In the past, when I’ve needed running or sweat-proof headphones, I’ve either bought the cheapest things I could find or an old pair of headphones that I didn’t mind thrashing. Beats were kind enough to send over a pair of their latest and greatest: the Powerbeats Pro and I was cautious at first – why would I need high-quality headphones for something I’d only use on a 30-minute run?
Yes, I lied, I only run for 20 minutes.
Well I was wrong, these headphones are glorified AirPods that are more than just sweat-resistant exercise headphones, I use these bad boys for everything.
As Beats is owned by Apple, they connect in literally no time at all and have a much deeper integration than usual Bluetooh headphones and that’s the first thing you notice when using them. Instead of having to hold down the sync button for a few seconds to use them (first world problem, I know), the Powerbeats are linked to your device as soon as they come out of their slick charging case.
What’s more, you can pick up right where you left off as sensors in the headphones detect when they’re on your ear and start playing when they know you’re listening, not when you press play. This feature also works when taking them off, pausing them appropriately.
I’ve had issues in the past with this feature on headphones but I haven’t had a single issue with the Powerbeats so far.
The battery life is incredible at nine hours after a full charge but with the case having its own charge, the actual headphones never run out as long as you dock them when finished. If you’re wondering how much charge is left, just open the case right next to your iPhone and it gives you a percentage of the headphones and the case.
The case is charged through a USB-C cable too, the same as your iPhone so there’s less clutter in your USB slots.
They sit on your ear with a soft, adjustable band that holds it in place on your ear, much more stable than just the usual earbuds and without any cumbersome wires, movement like jogging doesn’t bump them out of place.
In terms of sound quality, it is leaps and bounds ahead of other wireless headphones I’ve used before with an active noise cancelling feature and added bass.
Being technically an Apple product, it integrates with Siri so if I’m wearing the headphones, I just say ‘hey Siri’ and I’m speaking with Apple’s voice assistant with full functionality. There’s also the option to have your text messages read out when listening and I’m not going to lie, it scared me when it first happened as this nice lady just started speaking to me, but useful after the first time.
All in all, the Powerbeats Pro have changed my mindset when it comes to running headphones. They’re far from low-quality junk that are a bit fiddly to connect and sparsely used. I’ve actually found myself listening to music and podcasts with headphones on more.
