Powerbeats Pro 2 review: the workout buds to beat

is a senior reporter focusing on wearables, health tech, and more with 13 years of experience. Before coming to The Verge, she worked for Gizmodo and PC Magazine. After an epic wait, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are finally here. No, seriously. The original Powerbeats Pro released nearly six years ago, roughly an ice age as far as gadgets go. Turns out, it was worth it thanks to new active noise canceling, a transparency mode, and heart rate monitoring. None of these features are new to the category, but they are fresh to the Powerbeats. The only things unchanged with the Pro 2 are its IPX4 rating and the $249.99 price tag — which, given the state of things, is frankly a miracle. They’re more compact. The comically large case is 33 percent smaller. The buds are 20 percent lighter, and the ear hooks are 50 percent tinier. There’s a new H2 chip, upgraded microphones and amplifier, and improved sound. Battery life is longer, with 10 hours on the buds and 3.5 extra charges from the case for a to ... Read full article.