I’ve really been wanting some new earbuds for a while, and I’ve been hesitant about buying a new pair since Jabra doesn’t make consumer earbuds anymore. None of the other options really offer everything I want in earbuds, although some come close, and that’s why I finally opted to get the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 as soon as they went on sale for Black Friday.
The Powerbeats Pro 2 are normally $250, but right now you can save $50 and snag them for $200. It’s not quite the same low we saw during Prime Day when they were just $180, but I couldn’t wait any longer, as I don’t know when they’ll be on sale again, let alone for such a low price.
✅Recommended if: You’re a runner or frequent gym-goer who wants long-lasting earbuds that will stay in place and offer great ANC.
❌Skip this deal if: You’re an Android user who wants access to features like Fast Pair or Google’s Find My Device network.
What made me pull the trigger
What I loved and miss about Jabra earbuds was the physical buttons. They made it much easier to control my music and calls hands-free, without having to worry about accidentally activating something or changing the song if I wanted to adjust the fit. They also made it easy to turn the earbuds off without needing to put them in a case, which often negated the need to carry the charging case around.
The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are the closest thing I could find that offers the same kind of functionality. The physical buttons are great for switching tracks, and they even have separate volume buttons, so I don’t really have to take out my phone at all. The only thing that’s missing is the ability to turn them off with the buttons, but it’s a feature I think I can live without.
I’ve only just received the Powerbeats Pro 2, but so far I’m thoroughly enjoying them. Audio sounds great, and ANC is better than I expected. I’m still getting used to putting them on, as I haven’t worn earbuds like this in a long time, but once they’re secure, they’re secure.
The battery also lasts a long time, and the charging case (which is unfortunately rather large) adds as much as 45 hours of battery life. Oh, and did I mention that it can monitor your heart rate and connect to other apps/workout equipment? I haven’t tried this yet, but we’ve found them to be rather accurate in our testing.
