Attention has shifted away from the Powerbeats3 Wireless earphones now that Apple-owned Beats has launched the Powerbeats Pro — and that’s not such a bad thing, as it has resulted in Amazon reducing the price of the bass-heavy, sport-ready earbuds to $100.
The Powerbeats3, which once retailed for $200, are armed with all the usual features you’d expect to find on a set of high-end workout-oriented wireless headphones, including water-resistance (for sweat) and a long-lasting battery (for marathons).
That cell can be taken from flat to having enough juice for an hour of use within a mere five minutes of being hooked up to an outlet — so if you arrive at the gym only to find them dead, they’ll be raring to go by the time you finish your creatine.
With Beats being owned by Apple, the Powerbeats3 have a useful function that’ll benefit both iPhone and iPod owners, which is the option to launch Siri using the volume rocker that’s mounted on the wire affixed to the left earbud.
The inclusion of Apple’s W1 chip — the same one inside the original AirPods — also assures hassle-free pairing with iOS devices and an extensive Bluetooth range; though don’t expect to be wandering for miles before the connection scatters.
Each earbud is flanked by a wraparound hook that, well, wraps around each ear, holding the buds firmly in place during activities that require a lot of vertical movement, like dancing, gymnastics, running, and even trampolining.
To be clear: Although the Powerbeats3 are water-resistant, Beats hasn’t disclosed the rating they were assigned. With that in mind, we wouldn’t recommend exposing them to jets of water, let alone submerging them in shallow or deep bodies.
If you love that Beats design and sound, and are on the hunt for a bargain, you can’t go wrong with the Powerbeats3 for $100. After all, that’s a total saving of $100 — and a 50%-off reduction isn’t something you stumble upon every day.
But if you’re in the market for something a little more versatile, with not-so-bass-heavy audio, we’d recommend consulting our headphone buying guide. It outlines what makes a fantastic set of buds for each and every use case.
