BeatsPowerbeats Pro 2 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds - Noise Cancelling, Heart Rate Monitor, IPX4, Up to 45H Battery & Charging Case, Works with Apple & Android - Jet Black

As an owner of the Beats PowerBeats 1 for over 5 years, I was skeptical about purchasing these after seeing the different comments between PowerBeats 1 and the new PowerBeats 2, but I am very glad with my purchase and to start using the new features in my day to day activities.Case:The case for the Beats PowerBeats 2 is much lighter (weight wise) and the case is also slimmer compared to PowerBeats 1 case. The case can easily fit into a large pocket or zipper compartment in a purse or bag, but the case is still bigger than an Apple AirPods case. The PowerBeats 2 case is now the same color as the PowerBeats 2 themselves where the PowerBeats 1 case was black, where my PowerBeats 1 are Glacier Blue.Over-Ear Design:The over-ear design for the PowerBeats 2 is much smaller compared to the PowerBeats 1. With smaller ears, I personally feel like it fits much better compared to the PowerBeats 1 over-ear design because the old design used to sit on part of my ear and rubbed my ear making it painful. I can see why people with larger ears do not like the new over-ear design of the PowerBeats 2 because it would be too small for their ears.Inside Ear Design:The inside-ear design for the PowerBeats 2 is a bit larger for the round part and shorter for the speaker part compared to the PowerBeats 1. The PowerBeats 1 were smaller for the round part and longer for the speaker part. I can see why people are having problems not liking the new design because the new design for PowerBeats 2 basically sits on top of the ear canal, instead of being inserted further down to give it a tighter seal. The Inside Ear Design was one of the main reasons why I was skeptical of purchasing because of having small ears. I personally think they fit fine, if not better because since the design is sitting on top of the ear canal the larger round part is not rubbing on my ear sitting inside like the PowerBeat 1 design.Ear Tip Design:The Ear Tip Design for the PowerBeats 2 is a single cone tip compared to the double cone tip on the PowerBeats 1. The tips that come with the PowerBeats 2 are XS, S, M, L, XL. The M is automatically inserted on the PowerBeats 2 when they arrive. The M design fits my small ears easily. If you want more of a tighter seal or need a larger size, then you can easily switch the tips out. If you want it to feel similar to the PowerBeats 1, you can switch out the single cone tip for a double cone tip easily.Charging:Charging for the PowerBeats 2 is now with a USB-C, instead of a lighting charger on PowerBeats 1. PowerBeats 2 also does not come with a charging cable, so you need to purchase one separately or use a current USB-C charging cord you own. My PowerBeats 2 arrived 70% charged, so I was able to use them instantly. The magnets for magnetic charging also feel stronger on PowerBeats 2 than on PowerBeats 1. The magnetic charging for PowerBeats 2 is located on the top and bottom of the large round part, instead of, on the outer part like on PowerBeats 1. PowerBeats still holds a charge for a longer period of time than other earphones especially with the charging case. This is another reason why I love the PowerBeats with how long they last on one charge. Perfect for if you are on the go or use them a lot for a long period of time.Sound:The sound for the PowerBeats 2 is very similar and a bit improved from the PowerBeats 1. New features for Active Noise Cancelling and Spatial Audio, which I am happy to see and try in the near future. Depending on what you are listening to such as music, some songs have very clear details while other songs feel flat, but it could be the way the song was mixed and mastered to begin with.Connectivity:If you have Apple Products such as an iPhone connectivity is the same and instant for the PowerBeats 2 as it is for the PowerBeats 1. It still reads text messages and calls of all types still sound great. It's one of my main reasons why I love the PowerBeats because it's very easy to use with other Apple products.New Features:New features on the PowerBeats 2 includes Active Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio (like surround sound or 3D audio effect listening), and Heart Monitor if you are active in the gym.Long Wear Period:I feel like the PowerBeats 2 and PowerBeats 1 longwear period is about the same. The PowerBeats 2 are still light where you forget you have them on, but after several hours it does start hurting your ear like the PowerBeats 1 do. This is just common with all earpieces that aren't custom mold fit to your ears.Packaging:The PowerBeats 2 has much cheaper packaging compared to other Beats products including the PowerBeats 1. The PowerBeats 2 packaging is basically a recycled cardboard box with a thin piece of paper holding it together. As soon as you take the paper around the box off, the package instantly opens and the PowerBeats could easily fall out if not unpackaging on a soft surface. Definitely thinner and less packaging than PowerBeats 1 as well.Price:I wouldn't have paid the $300 price when they first came out, but since they have come down in price, it was time to purchase. I was able to purchase these during Prime Days for $175.Overall:I really am enjoying the PowerBeats 2 compared to the PowerBeats 1. I feel like the new design will work better for me. I’m also excited to try all the new features on PowerBeats 2 while also having the same things I love about the PowerBeats 1 such as long hold charge, easy compatibility to other Apple Products, and how it reads my message to me. It’s perfect for me who is always on the go, listening to music, watching videos on my phone, doing video meetings and chatting on the phone.To purchase or not:The best way to know the PowerBeats 2 are for you is by purchasing them and testing them out for yourself. The worst that can happen is it doesn’t work for you for whatever reason and you can easily return them back for a refund.

Let me preface this review by saying I preordered these and have only had them for four days now. Typically I would wait longer to review a product, but saw the lousy reviews and felt compelled to tell a different story. I have no idea why these got 1 star. I know some technology has cult followings....an example might be Apple vs Android. I don't know, I don't get it.So you know where I'm coming from I used the Apple AirPod Pro v1 before upgrading to these new Powerbeats Pro 2s. The AirPod Pro v1s were good until they were not. I had them replaced under warranty once due to a crackling noise that seem to plague those. It came back and the warranty had long expired. So for me it was either simply upgrade to the AirPod Pro v2 or look elsewhere. I decided to look elsewhere and consulted a gym friend who had the Powerbeat Pro v1s. He raves about them. I started looking online and the timing was perfect! I saw that I could preorder the newer version. So I quickly pulled the trigger after doing some research. I saw the AirPod Pro v2 go on sale but that was not enough to entice me to stick with them.On a side note: My gym buddy also upgraded from the previous version and is happy with his purchase.One of the reasons I was ready to move away from the AirPod Pros was the fit. When working out they would always come loose and slip out. The Powerbeats seem to have addressed that problem with the ear loop and man, do they fit and feel great on the ear.....you don't even know that you have them on.They sound great! They sound just as good or better than the AirPod Pros when they were working properly and this is no surprise as they are built on the same technology as the AirPod Pro 2s. The bottom line is they are both Apple products.I haven't used all the features since they are so new. For example, the heart monitor is cool but I have an Apple Ultra Watch that I work out in that tracks my heart. As I understand it the watch takes precedence when you are wearing both.So again, this might be an early review but I felt compelled to share my positive experience. I'll try to come back and update it as I continue to work out in them. If you are on the fence go check out some of the "professional" reviews from the various tech sights that review these products. They all give them pretty high marks.Fit and feel = A++Sound Quality = A+Battery life = A+*I do not do reviews for a living and I paid full price for the earbuds.

1st set I thought there was a defect. Anytime you'd press the left ear button it would squelch quite loudly in the ear. Not comfortable to hear. Got a replacement, same problem. Found out this is an overlook by Apple. Anything but a full on perfect press of the button will cause a loud squeal or squelch in the ear. These are much better and more comfortable than the Gen 1's... however, for a $250 set of earbuds they should not be squealing in your ears if you don't press the button perfectly. Volume control is good. Fit is great. Color is cool. Buttons are garbage. Battery life is awesome.