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CNET
08-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
These Beats Earbuds Are My New Favorites for Workouts, and They're Down to an All-Time Low Price for Prime Day
Amazon Prime day sale: The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are available at their lowest price ever for Amazon Prime Day. These ear-hook style true-wireless earbuds normally cost $250, but they're now down to $180 on both Amazon and Best Buy. That's the lowest price we've seen on earbuds that are still relatively new to market. Grab them while you can since this is a limited-time deal and we don't know how long it'll stick around. Beats launched the Powerbeats Pro 2 earlier this year after a six-year hiatus in the lineup. The new pair introduced a built-in heart rate tracker, improved the ergonomics, and borrowed the Apple H2 chip from the AirPods Pro 2. I've been using them on and off since launch, and these are my new go-to earbuds to use for workouts. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are feature-packed Prakhar Khanna/CNET Beats' new workout earbuds represent one of the biggest generational updates to this model. They come equipped with the Apple H2 chip, which puts them on par with the AirPods Pro 2. Beats says it's "leveraged Apple's best noise canceling." I find that I get a good, secure seal when I'm wearing them, so the noise cancellation performance is pretty good. However, they're tuned differently compared with the flagship Apple earbuds. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are more bassy, which some gym enthusiasts might appreciate. The best part about them is their fit, thanks to their ear hook build. The music never left my ears. Whether I was on a run or in the gym, the earbuds sat comfortably. More than the fit, I was surprised by the voice-calling performance. As CNET's David Carnoy noted in his review, "Thanks to the H2 chip, new microphones and voice accelerometers to help pinpoint your voice, Beats has made some big improvements in the voice department." Read more: Best True Wireless Earbuds With Ear Hooks for 2025 Android users have to manually start the heart rate monitor in the app or use the control button on the buds. Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET I haven't relied on their heart rate monitoring system, because I have an Apple Watch. And if you're like me and you already own the Apple Watch, your iPhone will prioritize readings from the Watch. If you don't own one, it'll show the heart rate data in Apple's Health app. Like other Beats products, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are also platform-agnostic, and the company says all Android fitness and wellness apps with heart rate monitoring capabilities are compatible with its earbuds. That said, the Powerbeats Pro 2 offer a few Apple-exclusive features, like personalized spatial audio with head tracking, hands-free Siri, audio sharing and iCloud pairing across all your Apple devices logged in to your iCloud account. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 key specs Weight: 8.7 grams per earbud (case weighs 69 grams) Bluetooth 5.3 Apple H2 chip Custom designed, dual-element dynamic diaphragm transducer IPX4 splash-proof and sweat-proof Active noise cancellation (adaptive) Transparency mode Adaptive EQ Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking Six microphones total (one dedicated voice microphone on each earbud) Sensors (per bud): Optical in-ear detection, optical heart rate monitoring, accelerometer, gyroscope Customizable controls Five sizes of soft silicon ear tips (XS, S, M, L, XL) Wireless charging case (Qi compatible or via USB-C cable) Battery life: Up to 10 hours with ANC off (8 hours with ANC on) 35 additional hours from charging case with ANC off (28 hours with ANC on) Fast Fuel: 5-minute charge gets you up to 1.5 hours of playback Telephony: Up to five microphones employed for phone calls, wind-noise reduction, voice accelerometer isolates user's voice Colors: Electric Orange, jet black, Hyper Purple and Quick Sand The case isn't easy to carry Prakhar Khanna/CNET Though Beats made the Powerbeats Pro 2 50% smaller, the case is still on the bigger side. It isn't as comfortable as carrying other earbud cases, especially when you go for a run. I leave the case at home most of the time, but if you want a pair of earbuds that's easy to carry in a case, the Powerbeats Pro 2 aren't for you. That said, if portability isn't a priority, the Powerbeats Pro 2 can be counted among the best ear hook earbuds on the market right now, which is why they're on CNET's list of the best wireless earbuds of 2025. They offer good sound quality and great noise cancellation and voice call performance, and they stay snug in your ears. They also offer heart rate detection. With the $50 discount, this might be the best time to buy them. If you're interested in other options to improve your listening experience, check out our roundup of the best earbud and headphone deals.
