In terms of codec support, you won't find aptX or aptX HD on-board, but you will get AAC and SBC on both Apple iOS and Android devices. The former is nice if you want to add a little more depth to the sound of your favorite music, while the latter makes the headphones' connection stable in a crowded listening environment. The Powerbeats Pro are obviously larger than most true wireless buds due to the hooks. And the need to fit in those hooks mean that the battery case is also larger than most true wireless rivals, and positively gargantuan compared to AirPods. However, the longevity that you gain as a result more than compensates. Beats claims 9 hours per charge, and 24 hours in total, by charging in the carry case, and that's what it delivers, I've found. You can also charge it for just 15 minutes and get hours and hours of extra play. It almost removes battery life as an issue, which is remarkable when you consider how limited most true wireless buds have been in that respect, up to now.

Detail is also good from the PowerBeats 3, with lots of pleasing little touches apparent in your favorite songs. An even more practical issue people might have with the Powerbeats is that they’re only IPX4 splash-resistant. This means they can take a bit of sweat, maybe an accidental splash from a water bottle or someone jumping in the pool, but they’re not water-proof. That means you need to be careful if you bring these with you to the beach and you should keep them as far away as you can from a pool party - if they stay submerged for more than a few seconds, they probably won’t ever work the same.

Fitness-focussed in-ears get the W1 treatment

The connection on the PowerBeats is strong throughout their use – although we did have a couple of issues with them during the test. It only occurred on a run in -6C (21.2F) temperature, but twice the PowerBeats just shut off and needed to be re-paired with the iPhone 7 Plus to get music playing again. While they're not the best wireless earbuds on the market, the Powerbeats are promising contenders when compared to similarly priced wireless headphones, and lightyears ahead of their original namesake that launched eight years ago.

To that end, buy these earbuds if you’re an Apple-loving gym-goer who can appreciate better-sounding music and features like hands-free Hey Siri, and don’t mind paying a bit more for those things. Also consider... Ultimately, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro impressed us, they’re simply not the best true wireless earbuds on the market. Powerbeats Pro are sweat and water resistant for non-water sports and exercise. Powerbeats Pro were tested under controlled laboratory conditions, and have a rating of IPX4 under IEC standard 60529. Sweat and water resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge wet Powerbeats Pro; refer to https://support.apple.com/en-uk/HT209542 for cleaning and drying instructions. The charging case is not sweat or water resistant.

The Beats Powerbeats Pro offer a good fit and great sound when you're at the gym

My for Powerbeats Pro requires an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 14.5 or later, iPad with iPadOS 14.5 or later, or Mac with macOS Big Sur 11.3 or later. Customers must have an Apple ID and be signed into their iCloud account with Find My enabled. Pro are sweat and water resistant for non-water sports and exercise. Powerbeats Pro were tested under controlled laboratory conditions, and have a rating of IPX4 under IEC standard 60529. Sweat and water resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge wet Powerbeats Pro; refer to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209542 for cleaning and drying instructions. The charging case is not sweat or water resistant. This ambidextrous approach continues with the pairing of these true wireless buds. Put in one bud and press play or talk to Siri, or take a call and it'll work. Replace it with the other and that'll work. Put in both and they'll pair like that and deliver stereo (or dual mono if we're talking calls and Siri) audio. The PowerBeats 3 are well-made, long-lasting and with good sound quality, which is a pleasing trio of merit for fitness headphones. I've tried elliptical trainers, treadmills, running up hills, cycling on London's pothole- and speed bump-strewn roads, bodyweight stuff, including whilst sweating like a bastard, and nothing has loosened the Powerbeats' grip. Unlike even the very best other running/workout buds I've tried, you can almost forget you're wearing Beats' buds, no matter how tough the exertion.

In terms of battery longevity, we used the PowerBeats 3 for four to five days on average before needing to charge them again, and that’s with both regular runs and general commuting use. Sharing is compatible with Beats Fit Pro, Beats Flex, Solo Pro, Powerbeats Pro, Powerbeats, Solo 3 Wireless, Powerbeats 3 Wireless, Beats Studio 3 Wireless, Beats X, AirPods (1st generation or later), AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max. Works with iPhone 8 or later and iPod touch (7th generation) with the latest version of iOS; and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation or later), 11-inch iPad Pro, 10.5-inch iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad Air (3rd generation), and iPad mini (5th generation) with the latest version of iPadOS. One issue with the design of the Beats Powerbeats Pro is that they do jut out of the ears a bit, and don’t have quite the same low-profile look as the Apple AirPods.

The revamped Powerbeats are a cheap alternative to the Powerbeats Pro

There are a variety of tips in the box, with flanged buds among our favourites. However, while the hook design does stop the headphones falling off your head completely, it means that the seal in the ear isn’t always total – the hook pressing against the outside of one’s ear can prise the buds out slightly, so noise isolation ends up not being perfect. That said, the Powerbeats Pro aren’t Apple-exclusive and will work with Android and Windows 10 devices. All you need to do is hold the pairing button inside the charging case and select the Powerbeats Pro on the device you want to pair. There’s almost no difference in sound quality that we could hear between a paired iOS device (our iPhone 8) and a paired Android device (our Google Pixel 3a XL), as both connections use Bluetooth 5.0. Okay, I'll get one minor caveat out of the way first. For voice calls, Siri use and the kind of all-day wearability that a lot of people today look for from buds, Powerbeats Pro are good… However, their deep fit means they can't be used in the same way as AirPods (and the various AirPod imitators and rip-offs). You aren't left with much situational awareness with two Powerbeats Pro inserted, although you can opt to just use one at a time which does improve that. The good news is that the Beats Powerbeats Pro sound good both during a workout and during your time away from the gym. Yes, there’s a slight flimsiness to the sound if you take a critical ear to it—but it’s not the kind of thing you notice during your workout.