Apple AirPods Pro v/s Beats Powerbeats Pro: Which is better?
With good battery life, ease of wireless charging, improved wearability, and great sound output, the newly launched Apple AirPods Pro seems to be a direct competition to the company's very own performance-oriented Powerbeats Pro earbuds. Of course, there are a couple of key differences between the two. But given their same price tag of $249, which one should you buy? Let's find out.
AirPods Pro v/s PowerBeats Pro: Wearability
The AirPods Pro has an all-new design, with swappable silicone ear tips for a more secure and sealed in-ear fit as well as a smaller stem than the regular AirPods. In comparison, the PowerBeats Pro features an adjustable ear-hook design that's tailor-made for athletes. Further, while both earbuds are sweat/water resistant, the Beats' offering feels sturdier than the AirPods Pro. Winner: Beats.
Apple AirPods Pro v/s Powerbeats Pro: Features
The AirPods Pro's highlight feature is Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) that helps remove background noise for an immersive listening experience. It also has "Transparency mode" and "Adaptive EQ" features, the former lets you hear ambient sounds and the latter "automatically tunes music to the shape of your ear." Meanwhile, the PowerBeats Pro misses out on these headline features. Winner: AirPods Pro.
Apple AirPods Pro v/s PowerBeats Pro: On-Device Controls
The Apple AirPods Pro packs new haptic force touch sensors on the lower side of the stem that can be used to switch between ANC and Transparency modes, control music, and even manage calls. The Beats earbuds, in comparison, have a physical key for volume control at the top and a side-mounted multifunctional button for music playback and call management. Winner: You decide.
Both earbuds are powered by Apple's H1 chip
Both the AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro are backed by an H1 chip that allows for low audio processing latency, high-quality sound output, hands-free "Hey Siri" voice commands, automatic play/pause music, and new features like Announce Messages, Audio Sharing, as well as Live Listen.
Apple AirPods Pro v/s PowerBeats Pro: Battery life
The AirPods Pro, with the power-hungry ANC mode on, offers upto 4.5 hours of music playback. However, the carry case, which can also charge wirelessly, packs in an additional 24 hours of juice. The Powerbeats Pro lasts upto 9 hours on a single charge and the carry case (wireless charging not supported) offers 24 hours of extra battery life. Winner: PowerBeats Pro.
How things stack up?
In India, the AirPods Pro is priced at Rs. 24,990 while the Powerbeats Pro costs Rs. 21,500. However, given the negligible price difference, the AirPods Pro is certainly better. The latest Apple flagship earbuds easily takes the top rank with improved ergonomics, a water-resistant design, enhanced user controls, ease of wireless charging, well-tuned ANC, and other extra features. Winner: AirPods Pods.
