Beats Powerbeats Pro Bluetooth Earbuds

Bests Powerbeats Pro 1st Gen – Still a Solid Workout Companion

While the Powerbeats Pro 2 (released in 2025) boasts advanced features, Beats Powerbeats Pro 1G remains a capable and popular choice for those seeking reliable workout earbuds.1 Here’s a look at its key features and why it’s still relevant in 2025.

Core Features and Benefits of the Beats Powerbeats Pro

• Secure-Fit Earhooks: The hallmark adjustable earhooks provided exceptional stability, ensuring the earbuds stayed firmly in place during even the most rigorous activities.This was a major advantage over many truly wireless earbuds that could easily slip out during intense movement.
• Powerful and Balanced Sound: Beats Powerbeats Pro delivered a dynamic and well-balanced sound signature.3 While often associated with bass-heavy audio, these offered a more refined sound with clear mids and highs, making them suitable for various music genres and podcasts.
• Sweat and Water Resistance: Built to handle sweat and light rain, the Powerbeats Pro had an IPX4 rating, making them durable enough for intense workouts and outdoor activities.4
• Long Battery Life: Offering up to 9 hours of listening time on a single charge, with the charging case providing an additional 15+ hours, the original Powerbeats Pro had impressive endurance for long workouts and all-day use.5
• Fast Fuel Charging: A quick 5-minute charge provided up to 1.5 hours of playback, a convenient feature when you needed a fast boost of power before a workout.6
• On-Ear Controls: Physical buttons on each earbud allowed for easy control of music playback (play/pause, skip tracks), volume adjustment, and call management, even with sweaty hands.7
• Apple H1 Chip Integration: Featuring Apple’s H1 chip, the Powerbeats Pro offered seamless pairing and enhanced connectivity with Apple devices, including one-touch pairing, automatic device switching, and Siri voice control.8
• Android Compatibility: While optimized for Apple, the original Powerbeats Pro also worked well with Android devices via Bluetooth, offering reliable connectivity and control through the earbuds themselves.
• Automatic Play/Pause: Sensors detected when the earbuds were in your ears, automatically playing audio and pausing when removed.9
• Excellent Call Quality: With multiple microphones on each earbud, the Powerbeats Pro provided clear and reliable call quality, even in moderately noisy environments.

Why Choose the Beats Powerbeats Pro 1G in 2025?

• Proven Reliability: Having been on the market for several years, the original Beats Powerbeats Pro have a track record of reliability and durability.
• Comfortable and Secure Fit (for many): While the earhooks might not be for everyone, many users found them incredibly comfortable and secure for workouts. Some even found the original, more moldable earhooks slightly more comfortable than the redesigned ones on the Powerbeats Pro 2.
• Great Sound Quality: The audio performance remains competitive, offering a balanced and enjoyable listening experience for workouts and everyday use.
• Solid Battery Life: The battery life is still respectable and sufficient for most users’ needs.
• Potentially Lower Price: As a previous-generation model, you might find the original Powerbeats Pro available at a more affordable price compared to the newer version.

Differences Between the Beats Powerbeats Pro 1G and Powerbeats Pro 2

While both are excellent workout earbuds, the Powerbeats Pro 2 introduced several key upgrades:

• Heart Rate Monitoring: A significant new feature in the Powerbeats Pro 2, allowing for real-time heart rate tracking during workouts.10 The original version did not have this.
• Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Transparency Mode: The Powerbeats Pro 2 added ANC to block out distractions and Transparency mode to hear your surroundings.11 The original Powerbeats Pro offered passive noise isolation due to their in-ear design but lacked active noise cancellation.12
• Design and Comfort: The Powerbeats Pro 2 feature a slightly smaller and lighter design with redesigned, non-adjustable earhooks. Some users might find the original’s adjustable hooks more comfortable.
• Charging Case: The Powerbeats Pro 2 come with a smaller charging case that supports wireless charging and uses a USB-C port.13 The original case was larger and charged via a Lightning port and did not support wireless charging.
• Battery Life: The Powerbeats Pro 2 offer slightly improved battery life (up to 10 hours without ANC, 45 total with the case) compared to the original (up to 9 hours, 24 total with the case).14
• Spatial Audio: The Powerbeats Pro 2, powered by the H2 chip, offer Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking for Apple users.15 The original version did not have this feature.
• Microphones: The Powerbeats Pro 2 feature an improved microphone system with enhanced voice isolation.