Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds - Noise Cancelling, Heart Rate Monitor, IPX4, Up to 45H Battery & Charging Case, Works with Apple & Android - Jet Black

I had the original Powerbeats Pro from 2018 and had them up until they wouldn’t hold a charge last month. Those were my favorite headphones BY FAR and had the best fit for me. I was skeptical about getting the new pair but since I had such a good experience with the prior pair, I would give them a shot.Overall: they’re good. Just wait for them to go on sale. They are on sale for bigger holidays. I paid $199 and definitely worth that price since I use them every day.Pros: Case is much smaller than the previous generation and can almost just be thrown in your pocket. The connectivity is much better than the previous version in terms of both earbuds connecting all the time. Had problems with the previous generation where only one would connect and I would have to put them back in the case and try to connect again. I have had none of that with these. Sound quality is great.Cons: I might just need to try another size rubber ear tip (they come with a bunch of sizes) but the fit inside my ear is not as “snug” as the previous generation so when I run/workout, I feel like I’m losing the “snugness” inside my ear and have to adjust them a little bit. Could just need to get used to them or break them in but that would be my only complaint.

The main takeaway should be they are not bad earbuds and the negative reviews are exaggerating the cons.I love my Beats Fit Pro, but the Powerbeats were my favorite but lacked noise cancellation until now. These fit better than Powerbeats and are more comfortable, but the ANC is not as good as Fit Pro. You will notice a difference in the ANC quality but over time I have adjusted and can't really tell and future updates could fix the issue completely.If you use the headphones for working out and are like me and just needed to upgrade after having my Fit Pro's for a long time you should get them. However, if you wear them more casually or for lesiure maybe wait to see if Fit Pro's 2 will come out soon.

I had the original Powerbeats Pro for about 2 years, and man, did I enjoy those earbuds. Though I loved the hooks, the problem was that after a while, the hooks weren't helping the earbuds stay in place because I sweat so much that the earpiece itself kept popping out. Not sure if that's a testament to my sweat or just that those weren't the best fit for me.Fast forward years later, now we have the Powerbeats 2, and I was absolutely excited to get my hands on these. I went with orange because black and white are overdone, and purple isn't my color really, but orange looked unique. After giving them a run through and wearing them around for a couple hours, here's just a non-sound professional "every-man" review:1. Packaging is nice. I mean, standard issue Beats with some Apple flair. Though these are wireless charging compatible, the fact that they don't include a USB C charging cable..,I mean, c'mon...what are we doing. Seriously? How do you not include a USB C cable for people who don't have a wireless charger? Psst, hey, Applebeats...not everyone is fully wireless with qi chargers. Some folks don't want it. Stop trying to make it a thing when there are plenty of people who still prefer cables.2. The case feels nice ot the touch. Smooth, almost like...velvety. I don't know how else to put it, but I think it feels...nicer. I wish I knew how else to describe it.3. Speaking of the case, the case is NOTICEABLY smaller in the hand. I mean, yeah, of course it's bigger than the AIrPod Pro/2 and all, but a Powerbeats case that isn't a cinderblock you may keep in your pocket? I dig it.4. Also, the case itself opens REALLY easily. I've never had a case that opens as easily or as smoothly as this one does. Most cases require a little force to open, but this case literally feels like it GLIDES open. It's nice, but it also makes me worry that if I dropped the case, it may pop open easily as well.5. The earhooks are noticeably tighter. I know there are a lot of reviewers on YouTube who say these are super soft and comfortable, but if I'm being honest (and I have no reason to lie about these), the earhooks did cause me a little discomfort after a couple of hours. The hooks wrap tightly enough around the ear, but at the same time, because of the clamping force against the back of your ear, the back part of the hook may end up getting a little sore because part of the hook keeps pressing hard against the back of your ear.. Maybe it's me, but some folks who may have more physically. sensitive ears may not like this for prolonged sessions.I also like how they don't stick out TOO far on the side. I prefer that my earbuds stay close to my head, almost flush if possible. These defintely do that.6. The sound is standard Beats, but definitely improved. Nice bass, some mids, good (enough) trebles. As many YouTube reviewers have stated, you don't get these for the best in sound quality -- you get them because you need good headphones with decent sound that will stay on your ears, while also energizing you to get that next rep, while also playing nice within the Apple ecosystem. I found I actually enjoyed using the spatial audio on these because for earbuds as they sound remarkably clear (to me anyway). I'm a fan of spatial audio though, so take that for what it's worth.7. The tactile controls are nice, though you may find you might accidentally press the button from time to time, especially if you are changing out the eartips. Not a major thing, but I do like the tactile butons a LOT better than the touch controls that leave you wondering if your buds even picked up your taps. Nah, if you like physical buttons, then these have 'em and they feel pretty satisfying when you click them.8. I haven't really tried out the heart rate sensor yet because I'm a little wary of that kind of sensor in my ear. Personally, I don't see myself really caring for it, though I can see why some people do, especially folks who perhaps do a lot of cardiovascular work.Final thoughts: If you enjoyed the Powerbeats 1, and you like how Beats sound in terms of sound quality, then give these a whirl. You may like the hooks because they help keep the earbud better on the ear, despite some aforementioned soreness caused by the hook pressing against the back of your ear (does not happen to EVERYONE, but there are some out there for whom this is an issue, esp. in terms of comfort.). You may like the improved (imo) sound. You may even like how the case opens so smoothly and that they're Beats, which plays very nicely with the Apple Ecosystem. If those are compelling reasons to get these, then go for it. If you are a sound connoisseur/professional who is always looking for a reason to dislike Beats, then you'll probably find a reason or something to dislike these. You don't have to listen to me, but I'm just saying how I feel about these as an everyday gym-goer/headphone user, and I like these enough that I look forward to my next lift while rocking these!The reason I deducted 1 star, to be clear, is simply because of the soreness from the hooks. A lot of reviewers say that the hooks are really soft...they kind of are, kind of are not, but I haven't had them long enough to make a definitive statement whether or not this is an ongoing issue. This is just what I experienced, and others may not share the same experience. That said, hopefully this helps you decide! Cheers! (may update this review as time goes on)UPDATE:Just like the originals, if I make any kind of a facial expression or if I move my face muscles, then the earbud pops out. I don’t know what it is with these specific style of Powerbeats, but when I find that the left earbud wiggles itself out. Definitely a deal killer, and it’s a shame. I like the sound and I like the hooks (soreness aside). But I was doing bench press, and I found that the earbud just does not like to stay put.