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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Beats Powerbeats Pro are earbuds suitable for exercise due to their sweatproof design, secure fit with ear hooks, and wireless form factor, offering good sound quality and built-in controls. They also provide decent sound isolation but lack active noise cancelling. On the other hand, the HifiMan Edition XS are premium over-ear headphones that deliver superior sound quality and an expansive soundstage, ideal for an immersive audio experience. They're better for home use, as they are open-back and wired, making them less portable and not suitable for exercise or noisy environments. If price is a concern and you need versatility for active use, Powerbeats Pro may be better; if audio quality is your priority and you primarily listen in quiet settings, consider the HifiMan Edition XS. 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
Good for air travel
Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the HifiMan Edition XS
Very good for music
Good for gaming
Best in class for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.5/10
8.8/10
The HifiMan Edition XS is very good for music, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro is only fair.
Gaming
5.5/10
7.4/10
The HifiMan Edition XS is good for gaming, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro is poor.
Phone Calls
7.0/10
5.0/10
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is good for phone calls, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.2/10
7.9/10
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
TV and Video
5.7/10
9.5/10
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro is poor.
Noise Reduction
4.6/10
2.5/10
The Beats Powerbeats Pro and HifiMan Edition XS are both poor for noise reduction, though the Beats Powerbeats Pro is somewhat better.
Battery
10.0 Hours
N/A
The Beats Powerbeats Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The HifiMan Edition XS does not have a battery.
Cost
$124
$269
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Beats Powerbeats Pro has a price of $124 and the HifiMan Edition XS costs $269.
"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."
"The Edition XS easily compete with headphones in their price range with a very high price-to-performance ratio. The XS are an amazing value and offer performance not far off from headphones more than twice their cost. These will be a mind-blowing revelation for enthusiasts and music lovers who have only heard standard big-brand mainstream headphones."
Get a great deal on the Beats Powerbeats Pro or the HifiMan Edition XS
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.
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
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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.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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.