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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and durability while using earbuds during exercise, the Beats Powerbeats Pro are built for that, with higher comfort and controls quality, plus they are sweatproof. However, Moondrop Nekocake offers better noise isolation, portability, and is optimized for air travel at a lower price point. The Powerbeats also have substantially longer battery life, but if budget is a significant factor, the Nekocake provides a more affordable option with decent sound and comfort for casual use. Neither offers active noise cancelling or lossless codec support, but both support the AAC codec, making them suitable for Apple devices. 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 Moondrop Nekocake
Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
6.5/10
5.7/10
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is only fair for music, while the Moondrop Nekocake is poor.
Gaming
5.5/10
4.6/10
The Beats Powerbeats Pro and Moondrop Nekocake are both poor for gaming, though the Beats Powerbeats Pro is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
7.0/10
6.1/10
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is good for phone calls, while the Moondrop Nekocake is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.2/10
7.7/10
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Moondrop Nekocake is good.
TV and Video
5.7/10
5.0/10
The Beats Powerbeats Pro and Moondrop Nekocake are both poor for TV and video, though the Beats Powerbeats Pro is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
4.6/10
7.0/10
The Moondrop Nekocake is good for noise reduction, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Beats Powerbeats Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The Moondrop Nekocake has 3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$124
$39
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Beats Powerbeats Pro has a price of $124 and the Moondrop Nekocake costs $39.
"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."
"What sets the Nekocake apart from its competition at this price point is the Moondrop Link app that allows the user to change the tonal balance of the Nekocake. This makes sure that it’s versatile enough to suit different sonic preferences while allowing some customization of controls."
Get a great deal on the Beats Powerbeats Pro or the Moondrop Nekocake
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 Moondrop
Moondrop is a Chinese brand of smart audio equipment, portable audio players, earbuds and headphones started in 2015. During the last few years they have become one of the major players in what is lovingly referred to as the Chi-fi market, the bulk of Chinese companies that have managed to actually compete with the western manufacturers in both prices and superior quality. Products such as the Blessing II, Chu and Kato are among the most popular offerings of the brand, more popular among those users that wish for good quality audio that won't break the bank. Besides audio, the brand also works in what they call the ACGN field (Animation, Comics, Games and Short Novels).
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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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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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.