Skipping the AirPods Pro 3? Your best alternative are at their lowest price ever

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Amazon’s October Prime Day sale is in full swing, and products like the Powerbeats Pro 2 are at their lowest price during the shopping event. The heart-tracking earbuds are 28% off, or $70 off their original price, bringing the sale price to $180. 

This deal will be available until Oct. 11. Although there is a lot of hype around the AirPods Pro 3, their recent release means they won’t be on sale for a while. If you want in-ear heart rate monitoring and earbuds that operate with your iPhone similarly to the Pro 3, now’s a great time to grab the Powerbeats Pro 2.

Also: Best Amazon Prime Day deals 2025: Our 90+ favorite sales this October

Like the AirPods Pro 3, the Powerbeats Pro 2 have in-ear heart monitoring capabilities, tracking your heart rate, steps taken, and calories burned while wearing them and completing a workout in your iPhone’s Fitness app. Fitness+ subscribers can view these metrics in real time on their iPhone’s Burn Bar, which is active on their lock screen during a workout. However, to access these features, you’ll need to update your phone to iOS 26.

Additionally, the Powerbeats Pro 2 promise up to 10 hours of playback and up to 45 hours of battery life with the charging case, which is two and 24 more hours, respectively, than the AirPods Pro 3. Even more similar to the AirPods Pro 3, you can track your heart rate with the Powerbeats Pro 2 by wearing just one of the earbuds in your ear.

A recent software update brought Siri Interactions to Powerbeats Pro 2. This feature allows iOS users to nod their heads yes or shake their heads no to accept or reject incoming calls. It also allows for hands-free management of incoming text messages and other notifications.

The only caveat is that many of the Powerbeats Pro 2’s best features are exclusive to iOS users; Android users can still track their heart rate and view metrics in the Beats app. Android users can also access spatial audio, active noise cancellation, and transparency mode, although these features perform best with iOS. The Beats app for Android also features one-touch pairing, control customization, battery status widgets, and Locate My Beats compatibility.

Also: Your Powerbeats Pro 2 are getting a serious upgrade – but there’s a catch

Design-wise, the Powerbeats Pro 2 differ greatly from the AirPods Pro 3, sporting sturdy yet flexible over-ear hooks for a secure and stable fit. These earbuds also have buttons on the earbuds for onboard physical controls for volume and track skips. Still, the Powerbeats Pro 2’s ear hooks are ideal for intense workouts, as they are more likely to prevent unintentional slipping while the earbuds are in your ear.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 have adequate noise cancellation and a bass-forward, exciting sound profile. The charging case is compatible with Qi-certified wireless chargers, and the earbuds feature the same advanced H2 audio chip as the AirPods Pro 3.

Since their recent firmware update, the Powerbeats Pro 2 perform better than ever. If AirPods’ traditional bud-and-stem design doesn’t work well with your active lifestyle, it’s a good time to take advantage of this deal.

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How I rated this deal 

ZDNET’s deal rating criteria place this deal at a 4/5. Not only are the Powerbeats Pro 2 at their lowest price, but they’ve recently received a much-needed firmware update that makes them worth the money. Before the update, I disliked the Powerbeats Pro 2 — they lacked essential audio features, and the heart rate tracking feature was unpolished. Since then, they work more smoothly and intuitively with iOS devices.