
Beats
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
Six years after the original, Apple rebuilt its gym icon around the H2 chip, and it shows: real ANC and Transparency (rare in an earhook design), Personalized Spatial Audio, and optical heart-rate sensors in each bud that broadcast to gym equipment and fitness apps. The redesigned nickel-titanium hooks are lighter and lower-profile, the buds weigh 8.7g, and the case — now with wireless charging — shrank dramatically. Battery is 10 hours per bud (closer to 8 with ANC on) and 45 total. The gripes owners actually report: IPX4 is thin for a sweat-focused product, there's no traditional multipoint (Apple-ecosystem switching only), Android users lose Spatial Audio and heart-rate-to-app support, and there's no EQ anywhere. Fit with glasses takes negotiation, as with any hook. At the frequent $200 street price these are the default serious-training buds for iPhone owners.
Specifications
Highlights
Pros
- ✓Real ANC and Transparency in an earhook design
- ✓Optical heart-rate sensors broadcast to gym equipment
- ✓H2 chip brings Personalized Spatial Audio
- ✓Nickel-titanium hooks are lighter and lower-profile than gen one
- ✓45 total hours with a much smaller wireless-charging case
- ✓Fast Fuel: 5 minutes buys 1.5 hours
Cons
- ✗IPX4 is thin for a sweat-first product
- ✗No multipoint — Apple-ecosystem switching only
- ✗Android loses Spatial Audio and heart-rate app support
- ✗No EQ anywhere, not even presets
- ✗10-hour claim drops near 8 with ANC on
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