For years, companies have tried to integrate heart rate monitoring into earbuds, but they never quite got it right. I tried several of these early attempts, only to find that the fit was never secure enough to deliver accurate readings. The buds would shift in my ears during workouts, leading to inconsistent heart rate tracking – or worse, they’d fall out altogether.
Beats aims to change that with the Powerbeats Pro 2, its latest fitness-focused earbuds. The Powerbeats Pro 2 has a snug fit and a more advanced sensor – a scaled-down version of the one used in the Apple Watch – to ensure accurate and reliable readings. And unlike earlier earbuds that often placed the sensor in only one ear, Beats has integrated the heart rate sensor into both earbuds for better consistency.
How Powerbeats Pro 2’s heart rate tracking works
In-ear heart rate tracking relies on photoplethysmography (PPG) – a fancy term for measuring blood flow using light. The Powerbeats Pro 2’s sensors emit green LED light, which reflects off the blood vessels in your ear. By analyzing changes in light absorption, the earbuds calculate your heart rate in real time.
Earlier heart rate tracking earbuds used a simpler version of PPG sensors that struggled with accuracy. These older sensors weren’t as responsive to subtle blood flow changes, often leading to spotty or incorrect readings. Fit was another major issue – if the earbuds shifted even slightly, it could throw off the measurement or cause the earbuds to lose tracking entirely.
The Powerbeats Pro 2 improve on this by using a more advanced optical sensor – essentially a scaled-down version of what’s in the Apple Watch. The over-ear hooks and five sizes of ear tips help keep the earbuds in place, preventing movement that could interfere with tracking. Plus, placing sensors in both earbuds instead of just one helps improve accuracy.
Read more: How to Get Earbuds to Fit Properly
A fitness-first design
The Powerbeats Pro 2 are built for intense workouts. Redesigned over-ear hooks are made from a nickel-titanium alloy that provides a more secure and comfortable fit. They also have an IPX4 rating, meaning they can handle sweat and splashes, making them ideal for gym sessions and outdoor runs.
For noise control, the Powerbeats Pro 2 include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Transparency Mode, powered by Apple’s H2 chip – the same chip found in the AirPods Pro 2. This allows the earbuds to dynamically adjust noise cancellation to block out distractions or let in ambient sounds when needed.
Read more: The Best Open Ear Headphones You Can Buy Today
Battery life remains impressive, with up to 8 hours of playback on a single charge (10 hours with ANC off), and the charging case extends total listening time to 45 hours. The case itself is 33% smaller than the previous version, making it more pocketable, and now supports both Qi wireless charging and USB-C for added convenience.
The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are available now for $249.99 on BeatsByDre.com and Amazon, and they come in four colorways: Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple, and Electric Orange.
If you've been looking for a heart rate monitor that doesn't require wearing a watch or chest strap, the Powerbeats Pro 2 may finally deliver the accuracy and stability that earlier earbuds couldn’t.
[Image credit: Beats]
