Test of Beats Powerbeats Pro Bluetooth headphones: AirPods for athletes?

Several months ago, Beatsunveiled new headphones, the Powerbeats Pro. These are similar to a sporty version of Apple AirPods. By their look, but also their design with ear hook, it is true that we can attribute to them a desire to seduce the most active users, who like to run, cycle, or even ski to music.

They are still priced at around 250 euros, while Apple AirPods can sometimes be 100 euros less with a wired charging box. In addition, at the end of 2019, many alternatives have arrived on the market, from Amazon,with Echo Buds, at Microsoft,with Surface Earbuds, but also at Google,with Pixel Buds 2. The Beats Powerbeats Pro stand out with in-ear earpieces and reinforced support. But do they have other advantages to put forward to resist increasingly present competition in the wireless earphone segment?

This is what we will see as part of a new iPhon.fr test

Beats Powerbeats Pro at the best price Base price: €249

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Discovery and unboxing

Beat's Powerbeats Pro headphones come in a fairly elegant sliding cardboard box. Once the tape is removed, the cover slides upwards, revealing the case dressed all in black.

This is the case which will serve both as protection, but also as a source of energy for the headphones. It measures approximately 5 cm thick, and 7.7 cm square.

It opens magnetically. A small LED on the front indicates the charging status: white, everything is fine, red, it's due to charge soon. This LED then lights up as soon as the case is opened. Inside, moreover, a button allows you to repeat this check once the case is opened.

On the back, there is a Lightning port.

This case is in any case very much to my taste, with a minimalist, discreet and rather classy style.

When it comes to headphones, pictures speak louder than words.

They have the particularity of having a branch to improve their support behind the ear. Below, two small metal points are used for charging in the case.

On the top are volume controls. Note that the headphones also have a microphone, allowing support for Siri voice commands.

Otherwise, with the PowerBeats Pro case and headphones, we find 3 pairs of additional tips, to allow all ear shapes to benefit from the best possible wearing comfort, as well as a black USB-Lightning cable.

Comfort or discomfort?

Once out of their charging case, we can't wait to see what they have in their stomachs. The Powerbeats Pro benefit from Apple's W1 Bluetooth chip, which means that their connection to the iPhone is extremely simplified. And it's true. Simply open the charging case with the iPhone nearby for the connection to take place.

A single effector configuration on the iPhone is then that's it.

On the other hand, installation on the ears is less easy. I had to try it several times before understanding how to position them correctly. Additionally, and this is something I already knew, in-ear headphones are not for me. Despite trying all the tips Beats offers with its PowerBeats Pro, none of them allow me to wear the headphones comfortably. I get some pain after about an hour of wearing it and only removing the earbuds gives my ears relief.

And then I have already tried in-ear headphones that are much simpler to put in place.

Once installed however, the headphones fit securely, helped by the tab to slide behind the ear.

Good sound, or bad sound?

On the sound side, however, there is nothing to complain about. These are headphones designed for current music, with strong bass. They therefore know how to convey this feeling of heaviness, particularly in hip-hop and electronic music, without being too soft.

The stereo image is good, the power is there and the frequency aspect is fairly well respected. We find very rounded, very present bass and a top of the spectrum which does not seem masked by an overflow of low end, a defect often present on headphones wanting to highlight the low frequencies. The Powerbeats Pro handle this aspect well.

In addition, no noticeable saturation is noted at high power, unless you really go to the last volume levels, which I strongly advise against, for the health of your ears obviously.

So of course, the Powerbeats Pro are most at home on current urban music, but even in softer and more dynamic genres, such as jazz, classical music or even soul, they do very well. . The only regret in terms of sound quality for these Beats headphones comes from the in-ear format. In short, this and the way you install the earbuds in your ears will greatly influence the sound. So, by taking the wrong pair of tips, unsuitable for your ear canals, or by positioning them incorrectly, you will lose a large part of the bass and low midrange.

Battery life and other features

Concerning autonomy, you should know that Beats promises up to 9 hours of listening time for the headphones alone and 24 hours with the charging case as backup. You should know that according to our measurements, the headphones lasted 9 hours and even more. They went up to 10 hours of listening time at medium volume, which is very comfortable. Especially since no one is going to listen to 10 hours of music in a row with headphones on.

During normal use, the earbuds are often stored in their case, which allows them to be recharged in short bursts throughout the day.

We also appreciate the control buttons on the top, as well as the presence sensor. Thanks to the latter, the music stops when the user removes one earbud and starts again when both earbuds are worn again.

Finally, they are announced to be waterproof,as seen there, which is always good to take for sports sessions in the rain or making you sweat profusely.

Beats Powerbeats Pro at the best price Base price: €249

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Conclusion

To conclude, the Beats Powerbeats Pro are excellent wireless headphones, designed for all uses, but particularly designed for sports with support provided by the tabs behind the ear.

The in-ear aspect may scare some people away (including me), but it is certain that it allows the earbuds to offer very good sound.

The buttons are easily accessible on the top, the design is well thought out and the minimalist style is quite attractive to the eye. The microphone is also practical for “hands-free” calling and/or commanding Siri.

And what autonomy! A real pleasure for prolonged listening.

In reality the only fault of this pair of wireless earbuds comes from its price placement. It is priced at 249 euros, or 70 euros more than AirPods with a wired charging box. The Powerbeast Pro are in my opinion around thirty euros too expensive. But that in no way detracts from their quality.

We therefore recommend these headphones to those looking for quality wireless in-ear headphones that are easy to use with the iPhone or iPad and provide secure fit. AirPods may in fact not be suitable for very sporty use.

In short, it is rather a good alternative to Apple headphones, especially since they are offered in different colors, for those who want to change from black or white.

Beats Powerbeats Pro at the best price Base price: €249

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