeats Pro havebattery cases that extend the battery life by more than 24 hours, but you can still get a much longer listening time with Powerbeats Pro.

Charging

AirPods Pro Wireless Charging Casecharge using the supplied USB-C-Lightning cable or Qi-based wireless charger. The Powerbeats Pro case does not support Qi-based wireless charging, and it must be charged using a Lightning cable. Powerbeats Pro features Fast Fuel, which adds 1.5 hours of music playback after five minutes of charging and 4.5 hours of playback after 15 minutes of charging. AirPods Pro also has a quick charge feature that offers about an hour of listening or talking after charging for five minutes.

comparison table

Here's a quick comparison chart that clearly shows all the differences between AirPods Pro and PowerBeats Pro.

AirPods Pro
Powerbeats pro

Using
Daily use
Fitness training, training

Colors
White
Black, Blue, Milk, Olive Green

Active noise reduction
Yes
Not

Control
Touch
Physical buttons

Water protection
IPX4
IPX4

Battery life
4.5 hours (ANC)
9 hours

Charging case
24 hours +
24 hours +

Fast charge
Yes
Yes

"Hi Siri"
Yes
Yes

Wireless charger
Yes
not

Price
20 990 rubles
18 990 rubles

What's better?

Given that the price of both models is the same, AirPods Pro is superior to PowerBeats Pro due to the presence of active noise reduction.

If we talk about everyday use,then AirPods Pro is replacing PowerBeats Pro, but for athletes and those who need a reliable fit and a much longer battery life, PowerBeats Pro would be a better option.

This assessment is subjective, so some peoplethey might prefer to buy Powerbeats Pro rather than AirPods Pro if they don't care about the active noise canceling feature. The choice between AirPods Pro and PowerBeats Pro ultimately comes down to your preferences.