AirPods Pro 3 vs Powerbeats Pro 2

Do you want a hook around your ear? That's most of this decision.

Inside, these two are closer than the logos suggest. Apple and Beats both say they run on Apple's H2 chip. SoundGuys reports SBC and AAC only on both. And both makers rate the buds at up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on. I haven't tested either pair. The measurements below are SoundGuys', the specs come from Apple's and Beats' own pages, and the opinions are mine.

I'd buy the AirPods Pro 3. They cut more noise in SoundGuys' lab, and Apple lists a lighter bud and a better water and dust rating. I'd pick the Powerbeats Pro 2 only if the ear hook is the thing you're shopping for.

What they cost

The AirPods Pro 3 are $249Not verifiedNot verified (checked November 5, 2026). The Powerbeats Pro 2 are $249.99Not verifiedNot verified (checked November 1, 2026).

Here's how I'd read those two numbers. If the Powerbeats cost the same as the AirPods or more, the AirPods win on almost every published figure and I wouldn't think twice. If the Powerbeats come in cheaper, the money you save buys you an ear hook and a 10-hour ANC-off rating. You give up 7 points of noise reduction and the dust rating.

Noise cancelling

SoundGuys measured the AirPods Pro 3 cutting external noise by 90%. The Powerbeats Pro 2 averaged 83%, and SoundGuys scored their noise cancelling 8.3 out of 10.

Here's what bugs me. 83% is the exact figure SoundGuys measured for the older AirPods Pro 2 in its Pro 3 comparison. Same H2 chip as the new AirPods, and the Powerbeats cancel noise like last generation's model. On a bus or a plane, I'd want the 90%.

Battery

On paper, a tie with ANC on: Apple and Beats both rate the buds at up to 8 hours. Beats prints more detail. It claims up to 36 hours with the case with ANC and Transparency on, and with ANC off up to 10 hours from the buds and 45 hours with the case.

The measured side is lopsided. SoundGuys ran the AirPods Pro 3 for 8 hours 42 minutes with ANC on. Its Powerbeats Pro 2 review, from April 2025, says battery testing was "currently ongoing", and the page has no result. So the 10-hour figure is Beats' claim, not a test.

Still, if you leave noise cancelling off most of the day, that rating is the one real edge the Powerbeats hold.

Weight, water and dust

This is where the Powerbeats disappoint me most. Apple lists each AirPods bud at 5.55 g. Beats lists each Powerbeats bud at 8.7 g, which is about 57% heavier per ear.

The ratings split the same way. Apple rates the AirPods IP57. Beats rates the Powerbeats IPX4, with no dust rating at all. For runs in the rain, I'd rather have the IP57 pair. Strange thing to say about the earbuds without the hooks.

The cases are hard to compare. Apple lists its case at 43.99 g. Beats doesn't publish a case weight; SoundGuys lists the case at 75 x 66 x 34 mm.

Phones and codecs

Codecs are not published on either maker's page. SoundGuys reports SBC and AAC for both, with no LDAC or aptX, and Bluetooth 5.3 on both. Beats' own page says only "Class 1 Wireless Bluetooth".

So on Android neither pair gets a better codec than the other. Whichever phone you own, this section doesn't move the needle.

Who should buy the Powerbeats Pro 2

Someone who wants hooks and listens with ANC off for long stretches. That's a real group of people. It's also a narrow one.

SoundGuys dates their release to February 11, 2025, so check what a sale has done to the price.

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