The best wireless earbuds for working out that Apple sells aren't AirPods. Here's why

I’ve tested dozens of earbuds over the past year, and even new releases can feel monotonous after a while. Most brands make product upgrades in small strides, keeping the form and functionality the same but incrementally refreshing the sound, noise cancellation, or battery life. 

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Until now. Beats’ new Powerbeats Pro 2 are a game changer for the audio industry. The successor to the widely loved Powerbeats Pro are workout earbuds with one competitive and unique feature that makes sense: the earbuds can record your heart rate as you exercise. I tested the Powerbeats Pro 2 out for a little over a week; I lifted weights, ran, worked, and commuted with them in my ears. So, how’d they do? Keep reading to find out. 

The Powerbeats Pro 2 has several upgrades, including a smaller case, wireless charging, adaptive EQ, spatial audio, and noise-canceling and transparency modes. Apple’s Beats ownership is fully displayed through the Powerbeats Pro 2, which uses the same chip as Apple’s AirPods Pro 2. 

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The H2 chip lends the Powerbeats Pro 2 more effective noise cancellation, enhanced audio processing, stable Bluetooth connections, spatial audio, and more efficient power consumption. 

Studies have shown that the ear is a great place for monitoring heart rate. Beats isn’t the first to unveil an earbud with an in-ear heart rate sensor, but Apple’s ability to integrate the feature into its other personal devices makes it much simpler to use.

The earbuds were designed with exercise and stability in mind, with an ear wing that wraps around the ring to stabilize the bud for movement. This design choice makes them great for listening while doing chores, grocery shopping, or working in the office, though I felt tightness and irritation after several hours of wear. Tired ears are no match for the 45-hour battery, though. 

The Powerbeats Pro 2 record your heart rate when you use compatible exercise apps. These apps include Open, Peloton, Runna, Slopes, Ladder, Nike Run Club, and Yao Yao. I’m hoping, for my sake, more partnerships are on the way (Beats, if you’re reading this, please get something going with Strava). 

Perhaps you’re using an Apple Watch and the Powerbeats Pro 2 simultaneously to exercise. The Apple Watch prioritizes heart rate monitoring over the Powerbeats Pro 2, so these earbuds are great for people who don’t own or use an Apple Watch for exercise. 

Also: The best headphones for working out: Expert tested and reviewed

Exercising with the Powerbeats Pro 2 is easy. The earbuds were loud enough while I ran the busy streets of Brooklyn and stayed comfortably stuck in my ears as I moved. I used the heart rate monitoring feature through the Nike Run Club app, which displayed my heart rate as it recorded my run. 

I lifted weights with the earbuds in while using Ladder, and the earbuds displayed my heart rate on the top of the screen as my trainer moved me through each weight training exercise. 

The earbuds aren’t optimized for casual listening, as Beats prioritized the heart rate, exercise, and battery life features over sound quality or noise cancellation. The Powerbeats Pro 2 have a weak sound profile, delivering hollow bass and dull highs.

Also: The best earbuds: Expert tested and reviewed

The spatial audio feature amplifies the immersion but falls short of all-encompassing sound. I gave my colleague a test drive of the earbuds, and he said the sound felt like it was being played out of an iPhone speaker. The noise cancellation is also weaker, as I didn’t hear a significant difference between ANC and transparency mode. 

Nevertheless, the microphone is excellent for calls, and my mom said she experienced no issues hearing me clearly while we were catching up on the phone one night. The Powerbeats Pro 2 sits comfortably in your ears during video calls with no fuss or adjustment needed. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Powerbeats Pro 2 impressed me with its heart rate monitoring feature, exercise-friendly build, and massive battery life. These are the best workout earbuds you can buy right now — especially if you are an iOS user, thanks to the convenient Apple ecosystem integration, or someone who wants to ditch their Apple Watch during workouts. Like Beats’ other recent releases, Android users can access all the flagship features through the Beats app. 

However, if you want versatile earbuds you can take from the office to the gym, the Powerbeats Pro 2 may fall short with their lackluster sound quality and noise-canceling capabilities. If you want more versatile earbuds, consider the Shokz OpenFit 2 or the Nothing Ear (a).