Without a doubt, the wireless headphones market is gradually gaining prominence. Following the recent launch of AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro, Apple-owned Beats has decided to launch their new Powerbeats 4 . But we must emphasize that now this ‘4’ has been omitted in the trade name, as Apple has done with its latest basic iPad.
The novelties of these new wireless headphones from Beats are quite small since we only observed changes in the design and also in its processor. In this article we will try to analyze each aspect of this team.
Design
Visually these Powerbeats 4 have wanted to look much more like the Powerbeats Pro except for the cable that connects both headphones. In addition to this cable that connects them, the hook that is present also stands out and allows it to be kept perfectly placed on the ear. This makes these headphones perfect for athletes by making sure they won’t fall off when doing outdoor activities.
If we look at each of the headphones, on the left we have the pairing buttons as well as the power button. On the right earphone, on the contrary, there is a volume control and a special button that will control the play / pause of the music as well as the voice assistant controller. This makes them much more attractive than AirPods since there are lovers of these physical buttons who do not want to let them go.
Like the AirPods Pro, we are dealing with in-ear headphones through silicone pads that are inserted into the ear canal. Inside the box you can find different pad sizes that we will have to try to get a better fit in our ear so that they do not fall off easily.
As we have previously mentioned, these Powerbeats stand out for having a cable that goes through the back of our neck. This is certainly interesting especially to support them on the neck when we stop using them momentarily. It is true that it can take away some freedom by not being completely wireless but you always have to find a ‘pro’ for this design that everyone may not like.
Connectivity
These new Powerbeats 4 are distinguished from the rest basically by the processor it includes. In this fourth generation , the Apple H1 processor has been included, which is the same that is included in both the AirPods Pro and the second generation AirPods. This is why much more stable stability is achieved as well as much better call quality in the event that we do it in unfavorable wind conditions.
In addition, you can also invoke the voice assistant of our iPhone, Siri, through the voice command ‘Hey Siri’ . In this way we can perform different quick actions such as making calls or controlling our music without touching the iPhone. But the truth is that with the presence of the physical buttons on the sides, the assistant makes little sense. In the case of AirPods it is essential because there are no physical buttons and to lower the volume it is essential but in Powerbeats this is not necessary. In the same way, the inclusion of this latest generation processor is greatly appreciated and offers us greater sound quality and stability.
Noise Cancellation
Unfortunately, these Powerbeats do not include any type of active noise cancellation as in the case of the AirPods Pro. This is why we will have to “put up” with the ambient noise when we wear them. But if it should be noted that thanks to the included pads we can have a passive noise cancellation that may be enough, but obviously it will not reach the level of active noise cancellation.
But we must reflect on whether or not it is worth including noise cancellation in this product. Obviously we are dealing with a device that is very thought for the most active athletes and in this case noise cancellation may not be adequate. If we put ourselves in the situation of jogging on the street, we must continue to listen to our environment in case a car comes fast enough to be able to go carefully and avoid the accident.
But obviously not all users who buy these Powerbeats are athletes, so it could be included but with the possibility of deactivating it. Although we must bear in mind that this would have significantly increased the price and would not be of interest in the commercial field.
Sound quality
The overall sound with these Powerbeats is what we all expected. It is quite similar to the one we have in the Powerbeats Pro so we have a fully balanced sound and it can be seen quite well both the bass and the mids.
Resistances and autonomy
As we have previously said, these are ideal headphones for athletes as much for their design as for the resistance. Obviously they must be sweat-proof, so they have IPX4 protection to carry them comfortably in the gym without worrying that they end up breaking due to performing too intense an exercise. But the truth is that this is what we expected in headphones that are designed for athletes.
Regarding autonomy, from Beat s they promise a total of 15 hours between charge and charge. This time we obviously do not have a case where they are stored and recharged. To recharge it is as simple as connecting the Lightning cable on the right side. And in the end if we need to use them urgently we can charge them for 5 minutes to obtain an autonomy of more or less an hour.
Price
Right now the Powerbeats 4 can be purchased on both the Apple and Beats websites . The price is exactly the same: € 149.95. And unlike AirPods they are available in different colors so you can match our tastes: red, white and black.
For us it is a more than fair price for the features it includes, which is quite similar to that of the second generation AirPods, which also do not include noise cancellation.