CNET
12-06-2025
- Business
- CNET
The Beats Earbuds I Recommend Most for Workouts Are Back Down to Their Best-Ever Price
Beats launched the Powerbeats Pro 2 earlier this year after a six-year hiatus in the lineup. The new pair introduced a built-in heart rate tracker, improved the ergonomics, and borrowed the Apple H2 chip from the AirPods Pro 2. I've been using them on and off since launch, and these are my new go-to earbuds to use for workouts. If you're in the market for ear-hook style true-wireless earbuds, you're in luck. The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are available at their lowest price yet. Despite being relatively new to the market, the $250 Beats earbuds are seeing a $50 discount on both Amazon and Best Buy. You don't need to enter any codes or clip any coupons to take advantage of this offer. It's a limited-time deal, though, so we don't know how long it'll hang around for. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are feature-packed Android users have to manually start the heart rate monitor in the app or use the control button on the buds. Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET Beats' new workout earbuds represent one of the biggest generational updates to this model. They come equipped with the Apple H2 chip, which puts them on par with the AirPods Pro 2. Beats says it's "leveraged Apple's best noise canceling." I find that I get a good, secure seal when I'm wearing them, so the noise cancellation performance is pretty good. However, they're tuned differently compared with the flagship Apple earbuds. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are more bassy, which some gym enthusiasts might appreciate. The best part about them is their fit, thanks to their ear hook build. The music never left my ears. Whether I was on a run or in the gym, the earbuds sat comfortably. More than the fit, I was surprised by the voice-calling performance. As CNET's David Carnoy noted in his review, "Thanks to the H2 chip, new microphones and voice accelerometers to help pinpoint your voice, Beats has made some big improvements in the voice department." Read more: Best True Wireless Earbuds With Ear Hooks for 2025 I haven't relied on their heart rate monitoring system, because I have an Apple Watch. And if you're like me and you already own the Apple Watch, your iPhone will prioritize readings from the Watch. If you don't own one, it'll show the heart rate data in Apple's Health app. Like other Beats products, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are also platform-agnostic, and the company says all Android fitness and wellness apps with heart rate monitoring capabilities are compatible with its earbuds. That said, the Powerbeats Pro 2 offer a few Apple-exclusive features, like personalized spatial audio with head tracking, hands-free Siri, audio sharing and iCloud pairing across all your Apple devices logged in to your iCloud account. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 key specs Weight: 8.7 grams per earbud (case weighs 69 grams) Bluetooth 5.3 Apple H2 chip Custom designed, dual-element dynamic diaphragm transducer IPX4 splash-proof and sweat-proof Active noise cancellation (adaptive) Transparency mode Adaptive EQ Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking Six microphones total (one dedicated voice microphone on each earbud) Sensors (per bud): Optical in-ear detection, optical heart rate monitoring, accelerometer, gyroscope Customizable controls Five sizes of soft silicon ear tips (XS, S, M, L, XL) Wireless charging case (Qi compatible or via USB-C cable) Battery life: Up to 10 hours with ANC off (8 hours with ANC on) 35 additional hours from charging case with ANC off (28 hours with ANC on) Fast Fuel: 5-minute charge gets you up to 1.5 hours of playback Telephony: Up to five microphones employed for phone calls, wind-noise reduction, voice accelerometer isolates user's voice Colors: Electric Orange, jet black, Hyper Purple and Quick Sand The case isn't easy to carry Prakhar Khanna/CNET Though Beats made the Powerbeats Pro 2 50% smaller, the case is still on the bigger side. It isn't as comfortable as carrying other earbud cases, especially when you go for a run. I leave the case at home most of the time, but if you want a pair of earbuds that's easy to carry in a case, the Powerbeats Pro 2 aren't for you. That said, if portability isn't a priority, the Powerbeats Pro 2 can be counted among the best ear hook earbuds on the market right now, which is why they're on CNET's list of the best wireless earbuds of 2025. They offer good sound quality and great noise cancellation and voice call performance, and they stay snug in your ears. They also offer heart rate detection. With the $50 discount, this might be the best time to buy them. If you're interested in other options to improve your listening experience, check out our roundup of the best earbud and headphone deals.
