Apple's Beats brand in April 2019 announced upgraded wire-free Powerbeats Pro earbuds that are quite similar to Apple's second-generation AirPods, but with a focus on fitness and working out rather than everyday use.
The two sets of earbuds have a lot in common, but there are some notable differences that are worth pointing out. Read on for a complete comparison of the second-generation AirPods and the Powerbeats Pro.
Powerbeats Pro Design vs. AirPods 2 Design
The AirPods are made for casual use and feature a one size fits all design with a rounded bulb-like earpiece and a microphone-equipped stem that extends out of the ears. There is no hook or additional mechanism to keep them in the user's ears.
Powerbeats Pro are designed for fitness and have a design similar to prior Powerbeats models with earhooks that fit over the ears to secure them in place along with four ear tips in various sizes for a customizable fit.
Powerbeats Pro are meant to stay in the ears during vigorous activity and Apple apparently tested more than 20 configurations before arriving at a design that fits most people.
Both the Powerbeats Pro and the AirPods come with charging cases, but while the AirPods charging case is small, compact, and around the size of a dental floss container, the Powerbeats Pro charging case is much larger, clamshell-like, and not as pocketable.
Sound Differences and Noise Isolation
Powerbeats Pro use rubber ear tips in four sizes similar to traditional earbuds, which means they are designed to create a tight fit in the ear to isolate ambient noises. There is no feature for allowing ambient noise in, which is something to be aware of if you plan to use these in situations where you need to hear what is going on around you.
AirPods have no similar ambient noise filtering because they are not designed to fit tightly in the ear canal.
Apple says sound was a focus when designing the Powerbeats Pro, with the new earbuds offering powerful, balanced audio with pure sound reproduction, enhanced clarity, and improved dynamic range.
Apple makes no similar claims about the AirPods and instead describes them as having "rich, high-quality sound."
Physical Buttons
You can tap on the AirPods to do things like activate Siri or skip a track, but there are no actual physical buttons.
The Powerbeats Pro are larger with more available surface area, and they feature physical buttons for adjusting the volume, changing the song track, and accepting or declining a call.
There is no off button on the AirPods and there is no off button on the Powerbeats Pro. The Powerbeats Pro come on when taken out of the charging case and turn off when put back in, and will also go into a sleep mode after a period of inactivity to preserve battery life. The AirPods work the same way.
Water Resistance
According to Apple, the Powerbeats Pro are sweat and water resistant with an IPX4 water resistance rating, which means they are certified to hold up to water splashing against the enclosure from any direction, but have the potential to fail when immersed or exposed to jets of water.
With an IPX4 rating, the Powerbeats Pro should be able to survive sweat exposure, but should not be exposed to rain, swimming pools, or other excessive moisture. The AirPods have no specific water resistance rating and should not be exposed to water or sweat, though anecdotal reports suggest they are able to hold up to some moisture.
We did a series of water resistance tests on the Powerbeats Pro and they held up well to both splashes of water and 20 minutes of submersion.
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