Finding earbuds that can keep up with an intense workout is like finding a gym buddy who never skips leg day—rare, but not impossible. The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 promises to stay locked in, whether you’re crushing burpees or braving a HIIT session. With Apple’s H2 chip under the hood, the same one as the AirPods Pro 2, and a snug ear-hook design, they seem like the perfect fitness companion. But do they justify the Rs 29,990 price tag? And how do they sound? After putting them through my sweat-drenched routine, here’s my take.
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
Rs 29,990
What Is Good?
- Premium design, interesting colour options
- Excellent ANC performance
- Transparency mode works splendidly
- Stays intact during high-intensity workouts too
- Great sound quality
What Is Bad?
- The case is not pocketable
- Pricey
Design and Comfort
The Powerbeats Pro 2 case instantly reminded me of a soap bar—small, smooth, and oddly satisfying to hold. It’s cuter and more compact than the previous model, with a premium touch that makes it feel well worth the price. I went for the Quick Sand colour, and while it looks fantastic fresh out of the box, stuffing it in a gym bag for too long might turn it into a different shade. If you want to avoid that heartbreak, a darker and more vibrant colour will be your best bet.
They technically fit in my gym pants’ pockets, but let’s just say it creates a look that raises eyebrows. If you don’t want people questioning what you’re carrying, maybe find a better spot. That aside, the case flips open like a ring box, and the ear-hook design is an absolute game-changer. Tried it once, and now there’s no going back.
| Design | Specifications |
| Dimension of the earbuds (M) | 30mm x 26mm x 13mm |
| Dimension of the case | 75mm x 66mm x 34mm |
| Weight | Earbud: 8.7 grams, Case: 69 grams |
| IP rating | IPX4 |
| Colours | Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple, Electric Orange |
Wearing these ear-hook earbuds felt like solving a puzzle with moving pieces. My male colleague put them on effortlessly—meanwhile, my baby hair and the rest of my hair had other plans. Every attempt turned into a fight between me, my hair, and gravity. I even had to tilt my neck like a contortionist just to get them in place. Plus, if you wear spectacles daily, wearing this becomes a bigger challenge. But once they were on, I powered through Zumba, ran laps, did jumping jacks, and tackled my everyday gym routine—and they didn’t move an inch.
That aside, these earbuds are ridiculously comfortable, and if you’re on the hunt for the perfect workout companion, look no further. It pretty much eliminates any kind of anxiety about the earbuds falling off when doing high-intensive workouts or even when having a fun jog on the treadmill.
Sound Quality
These earbuds can handle everything from bass-thumping anthems to chill melodies without breaking a sweat. I usually keep the volume at around 60 to 70%, and for the most part, they sounded pretty solid—though, let’s be honest, they’re not exactly AirPods Pro 2 material. To test them out, I played Dhoom Taana on both the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 and the AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods delivered crisp, well-balanced audio, even with the high-pitched notes, while the Powerbeats had a bit of background distortion that made me dial the volume down before my ears staged a protest.
The personalised Spatial Audio makes calls on Apple devices a breeze—both sides can hear each other clearly, so no more awkward “Huh? Can you repeat that?” moments. Like the AirPods Pro 2, the Beats come with head-tracking. This is a game-changer for active folks. Take my gym sessions, for example—trainers love popping up out of nowhere to fix my form. When that happens, having audio in just one ear keeps me tuned in without looking completely clueless.
Now, if you’re chasing audiophile-level sound, these won’t blow your mind. But for workout earbuds, they’re pretty solid. The balanced and punchy audio will keep you going whether you’re lifting, running, or doing burpees you instantly regret.
ANC and Features
The Powerbeats Pro 2 comes with Apple’s H2 chip, the same brain behind the AirPods Pro 2. This tiny powerhouse handles noise cancellation, Spatial Audio, battery efficiency, and low latency like a pro. Essentially, it brings all the AirPods magic to these buds but with a fitness-friendly twist.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is a game-changer, especially when the gym sounds like a construction site. Plus, whenever I needed to focus on writing something important for work, I’d pop these earbuds in with ANC on—it made tuning out office chatter effortless. On the flip side, when I’m out and about, Transparency Mode ensures I don’t accidentally walk into traffic.
The Powerbeats Pro 2 pack heart-rate monitoring that syncs with seven iOS apps, including Runna and Nike Club. Sounds convenient, but getting everything up and running felt like a lot of work. Even after setup, digging through settings just to enable it was more of a task. As for accuracy, sometimes the results kept me guessing. And both the earbuds need to be in the ears for the sensors to work.
Honestly, checking my heart rate with the Beats earbuds felt like a task—open the app and dig for the results. Meanwhile, my Apple Watch just gave me the numbers instantly, no extra effort required. Safe to say, I trusted it way more for accuracy.
Battery and Charging
These buds have some serious stamina—they went strong for over a week and a half without begging for a charge. I mostly use them for gym sessions, runs, and my office commute. With two hours of workouts and an hour and a half of commuting each day, I put in around four hours of daily use—and they still lasted more than a week.
On the rare days, I forgot to charge them, a quick five-to-ten-minute top-up gave me another 1.5 hours of playtime. Safe to say, battery life and charging were never a headache with these buds.
Verdict
If your workout routine involves a lot of movement, the Powerbeats Pro 2 has your back. Unlike AirPods Pro 2, which seem to have a personal vendetta against staying put, these earbuds cling on like they’re in it for the long haul. The ear-hook design is the real game-changer here.
Beyond just staying in place, these buds come packed with useful features. Active Noise Cancellation helps block out the chaos of a crowded gym, while Transparency Mode ensures you’re aware of your surroundings when needed.
For iPhone users, integration is seamless, making them an easy pick. The heart-rate monitoring, however, feels more like a work-in-progress than a standout feature—especially since it relies on third-party apps that are more trouble than they’re worth. As for accuracy, I would much rather check my heart rate using my Apple Watch than hunt for it in the third-party apps these earbuds are linked to.
That said, at Rs 29,990, these earbuds are undeniably pricey. But if you’re after a reliable, workout-proof pair that delivers solid sound and won’t require constant readjustment, the Powerbeats Pro 2 is definitely a strong contender. It’s a no-nonsense buds.