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Get the latest Beats earbuds for $75 less while you can — only 140 in stock!
Discover startups, services, products and more from our partner StackCommerce. New York Post edits this content, and may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. TL;DR: These Grade A refurbished Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds have all the comfort, sound performance, and style as new ones, and an extremely limited quantity is available for just $174.99, a $75 savings. If you're in the market for earbuds, you know: quality = cost. Beats is definitely one of the top earbud brands around, with stylish, lightweight designs and impressive audio. They tend to have a correspondingly high price point, too. These Powerbeats Pro 2 wireless earbuds have a suggested retail price of $249.99, for example. But right now, you can get premium sport earbuds for a not-so-premium price — a limited number of refurbished pairs of this recently released model are available for $174.99, a full $75 in savings. These factory-refurbished earbuds are rated Grade A and have all the same performance as brand-new ones: Ultra-secure fit, IPX4-rated water resistance, multiple ear-tip options for comfortable sizing, and unbeatable sound quality. Testers have put in the work to ensure this Beats design has in-ear staying power, so you know they won't budge whether you're navigating MTA delays during your commute or getting a serious sweat on while you train for the summer Road Runners events. Speaking of sweating, athletes of all levels will appreciate the built-in heart rate monitoring for real-time performance insights. And the sound quality? Impresses for work meetings, your current song obsession, or the Mets game on 880, thanks to Active Noise Canceling, Transparency Mode, and Adaptive EQ. The Powerbeats Pro 2 also boasts super-fast connectivity and smooth operation with the Apple H2 chip. Plus 45 hours of battery life (thanks to the case) ensures you won't get hung up on plugging in to charge every other day. Reviewers at CNET and SoundGuys give these earbuds a thumbs up, and customers on Amazon have rated them 4 stars. This is the latest model of the Powerbeats 2 and has only been on the market since February, so it's rare to find a bargain this good. But with just 140 refurbished pairs available, this deal won't last. Get the refurbished Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds in black, sand, or purple with a pocket-friendly Qi wireless charging case for $174.99, MSRP $249.99, while supplies last. StackSocial prices subject to change.
Gizmodo
14-05-2025
- Gizmodo
No Need to Wait For Prime Day, The New Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Are Already at a Ridiculous Price on Amazon
For the first time since they were released at the beginning of February, the brand-new Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 wireless earbuds are on sale at Amazon. Priced at only $199 instead of their usual $249, this 20% markdown is a treat that doesn't come along very often (especially when you consider how infrequently Apple owned brand Beats offers its newest models on sale). See at Amazon Best in Class Earbuds and Fitness Tracker Following over 1,500 hours of athlete testing, these earbuds come with secure-fit earhooks that remain securely in place regardless of the intensity of your exercise. The earhooks are made with a nickel titanium alloy that provides superior flexibility, grip and comfort. This new-generation design makes Powerbeats Pro 2 20% lighter than the last and with five other ear tip sizes to choose from, you can expect a perfectly fitting and comfortable experience for every ear shape. These Powerbeats Pro 2 are powered by the Apple H2 chip, and they deliver immersive, high-fidelity sound with Adaptive EQ which analyzes what you're listening to using built-in microphones and automatically adjusts the sound frequencies for the best possible listening. Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking surrounds you in detailed sound-clear highs, warm mid-tones and deep bass. If you refuse to let go of focus during their workouts, Beats has outfitted the Powerbeats Pro 2 with its best Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology yet. This allows you to tune out distractions and be in the zone while Transparency mode allows you to hear what's happening around you when you need to know what's happening around you. The earbuds also come equipped with class-leading Class 1 Bluetooth connectivity which offers a stable and unbroken connection for calls and music. Yet another of the new features worth mentioning is built-in heart rate monitoring: More than 100 times a second, sensors pulse to provide instant heart rate feedback so these earbuds are the perfect fitness companion for tracking your gain in fitness. Powerbeats Pro 2 are also sweat and water-proof, IPX4-rated, so they are tough enough for rain and sweat. You will also love the battery life: you'll get a maximum of 45 hours of total listening time inside the small