Audio & Headphones · Head-to-head
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 vs JBL Endurance Race 2
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Sports Earbuds: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Powerbeats Pro 2 is the most secure, best-equipped workout earbud for people who train hard and want noise cancelling plus long battery. If you'd rather skip the earhooks and spend less, the JBL Endurance Race 2 swaps them for a wing enhancer and adds an IP68 waterproof rating, with noise cancelling still included.
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
Buy itThe most lock-in-place workout earbuds you can buy, now with active noise cancelling and on-board heart-rate tracking.
- Nickel-titanium reinforced flexible earhooks give the most secure fit in this group
- Genuinely effective active noise cancelling plus a transparency mode for road awareness
- Long endurance: Beats rates it at up to 10 hours per charge and 45 hours with the case, with ANC and Transparency off
- Earhooks and the case are bulkier than hook-free rivals and can clash with glasses or hats
- The built-in heart-rate sensor is a nice extra but a chest strap or watch is still more reliable for hard intervals
JBL Endurance Race 2
Buy itA hook-free sport bud with a twist-to-lock wing, an IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating, and noise cancelling for well under flagship money.
- Ergonomic wing enhancer with JBL's Twistlock design braces the bud in your ear without an earhook
- IP68 dustproof and waterproof earbuds, the toughest rating in this group, and JBL rates the case IPX2
- Long battery: JBL rates it at up to 12 hours per charge (10 with ANC) and 48 hours with the case, with ANC off
- Active noise cancelling plus Smart Ambient, with six Sports Mode presets in the JBL Headphones app
- A wing holds less firmly than an earhook for the hardest sprints and jumps, and suits some ear shapes better than others
- No heart-rate sensor, and JBL does not list wireless charging
Side by side
The 6 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Our pick | JBL Endurance Race 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Serious runners and gym-goers who want the most secure possible fit and don't mind earhooks. | Most people who want a secure, sweat-proof workout bud with noise cancelling and no earhook bulk. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
| Fit style & security | Earhook - most secure | Wing enhancer with Twistlock - secure |
| Sweat & water resistance | IPX4 (splash/sweat) | IP68 earbuds (dustproof, waterproof); case IPX2 |
| Noise control | Active noise cancelling + transparency | Active noise cancelling + Smart Ambient |
| Battery per charge | Up to 10 hours (8 with ANC) | Up to 12 hours (10 with ANC) |
| Sound for workouts | Full, punchy | Bass-forward, 6.8mm drivers |
| Standout extra | On-board heart-rate tracking | IP68 rating, Sports Mode presets |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 if
serious runners and gym-goers who want the most secure possible fit and don't mind earhooks.
Know before buying: earhooks and the case are bulkier than hook-free rivals and can clash with glasses or hats.
Pick the JBL Endurance Race 2 if
most people who want a secure, sweat-proof workout bud with noise cancelling and no earhook bulk.
Know before buying: a wing holds less firmly than an earhook for the hardest sprints and jumps, and suits some ear shapes better than others.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 - The most lock-in-place workout earbuds you can buy, now with active noise cancelling and on-board heart-rate tracking. Choose the JBL Endurance Race 2 instead if most people who want a secure, sweat-proof workout bud with noise cancelling and no earhook bulk.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Sports Earbuds: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).