AirPods be damned. Beats' first first pair of true wireless earbuds blows them out of the water. Here is our review.
The most complete pair of wireless earbuds on the market has arrived. It just took Beats a little while to enter the space. Must have been because they were sitting back and perfecting their craft.
Amazing fit, great battery life, superb sound, an H1 Chip that adds functionality for iPhone users and noise cancellation. Oh, and the case doesn't take a micro USB, rather a Lightning cable just like your phone. Obvious, yet brilliant.
The over the ear fit is perfect for running, working out or if you want a snug fit. But that fit doesn't come at the cost of weight or discomfort over time. They almost disappear after you wear them for a few minutes.
Rather, the Powerbeats Pros are meant to be worn just as you would any other headphones, around the house, on the phone, etc. The fit is like nothing we have ever experienced with earbuds. Perfect is the word that comes to mind. The silicon ear-tips, like other earbuds on the market, come with different sizes which allows you to create the perfect seal which is key for good sound.
On each earbud you get a volume rocker as well as a button to play/pause or skip tracks. Underneath there are two round contact points, which line-up with the charging contact points in the hardshell case that comes included in the box. Thanks to sharing the same H1 chip as the AirPods, the case works the same was as the AirPods one: open it up for the first time and it launches pairing mode, ready for connecting with your phone.
The H1 chip also allows for some advanced features, like the "hey Siri" wake up. But it also helps keep the connection strong between the two earphones. But there is more that makes a big difference.
Mainly, using external microphones and accelerometers, the Powerbeats Pro uses beam-forming to ensure that it's always picking up your voice during phone calls or video calls, and cancels external noise. The voice on calls is superb for earbuds, almost to the point where in ideal situations, the person on the other line couldn't tell we were on them.
The H1 chip is a great battery optimizer. Beats claims up to nine hours of music playback outside the charging case. Add the battery in the case, that's up to 24 hours of music away from the a charge.
Sensors to detect when the earphones are removed from the ears. On the underside of each earbud there are optical sensors, which can detect when they're covered by your ears. Meanwhile accelerometers detect when you move the buds, to pause the music. If they're held in the hand, away from the ears and charging case, they switch to low power mode to conserve even more battery.
The case is rightfully large and carries its own charge, allowing you to charge the Powerbeats Pro two times even if you are away from an outlet.
All music has excelled with the Powerbeats Pros.
Bass is tight and powerful while high frequencies are clear. Using passive noise cancelation via the silicon tips, the Powerbeats Pros keep a good amount of external sound out of your music.
There is no better or more complete set of earbuds on the market, period. These are well worth the purchase.
GRADE: A+