charging case and it means that you won't have to recharge for days on end. The case itself is 33% smaller than before and now includes wireless Qi charging as an added convenience. While there is no USB-C to USB-C cable provided, most will appreciate the wireless charging as a nice bonus. Compatibility is seamless whether you're using Apple or Android devices. Apple users benefit from one-touch pairing, automatic device switching, Audio Sharing, hands-free Siri, and Find My integration. Android users get similar perks through the Beats app including one-touch pairing, heart rate monitoring, customizable controls, battery status widgets, and device location features. With near-universal reviews and this being the first major discount since launch, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are a must-have. See at Amazon
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Powerbeats Pro 2 Review: Best Workout Earbuds Still Lag on Audio Quality
(Bloomberg) -- A lot has changed since Beats released the Powerbeats Pro. The Apple Inc. subsidiary unveiled its $250 workout headphones in 2019, at a time when truly wireless earbuds were a relatively recent invention — thanks to its AirPods cousin arriving three years earlier. Why Did the Government Declare War on My Adorable Tiny Truck? Gold-Rush Fever Returns to Historic New Zealand Mining Town How SUVs Are Making Traffic Worse Trump Slashed International Aid. Geneva Is Feeling the Impact. These US Bridges Face High Risk of Catastrophic Ship Strikes Over the past six years, the selection has multiplied and prices have fallen so much that you can now buy a respectable pair from some brands for well under $100. Meanwhile, the higher-end options, including the AirPods, offer improved audio and have gotten comfortable enough to wear that you might even trust them to stay put through a run or cycling trip. Beats' new Powerbeats Pro 2 are a clear improvement over the original, with a lighter design, active noise cancelation, longer battery life, heart-rate monitoring and a more compact charging case. After testing it for weeks, including using it for our own workouts, we can confidently say it's likely to be an easy sell for people in the market for exercise earbuds, including shoppers ready to upgrade from the original model. For the wider market, though, Beats has to not only convince consumers it has the best exercise headphones, but persuade them that if they can only spend $250 on one pair for exercise, casual listening and work, it ought to be these. That's a tougher ask. The Business Case The original Powerbeats Pro were followed by some major technological improvements in the space, on everything from power efficiency to connectivity to sound quality. The second-generation model is powered by the same Apple H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 2, which ups the overall audio quality compared with the prior model and allows for a slimmer design. However, they lack the hearing aid features of the AirPods Pro 2 despite having the same processor. Besides the Powerbeats Pro 2, there are loads of good alternatives. Alphabet Inc.'s Google is currently selling the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for $179. Beats itself has the $170 Beats Studio Buds+ and the minimalist Beats Solo Buds for $80. Particularly as you approach the $200 price mark, these earbuds tend to have a strong overlap in features, including noise cancelation and basic sweat and water resistance. Built-in pulse readings can potentially help the Powerbeats Pro 2 stand out, but Beats isn't the first brand to put a heart-rate sensor in an ear-worn device. For Apple, Beats' parent company, this could be a prelude to eventually adding the feature to the pricier AirPods line. The idea is that some consumers might prefer to have heart-rate monitoring inside an essential device like headphones, rather than buy a smartwatch. It also helps inch Android users toward the Apple health-tracking ecosystem. Plus, not everyone finds it comfortable to wear a smartwatch while working out. What Works The same thing that makes these earbuds a little unstylish — their conspicuous, ear-hook design — also makes them easy to use. (On the fashionability thing, the black or tan colors will blend in better than the purple or bright orange.) As with the original Powerbeats Pro, we like that these have easy-to-use physical buttons, including a volume rocker on each ear along with a button you can use to pause, skip and repeat audio tracks. (Press once to pause, twice to skip and three times to go back.) That's a better user experience than the AirPods, which use a combination of touch gestures and pinches (depending on the model) to adjust volume and move between tracks. The battery life is a particular highlight. Beats claims the Powerbeats Pro 2 can last as long as 45 hours on a single charge, if you include the charging case. Without it, each bud is rated to last as long as 10 hours (almost doubling the performance of AirPods) before needing a top-up. As the company admits, battery life