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Powerbeats Pro
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Solo 3
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

If you prioritize comfort and battery life, the Powerbeats Pro would be a better choice, with a longer battery life on a single charge and a design suitable for exercise; however, they lack a wired option. The Solo 3 offers a more classic over-ear headphone form, potentially better for those who prefer physical cables or require longer overall battery life with the flexibility to go wired. For noise isolation, both are comparable, but the high portability of the Powerbeats Pro due to their smaller size might be advantageous if you're always on the go. Neither have active noise cancelling, and both are well-suited to use with iOS devices due to the AAC codec support. Give Feedback

this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Beats Powerbeats Pro
  • Good for phone calls
  • Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Beats Solo 3
  • Very good for air travel

Key differences

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Phone Calls

7.0
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
4.7
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is good for phone calls, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

9.2
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
5.8
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.

Noise Reduction

4.6
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
5.3
The Beats Solo 3 and Beats Powerbeats Pro are both poor for noise reduction, though the Beats Solo 3 is somewhat better.

Battery

10.0 Hours
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
41.5 Hours
The Beats Powerbeats Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The Beats Solo 3 has 41.5 hours of battery life.

Build Quality

8.8
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
8.0
The Beats Powerbeats Pro and Beats Solo 3 both have very good build quality, though the Beats Powerbeats Pro has somewhat better build quality.
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Key similarities

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Music

6.5
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
6.3
The Beats Powerbeats Pro and Beats Solo 3 are both only fair for music.

Gaming

5.5
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
5.3
The Beats Powerbeats Pro and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for gaming.

TV and Video

5.7
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
5.6
The Beats Powerbeats Pro and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for TV and video.

Cost

$124
Powerbeats Pro
Solo 3
$117
Product imageProduct image

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

The Beats Powerbeats Pro has a price of $124 and the Beats Solo 3 costs $117.

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How the Beats Powerbeats Pro and the Beats Solo 3 compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Beats Powerbeats ProBeats Solo 3
Beats Powerbeats ProBeats Solo 3

GENERAL

Price
$124
$117
Brand
BeatsBeats
Release Date
May 1, 2019October 1, 2016
Form Factor
EarbudsHeadphones
Connectivity
WirelessWired + Wireless

SOUND

Music Score
6.5/106.3/10
Phone Calls Score
7/104.7/10
Gaming Score
5.5/105.3/10
TV and Video Score
5.8/105.6/10
Exercise Score
6.6/105.9/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
10 Hours41.5 Hours
Wireless charging
NoNo
Charging time
1.5 Hours2 Hours
Bluetooth version
54.2
Case Battery Life
24N/A

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoNo
Noise Reduction Score
4.6/105.3/10
Virtual Surround
NoNo
Android App
YesYes
iOS App
NoYes
Mic Quality
6/105.4/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
8.8/108/10
Comfort score
8/105.7/10
Size
LargeN/A
Weight (headset or single earbud)
11 Grams213.1 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedIntegrated

Shopping

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Beats Powerbeats Pro

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Dig into reviews and images

Sound Guys

Christian Thomas | November 2022
"Sweat resistance, actual noise isolation, and a secure fit in your ears make these the true wireless earphones you want in Apple-land. Android users may find other options they like better, as these only support AAC."

Beats Solo 3

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Dig into reviews and images

Sound Guys

Lily Katz | May 2023
"The Beats Solo3 Wireless is an old set of headphones but still works reliably well with iPhones, due to W1 chip integration and AAC support. The Beats Solo3 Wireless holds up well today with just a few features showing its age."

Get a great deal on the Beats Powerbeats Pro or the Beats Solo 3

About Beats

Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.

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Why trust us

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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
122,900
Recommendations made
18,435
Consumer hours saved

About the Earbuds or Headphones team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Luis Torres

Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.

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