Wireless headphones are the new craze as people continue to become “wirecutters”. But with the rise in popularity, the rise in competition comes to match. This is why there are hundreds of different options when it comes to choosing your next pair.
Two of the most common options are the PowerBeats Pro and AirPods. But how do you know which one is better?
Here is our guide to PowerBeats vs AirPods and what your next decision should be.
Pros of the Apple AirPods
Apple has seamless integration between its products, meaning if you are an iPhone user, your experience will be more than pleasant. This means pairing and monitoring your AirPods on your iPhone or Mac will be a piece of cake.
AirPods come in two versions, classic AirPods and AirPods Pro.
Classic AirPods have a universal fit shape, that comes with 5 hours of battery life per charge, and 24 hours of battery life with the case. They start at $129 USD and have the option to upgrade to a wireless charger for $25 more.
AirPods Pro offers an upcharge for a customizable fit and active noise cancellation. They automatically come with a wireless case and will start at $199.
If you’re buying either of these from Apple’s website, then you have the ability to add customization to your case to make it feel more personal.
AirPods offer quick switching between Apple devices. This means if you are watching a video on your Mac desktop or laptop and receive a call on your iPhone, you can quickly switch over to the call without doing anything extra.
Compared to the PowerBeats Pro, AirPods are much sturdier. Their mainly plastic shell with very few rubber pieces means that they are resilient to impact and the wear and tear of everyday use.
Cons of the Apple AirPods
The biggest con for the AirPods is its listening time. The AirPods only offers a 5-hour battery life per charge.
What feels even worse is the fact that you pay more for the AirPods Pro, but get a reduced amount of listening time. The 4.5-hour charge life is because of the active noise cancellation, but this can be turned off for an extra lifespan.
As with anything that is tiny, it is easy to lose them. Because of their small size and easy to blend in nature, your AirPods are liable to become lost somewhere in the house if you are not careful.
They do offer a feature with Find My to help find your AirPods, but this feature only works if they are connected via Bluetooth and powered on.
Replacing the individual earpiece can be expensive as well. If you lose only one, it will cost you at least $69 USD to get it replaced. If you have a habit of losing items, this can be a major drawback.
The other with the original AirPods is the ability for them to fall out of the ear. If you turn too fast or try to do physical activity, it can mean having them fall out on your left and right.
AirPods Pro was designed for those living an active lifestyle. This makes them a better purchase overall and makes you wonder why the original AirPods were ever around in the first place.
For those dealing with common AirPods problems, click the link here.
Also Read: Apple Tv vs Roku
Pros of the PowerBeats Pro
If you like to get your sweat on, PowerBeats Pro is a great option for you. These sweat and water-resistant wireless headphones are comfortable and securely fit into your ear.
This means running, lifting weights, or other intensity activities will always be accompanied by high-quality sound. The PowerBeats Pro offers 9 hours of charge time per earpiece, almost doubling what the AirPods have to offer.
PowerBeats Pro, despite not being an Apple product, still offers the same great pairing experience. They quickly pair and are easily monitored on your iPhone.
One of the best possible pros to the PowerBeats Pro is the color options. AirPods come in one color, white. Meaning that they can stick when working out and typically don’t have that same individuality behind them
PowerBeats Pro comes in 8 different colorways, and that does not include any special edition or limited release colors. This means you can grab whatever color fits your personality and start rocking on.
PowerBeats Pro also offers the ability to quick charge. 5 minutes in their charging case on a low battery can quickly give you 1.5 hours of playback time.
Cons of the PowerBeats Pro
The biggest drawback to the PowerBeats Pro is their bulkier size and charging case. While still slim, they are almost double the size when it comes to the charging case. This means if you are already struggling to fit the AirPods case into your keychain or pockets, there is no way the PowerBeats Pro is going to make the cut.
The other issue would be price. While there are more color options and a longer per piece battery life, it comes in at around $249 USD on most websites. This would be acceptable, except the charging case only gives you 24 hours of playback time as well.
You’re essentially saving time on how you need your earpieces to charge, but still getting the same amount of playback time as AirPods per case charge.
You also do not have wireless charging built-in. For all those that hate anything wired, this means you are stuck using a lightning connector. While this is fine for iPhone users who already have lightning connectors, it does mean that Android users are stuck with yet another cable.
PowerBeats vs AirPods: You Decide
Everyone has a different lifestyle, that is why there is no true answer for the PowerBeats vs AirPods debate. Each one has its own benefits and can be chalked up to this.
If you want a sleek design that is easy to hide, the Apple AirPods are a better option. If you enjoy an extreme activity and prefer the top-of-the-line comfort, PowerBeats Pro should be the go-to. Everyone makes their own decisions at the end of the day.
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