will take a hit if you enable noise cancelation, with the runtime dropping to eight hours per earbud. Because the total battery life is so long, we never came close to draining the set after just one workout, or even several. While it's easy enough to charge them in their case overnight, it's OK if you forget now and again. When it's time for a recharge, the case conveniently works with Qi-compatible wireless chargers, in addition to standard USB-C cables. Like other earbuds from Beats and Apple, the Powerbeats Pro 2 have a transparency mode, allowing you to let some background noise in, which is particularly helpful when you're exercising outdoors and need to be aware of your surroundings. Lastly, between the H2 chip and improvements to Bluetooth technology, the earbuds offer the same low latency as the AirPods Pro 2, and pair easily with other devices, including Apple's Vision Pro headset. What's Missing The earbuds' signature ear hooks aren't for everyone. They're there to prevent them from falling out during an intense workout, but there's no option to remove them when you're done with your workout and going about your day. Despite being slimmed down, the new Powerbeats Pro are still large enough that you never forget you're wearing them. Our team had mixed opinions about how comfortable they are; some of us felt a little sore in the ears after working out, while others had no complaints. Your experience may differ, then, but we all agree the Powerbeats Pro 2 feel more secure during a workout than a pair of AirPods. As cool as it sounds, the heart-rate monitoring isn't as intuitive as you'd hope. If you also use an Apple Watch, that device's readings will trump the headphones. So really, this feature is more for Android users or for iPhone owners who don't have (or want to exercise with) a smartwatch. If you're on iOS, you'll need to grant the Powerbeats Pro 2 access to Apple Health, which makes sense: Apple would likely face backlash if it just opted people in. Even then, Beats could better integrate the product with Apple's own software. If the heart-rate sensor could send data straight to Apple's Activity app, for instance, you could go for a run with your phone in your pocket and not need an Apple Watch to record key vitals. Right now, the in-ear heart-rate feature works with just a handful of third-party health applications on iOS, including Peloton and Nike Run Club. Strava's not on the list, nor is Fitbit or Garmin Connect. There's no easy way for iOS developers to add support for it, meaning Beats has to onboard partners one by one. A Beats spokesperson confirmed the company plans to add more compatible apps. On Android, where Apple and Beats have no control over the ecosystem, it's a different story: You can send Powerbeats Pro 2 heart readings to any third-party fitness app, so long as it was designed to recognize heart-rate data. Android users must also have the Beats app installed. With these third-party apps, you'll need to make sure you go into the settings to enable syncing with the Powerbeats Pro 2. We tested the feature on iOS and Android with Runna, a subscription-based app, and found the data useful even without paying for the app's full feature suite. Still, the experience has some friction. On Android, you have to activate tracking in the Beats app first and then switch to the fitness app of your choice. We also had several instances where we thought the earbuds were engaged in heart-rate monitoring only to realize at the end of the workout that they weren't recording. As headphones, the Powerbeats Pro 2 offer good audio quality, at least compared to other fitness earphones in this price range. But the sound is less impressive than the AirPods Pro 2, including the bass notes and the effectiveness of the active noise cancellation. Meanwhile, the charging case is still chunky, even after the 33% reduction, and the plastic feels a little flimsy for the price. Whereas the case for the Pixel Buds or Studio Buds could easily slip inside a jeans pocket, the one here is really meant to live in a purse or duffle, or perhaps on your desk or bedside table. The Takeaways Even Beats would say that the Powerbeats Pro line was not intended for always-on wearing, but mainly for workout sessions. And as exercise earbuds, they're pretty good: They don't fall out, the audio is easy to control, the battery life is long and the noise cancelation is appreciated, even if it feels mandatory at this price point. It would be nice if there was no pinching at all, the charging case was smaller and the heart-rate feature was more useful. But if you want workout headphones, this is one of the best pairs available — and we recommend them. The problem is, plenty of earbuds priced around $200 offer even better audio quality, plus noise cancelation and sweat resistance. And they generally don't fall out either, despite not having an ear hook. The ideal scenario, then, would be to buy two sets of headphones. But that only makes sense if you have a healthy gadget budget. 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