If you already bought AirPods Pro 3 this Black Friday, return them and get these instead

• You care about personality
• You prefer a more secure fit
• You don’t need Live Translation

It feels like Apple rules the device world, and for good reason. It pays off conveniently to live in its walled garden, but one thing I’ve never bought into was Apple’s famous line of Bluetooth headphones: AirPods. I’ve always preferred to stay away from the standard white buds, and I’ve never been a fan of the way the ear stem looks like it should have a wire attached to it. It seems I never got over the classic wired EarPods — which I still rock to this day, thank you very much.

However, the AirPods Pro 3 are the first pair from the tech giant that’s made me a little green with envy. The defining Live Translation, stellar ANC, and fitness features were enough to gain a sidelong look. Still, it didn’t take long for me to step back and think about what I actually needed in a pair of wireless buds.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 are objectively an impressive contender against the AirPods Pro 3 — and there are three reasons why I’d choose them over the latter, especially during this year’s Black Friday sales. The bottom line: the Powerbeats Pro 2 are $50 off right now at $200 and are $20 cheaper than Amazon’s listing for the AirPods Pro 3. It isn’t a massive difference, but if you agree with any of the reasons below, you should buy the Powerbeats Pro 2 over the AirPods Pro 3 anyway.

• Battery Life

  45 hours

  Charging Case Included?

  Yes

  Microphones

  6

  Brand

  Beats

  Bluetooth

  Bluetooth 5.3

  Beats’ Powerbeats Pro 2 are the latest athletic earbuds from the Apple-owned company. Featuring  Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ, and wireless charging, Powerbeats Pro 2 are 22% lighter and offer a 45-hour battery life.

• 

  Battery Life

  8 hours

  Bluetooth

  Yes

  Noise Cancellation

  ANC

  Charging Case

  Yes

  Price

  $249

  New AirPods Pro 3 features include Live Translation, IP57 sweat and water resistance, and a built-in heart rate sensor, allowing users to track workouts directly with the wireless earbuds.

You care about personality

Which AirPods have none of

What color do AirPods come in? White. What colors — emphasis on the ‘s’ — do the Powerbeats Pro 2 come in? Four: Jet Black, Electric Orange, Quick Sand, and Hyper Purple (my favorite).

I prefer my earbuds and headphones to all have a little personality. They’re typically one of my standout accessories, since most of my other devices and general style revolves around neutrals. Plus, I’m much less likely to confuse my purple Beats charging case with any AirPods cases if I put them down on a table somewhere. It spares me from a lot of confusion when I visit home and every Apple device in existence ends up on the kitchen counter.

It’s fun to be a little different, and feature-wise, you aren’t missing out on much when you choose the Powerbeats Pro 2 over the AirPods Pro 3. More on that later, but color choice is a worthy premium the Beats hold over AirPods.

Not to mention, Electric Orange will look a lot better next to an iPhone 17.

You prefer a more secure fit

I run half-marathons and go upside down in yoga

Yes, the AirPods Pro 3 are great earbuds in most situation, including the gym. But when I’m working out, the last thing in the world I want to worry about is whether or not my music is going to fall out of my ears — especially in downward dog, or worse, a headstand.

To each their own, but there’s just something about an ear bud that makes me nervous during workouts. I’ve always preferred Beats’ prioritization of security — from the flexible wingtip on the new Powerbeats Fit to the earhook that defines the Powerbeats Pro 2’s iconic look.

When I’m locked into a Vinyasa session or on sweaty mile 12 of a half-marathon, I need to know that my earbuds’ stability is covered and Innerbloom by RÜFÜS DU SOL isn’t going to get interrupted during the saxophone solo (or end up underfoot on the pavement). If you’re the kind of person who also prefers extra secure hardware, I’d absolutely recommend the Powerbeats Pro 2 over AirPods Pro 3. The earhook gives me peace of mind that I’m covered no matter what.

You don’t need Live Translation

Cool, but features are frills if you don’t need them

Apple may own Beats, but that doesn’t mean the parent company is sharing all the goodies with its audiophile adoptee. While the Powerbeats Pro 2 do sport the same powerful H2 chip the AirPods Pro 3 do, they don’t share every single feature.

Take a look at how the Powerbeats Pro 2 stack up nicely against their slightly more accomplished Apple step-sibling:

The AirPods Pro 3 don’t look so impressive now, do they? The main differences to highlight are that the AirPods Pro 3 only has slightly better ANC, a better IP rating, and a couple extra listening modes, including Live Translation. But the Powerbeats Pro 2 pull ahead with:​​​​​​​

• Better battery life
• Cross-platform compatibility
• More colorways
• Ear hook presence

Sure, the last two are personal preferences, but they were deal-breakers for me.

• 

  Battery Life

  45 hours

  Charging Case Included?

  Yes

  Microphones

  6

  Brand

  Beats

  Bluetooth

  Bluetooth 5.3

  Beats’ Powerbeats Pro 2 are the latest athletic earbuds from the Apple-owned company. Featuring  Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ, and wireless charging, Powerbeats Pro 2 are 22% lighter and offer a 45-hour battery life.

• 

  Battery Life

  8 hours

  Bluetooth

  Yes

  Noise Cancellation

  ANC

  Charging Case

  Yes

  Price

  $249

  New AirPods Pro 3 features include Live Translation, IP57 sweat and water resistance, and a built-in heart rate sensor, allowing users to track workouts directly with the wireless earbuds.