Apple AirPods Pro (1st generation) vs Beats Powerbeats (2020)

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AirPods Pro (1st generation) compared with Powerbeats (2020)

	AppleAirPods Pro (1st generation)	BeatsPowerbeats (2020)
Overview
Released
Released	October 2019	March 2020
Sound
Type
Type	In-ear	In-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	Yes	No
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	Yes	–
Spatial audio with head tracking
Spatial audio with head tracking	Yes	–
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	SBC and AAC	SBC and AAC
Lossless over USB-C
Lossless over USB-C	No	–
Chip
Chip	H1	Apple H1
Drivers
Drivers	Custom high-excursion Apple driver and high dynamic range amplifier	–
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling detail	Outward- and inward-facing microphones; noise cancellation adjusts 200 times per second; pressure-equalising vents	–
Audio features
Audio features	Adaptive EQ; Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking added after launch; Audio Sharing; AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs (What Hi-Fi?)	SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs (SoundGuys); no active noise cancellation or automatic ear detection (Tech Advisor)
Hearing health
Hearing health	Conversation Boost, Live Listen, headphone levels and Headphone Accommodations	–
Battery
Listening time (maker's claim)
Listening time (maker's claim)	Up to 4.5 hours	Up to 15 hours
Wireless charging
Wireless charging	Yes	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Up to 5 hours with ANC and Transparency off; more than 24 hours of listening with case recharges (Apple's claim)	Apple's retained Powerbeats AMBUSH colour-edition release confirms the shared 15-hour listening claim
Charging case
Charging case	Original Wireless Charging Case supports Qi and Lightning; MagSafe Charging Case added in 2021 also supports MagSafe	–
Fast charging
Fast charging	Around 1 hour of listening after 5 minutes in the case	Lightning Fast Fuel charging; Apple's retained Powerbeats AMBUSH release says up to 1 hour from a 5-minute charge, while SoundGuys reports 1.5 hours
Design
Weight (each earbud)
Weight (each earbud)	5.4 g	–
Water and sweat resistance
Water and sweat resistance	IPX4	IPX4
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	5.0	5.0
Controls
Controls	Force sensor for playback, calls and switching ANC/Transparency; “Hey Siri”; no stem volume adjustment	Playback, track, call and volume buttons on the right earbud; power button on the left; hands-free Hey Siri with compatible Apple devices
Microphones
Microphones	Dual beamforming and inward-facing microphones; dual optical sensors, motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers	Dual beam-forming microphones and a speech-detecting accelerometer
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Silicone tips in S, M and L; Ear Tip Fit Test	Adjustable ear hooks joined by a round cable; four ear-tip sizes
Case weight
Case weight	45.6 g	–
Dimensions
Dimensions	Each earbud 30.9 × 21.8 × 24.0 mm; original case 45.2 × 60.6 × 21.7 mm (height × width × depth)	–
Water resistance detail
Water resistance detail	IPX4 earbuds; Wireless Charging Case and MagSafe Charging Case are not sweat or water resistant	–
Works with
Works with	Apple devices with current iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS or tvOS; Bluetooth audio with older Apple software and non-Apple devices, with limited features	Class 1 Bluetooth and Apple H1 pairing; Audio Sharing with compatible Apple devices; Bluetooth 5.0 identified by SoundGuys and Tech Advisor
Colours
Colours	White	Black, White and Red at launch (MacRumors); later AMBUSH Glow edition with a glow-in-the-dark finish and ripstop pouch
In the box
In the box	AirPods Pro, charging case, three sizes of silicone tips, Lightning to USB-C cable, documentation	Earphones, four ear-tip sizes, Lightning to USB-A charging cable and carrying pouch; AMBUSH edition uses a ripstop pouch