Skip AirPods Pro 3: The Best Alternative at the Lowest Price

If you were going to wait for AirPods Pro 3, it’s time to change course. Beats’ Powerbeats Pro 2 are back to an all-time low price of $180, a 28 percent discount from the $250 list price. As you can see in the price tracking graphs below, this serves as a floor for the model according to these deal analysts — and is an uncommonly low chance to pick up one of the best AirPods alternatives going without paying flagship money.

Why This Alternative Makes Sense Right Now for Buyers

AirPods Pro 3 have only just launched and anyway, new Apple audio hardware traditionally sticks to retail price for a decent whack of time. If you seek high-end ANC earbuds that also work just fine with an iPhone, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are the pragmatic choice. They fit nicely with Apple’s ecosystem and can pair over iCloud; they even offer some fitness features AirPods don’t prioritize, for much less than it costs to upgrade right away.

Fitness Tracking Beyond Music with In-Ear Heart Rate

The marquee feature is in-ear heart rate tracking, which delivers numbers like beats per minute, steps and estimated calories to the Fitness app while you’re exercising. Fitness+ users can view live stats on the lock screen’s Burn Bar, transforming the earbuds into bare-bones workout partners — no watch necessary. You can even record heart rate with just one earbud if you like to run or lift weights while keeping an ear free.

For the common athlete, it’s all about those secure over-ear hooks and weight ratio more than spec sheets would have you believe. For high-intensity sessions, coaches constantly emphasize stability over style — and the hook design here is a dramatic way to minimize mid-workout readjustments. It’s not just comfort: by ensuring constant sensor contact, you get better heart-rate accuracy during move-heavy workouts.

Battery Life and Controls Built for Real-World Use

Battery life is a clear win: up to 10 hours of listening on a charge and up to 45 hours with the case. It’s a stronger score than can be expected from AirPods-style buds in this class, and is genuinely useful — particularly for those who travel or run marathon training blocks. For easy top-ups, the case is Qi wireless charging enabled.

Physical buttons on each earbud control volume, skipping tracks and calls without the need for squeeze or swipe gestures. That’s a little thing that adds up to a big thing if your hands are already sweaty, or you already have gloves on.

Noise Cancelling, Sound and Smart Features

Active noise cancellation is decent and combined with a spirited, bass-forward tuning that keeps energy levels high for workouts or commutes. Transparency mode is good for quick situational awareness checks at crosswalks or in office chats, and spatial audio is on the table for compatible content.

After a recent update to the software, Siri Interactions now allow you to nod your head to accept an incoming call or shake your head to decline one — no taps needed.

It’s a genuinely handy feature when your phone is in an armband or you’re otherwise busy. Voice assistant is still an option with hands-free operation.

Difference in iPhone and Android Experience

Unsurprisingly, richer integration pops up with iPhone as it does with many Apple-adjacent earbuds: one-touch pairing, switchable devices without any fiddling of Bluetooth settings, Fitness app metrics, Find My support. Android users are not left hanging, however. On Android, the Beats app features heart rate readouts, ANC and transparency levels, spatial audio functions, battery widgets, one-touch pairings and Locate My Beats. Features are uniform across platforms but the last coat of polish and reliability also leans slightly better on iOS, which is in line with testing conducted by outlets like Rtings and Consumer Reports with cross-platform earbuds.

How It Stacks Up Against AirPods Pro 3 for Athletes

AirPods Pro 3 double down on small design, top-end ANC and that bud-and-stem look. Powerbeats Pro 2 go the other way: for athletes first, extended battery life and on-board workout metrics. If you find yourself spending more time in the gym or on a trail than in a conference room, the Beats are functionally a better fit — and much kinder to your budget today.

Buying Advice and Price Check for Powerbeats Pro 2

Considering Apple’s consistent discount release cycle, it may be a good few months before you see AirPods Pro 3 for anything close to this price once again. In the meantime, $180 for the Powerbeats Pro 2 is an aggressive floor. Market trackers like IDC have time and again pointed out that Apple (and, by extension, Beats) rule the premium wearable roost and wholesale markdowns on newer, popular models rarely dip below this bar.

If you care about fitness features, battery life and a snug fit — and don’t want to pay early-adopter prices — this is the smart purchase.

Snatch them up while they’re still on the cheap, because typically we don’t enjoy standard pricing floors like this for very long.