After a good deal of speculation, the Beats Powerbeats 2 have officially landed. The first-gen Powerbeats Pro arrived in 2019, meaning there has been a gap of over five years between generations of the sporting buds – that's more than enough time for Beats to have improved upon the disappointing sonic performance of its original set of premium workout companions.
To make those sonic gains, the second-generatioin Powerbeats employ a bespoke acoustic architecture which strives for a "powerful, balanced sound profile" to put some pep in your proverbial step. Dual-layer drivers seek to minimise distortion and are aligned to each earbud’s nozzle for "optimal sound delivery", while a new venting design has been deployed to improve bass reproduction.
The new buds mimic the over-ear hook design of their predecessors, but this time Beats promises a lighter (by 20 per cent), more secure fit thanks to the Powerbeats Pro 2's updated ear hook which has been redesigned using a lightweight nickel-titanium alloy for "exceptional shape memory and flexibility". To get the perfect fit, the Apple-owned brand claims to have conducted more than 1500 hours of rigorous testing with nearly 1000 athletes to obtain the ideal blend of comfort and security.
Adding to their sporting credentials is an IPX4 waterproof rating for protection against sweat and liquid splashes, as well as on-ear touch controls, five ear-tip sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL) and hands-free voice call capabilities when you're out on the move. Each bud packs a voice accelerometer and the same three microphones as found in the five-star AirPods Pro 2, leading to "exceptional voice targeting and noise suppression" from the new Beats.
Unlike their ancestors from way back in 2019, the Powerbeats Pro 2 feature active noise cancelling, with Beats claiming that the new running buds offer "the best adaptive noise cancelling" the brand has ever developed. In addition, transparency mode is also on the menu for hearing the world around you as you run.
Aside from noise cancelling, the new Powerbeats' big headline feature is heart-rate monitoring for your workouts, with the new buds using biometric sensing to provide in-depth for improved fitness tracking in real time. There is also support for customisable spatial audio with dynamic head tracking thanks to the inclusion of Apple's H2 chip, the same unit that powers the AirPods Pro 2.
Your workouts won't be cut short, either. The Powerbeats 2 offer up to 45 hours of playback with the charging case, with each earbud granting up to 10 hours of playtime before needing a refill. That case, meanwhile, has been designed to be 33 per cent smaller than the original and, handily, is compatible with wireless charging.
Coming in four finishes – black, quicksand grey, purple or orange – the Powerbeats Pro are available now, priced at £250 / $250.
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