APPLE CHOICE
Some of the best headphones you can buy We’ve been working out hard and nothing has loosened the earbuds’ grip
£219.95 FROM apple, apple.com/uk features Wireless, Bluetooth, Siri, Fast Fuel charge, sweat- and water-resistant, four ear tip sizes
Given a cursory first glance, these might look quite like previous Powerbeats. But the latest incarnation of these truly wireless buds are unique in form. They push upwards and into the inner ear, while the hooks support them from above. Anyone used to in-ear buds will find them comfortable and secure. It actually takes a while to get used to putting them in but the learning curve is worth it.
There are music/call controls and volume controls on both buds, which is a huge boon during workouts – no need to remember which bud to reach for to turn the music up or skip your playlist’s token ballad.
This ambidextrous approach continues with the pairing process.
Put one bud in and press play or talk to Siri, or take a call, and it’ll work. Take that one out and put the other in and it’ll work the same. Put both earbuds in and they’ll pair like that and deliver stereo audio (or dual mono if we’re talking calls and talking to Siri).
The Powerbeats Pro are larger than most wireless buds because of the hooks. And that means the charging case is also a little larger than most of its rivals – and it’s noticeably larger compared to the AirPods case. The longevity of charge more than compensates, however. Beats claims nine hours per charge and the case means you can get 24 hours’ playback in total. (A five-minute Fast Fuel option will also give you 1.5hrs of playback when the battery is low.)
This kind of charge span almost removes battery life as an issue, which is remarkable when you consider how juice-limited most wireless buds are.
While the noise excluding, unmovable-yet-comfortable fit is
particularly handy when in the gym or running, the headphones are not made for use in a pool or open water – they’re waterand sweat-resistant but not intended for swimming. That sweat-resistance is great – there’s no slipping out of position and the buds are easy to wipe clean. We’ve been on elliptical trainers, running on treadmills and up hills, cycling over potholes and lifting weights – all while sweating profusely –and nothing has loosened the earbuds’ grip.
Sound improvement
Given the amount of time Beats has taken since the last incarnation of Powerbeats, you might have expected them to hone the fit for workout use. What might surprise you is how much they’ve improved the sound quality, too.
Prior to the Apple takeover, the Beats headphone range actually sounded remarkably mediocre. That changed with 2017’s noisecancelling Studio3 Wireless, which are easily a match for the likes of Bose’s Quiet-Comfort 35,
and the noticeable audio improvement continues with the Powerbeats Pro.
In fact, the combination of the way they fit – blocking out a lot of external noise and preventing variations in sound quality caused by buds shifting in your ear – and the driver technology used means the Powerbeats Pro sound as good in all conditions as any in-ear headphones at this price point that we’ve tried.
Beats by Dre headphones also used to be notorious for over-reliance on bass to the exclusion of everything else. Powerbeats Pro certainly don’t lack bottom end, but there is so much more going on here. They sound massive and epic with rock, hip-hop, pop and electronic music – classic ‘workout angry’ music – but there is enough subtlety to carry off jazz, classical and acoustic sounds.
Aesthetically, the Powerbeats Pro work too. The colours (black, ivory, moss or navy) are attractive, they don’t protrude and the branding is fairly subtle. They’re on point. Any negatives? Well, yes, there’s a tiny bit of boom at times when running hard. But all buds do that, and Powerbeats Pro actually do it less than most.
Simply the best
For voice calls, Siri use and the kind of all-day wearability that a lot of people look for from buds, Powerbeats Pro are good. However, their deep fit means they can’t be used in quite the same way as AirPods. The sound-blocking fit means you aren’t left with much situational awareness with two Powerbeats Pro buds inserted, but you can opt to use one at a time.
For all kinds of sports use, if you have the money, buy Powerbeats Pro. There is nothing to touch them. Powerbeats Pro are by far the best workout-friendly truly wireless buds. The fit means they cannot fall out and get lost and they won’t move around as you work out. And for great audio quality, the Powerbeats Pro have really raised the bar.