If you’re a fan of the Beats audio brand and are in need of a pair of headphones for your workouts, there’s a choice between the PowerBeats Pro 2 and Fit Pro.
Considering both true wireless received a four-star rating from us, which earbuds are actually better suited for you?
We’ve compared the performance of both earbuds to help you decide. Be sure to check our best Beats headphones for other headphones we rate from the Beats stable, as well as out best wireless earbuds for alternatives.
Price
The Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 launched at £249.99 / $249.99 and in our experience, the price of the PowerBeats models tends to stay the same outside of sales events.
The PowerBeats Pro 2 are also available in four colours: Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple and a particularly eye-catching Electric Orange.
The Fit Pro, on the other hand, launched with an RRP of £219.99 / $219.99 though you can now find them for less at around £160-£170.
The Fit Pro also comes in a choice for four colours but unlike their Pro 2 counterpart, these shades are undoubtedly more muted: Black, Silver, Grey and Purple.
Design
- PowerBeats Pro 2 have an ear-hook that settles on the back of the ear
- Fit Pro sports a wing tip that tucks into the upper ear
- Both have an IPX4 rating and come with different sized ear tips
Design-wise, while the PowerBeats Pro 2 and Fit Pro share a few similarities, visually they differ. The PowerBeats Pro 2 sport an ear-hook that slips on the back of the ear. This earhook is made of nickel-titanium alloy wiring which enables the hook to bend comfortably.
While we did find them slightly tricky to initially put on, and we did need to select from the included range of ear-tip sizes to find the best fit, the PowerBeats Pro 2 were never uncomfortable to wear.
The Fit Pro instead has a flexible wing tip that tucks into the upper ear and offers a comfortable and solid seal. Much like the PowerBeats Pro 2, the Fit Pro come equipped with different sized ear-tips to help you find the best possible seal to avoid sound leakage.
Both earbuds rely on physical buttons rather than touch controls, which we find are much better for workout headphones in reducing accidental taps. Even so, it’s worth mentioning we did still experience accidental taps with both.
Otherwise, both the PowerBeats Pro 2 and Fit Pro are rated IPX4, which protects against splashes of water and sweat, which is just enough for workout earbuds.
Beats PowerBeats Pro 2
Beats Fit Pro
Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 wins
Features
- Both offer more native features for Apple users than Android
- Both support active noise cancellation
- PowerBeats Pro 2 have a longer battery life
Both work with Android devices, Apple users benefit from additional features such as personalised spatial audio, Siri control, iCloud pairing, Audio Sharing with another Beats or Apple headphone, as well as Ultra Low Latency performance when paired with an Apple Vision Pro.
Having said that, both Apple and Android users benefit from one-touch pairing and Locate My Beats in case you misplace the earbuds. Unfortunately, you aren’t able to customise audio or ANC with either, which is a shame.
Both earbuds support adaptive active noise-cancellation (ANC) alongside a transparency mode, which is especially impressive with the PowerBeats Pro 2 as ANC is rare for an over-ear hook design.
Like the PowerBeats Pro 2, the Fit Pro uses real-time audio calibration to remove unwanted external sounds.
We were impressed with both the PowerBeats Pro 2 and Fit Pro’s ANC prowess, although it’s worth pointing out that neither go as far as offering a silent performance, with some outside sounds still coming through. Equally, the transparency modes are good too, sounding natural enough that neither sound distorted. Of the two, the PowerBeats Pro 2 offers the better ANC performance.
Where they differ is that the PowerBeats Pro 2 comes with a heart-rate monitor feature. With compatible fitness apps, the headphones can measure your heartbeat which you can track in the app. The Fit Pro doesn’t have a comparable feature.
The PowerBeats Pro 2 boast the edge when it comes to battery life, with up to 10 hours of battery life per charge (45 in total). The Fit Pro, on the other hand, promise up to just six hours per charge (27 in total).
Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 wins
Sound Quality
- Although overall both offer decent sound quality, the PowerBeats Pro 2 work especially well when the volume is increased
- PowerBeats Pro 2 has adaptive EQ which should tailor audio to your ear fit
Both the PowerBeats Pro 2 and Fit Pro offer a solid listening experience, with a balanced listen. We did find the PowerBears Pro 2 to be slightly unexciting at their default volume but vocals do come through clearly and the soundstage is wide.
However, once volume is increased, the PowerBeats Pro 2 sounds sharper and crisper. We’d argue this isn’t always ideal, as it’s much better not to need to boost the volume to benefit from better sound.
As mentioned earlier, the Beats Fit Pro offers a balanced listening profile across the entire frequency range. It’s a similar sound to the PowerBeats Pro 2, clear, detailed, with bass that carries good weight too. Both go for a flat profile as neither are the most energetic or dynamic listen.
Draw
Beats PowerBeats Pro 2
Beats Fit Pro
Verdict
Both the PowerBeats Pro 2 and Beats Fit Pro are a solid pair of workout earbuds, as both are secure and comfortable to wear. Battery life is longer on the PowerBeats Pro 2; while it also has the more powerful noise-cancellation too.
In terms of sound quality they are similar. Arguably the PowerBeats Pro 2 are clearer and more detailed, but both earbuds have the same flat approach to music, producing more of a neutral sound that isn’t the most energetic to listen to.
Remember, if you want to experience features like spatial audio or Audio Sharing with other compatible Beats or AirPods, then you’ll need an iOS device.
So while the PowerBeats Pro 2 wins this versus in pure performance terms, it’s really up to you which headphone you go for. The Fit Pro are for more casual users while the PowerBeats Pro 2 are for those who play sports and do workouts a lot, especially with its integration of a heartbeat tracker.
The PowerBeats Pro 2 is more expensive, while the older Fit Pro has dropped in price. That might ultimately make you decided which one you go for.
