Beats by Dr. Dre - Powerbeats³ Wireless - Black

Let me start out by saying I owned two pairs of PowerBeats 2. These were the best wireless headphones I had ever purchased. Very durable, and extremely reliable, and I used heavily for working out on daily basis. I recommended these to everyone I knew. So logically I invested in the PowerBeats 3 when my PB2's microphone and buttons started to give. The market has since exploded with Bluetooth wireless headphones, and the price points have become increasingly competitive, so I expected Beats to really step up PB3 and really improve on an already great brand. And honestly, they did not. While the PB3 has a 12 hour battery life (compared to the PB2 of 6 hours, and that's a huge upgrade), this is probably the only really pro I can assign to the PB3. The PB3 construction right away I noticed is cheap in design, and Beats clearly cut corners on their product. Some notable flaws in the PB3: 1. Construction - The PB2's had the microphone and volume buttons encased in a rubber protective layer, and this was great because it offered more protection against dirt, sweat, and general wear and tear. The PB3's microphone and power buttons are just straight plastic instead, and besides no longer offering better grip and protection from outside elements, feel flimsy from the get go. Also the PB2's had a tiny rubber flap that allowed you to seal off and protect the charging port. The PB3's does not have this, which is really baffling (how much does a 1/3 cm piece of rubber cost to make???). Again, if you are working out, sweat, water, etc. can easily get in there and if the charging port breaks because of undesired elements slipping in there, well then the headphones are completely useless. 2. Sound quality- While the sound quality is good on the PB3, it's honestly no different then the PB2. After numerous times listening to the same song (I would switch between the headphones to compare), I never felt the PB3 sounded any better. If anything there were a few songs I felt sounded much more full on the PB2. 3. Price - The PB2 I got on sale for $99. I've been able to get the PB3 for about $129 on sale up to this point. The PB3 are flat out $200 with no sale, and that's really pushing it considering what even $100 and under can get you nowadays with Bluetooth headphones. I definitely don't feel the quality of the PB3 warrants the price tag. 4. Functionality - I've had the same phone from the time I was using the PB2 and the PB3, and only with the PB3 have I experienced a few times very odd boot loops (the headphones keep disconnecting even when the battery is full) where I've had to reset the PB3 completely (p.s. you can do that by holding the power button and down button for about 10 secs). Never had that happen with PB2. 5. Carrying case. The PB2 was zip case, with a durable outside shell and offered ample room. The PB3 is a huge flop; it's just a piece of rubber with a slit in the top to slide them in (no zipper), and it's extremely cramped with the cord in the case (I use my old PB2 case to carry my PB3 in, thank god I didn't toss it) TLDR: You can't market your headphones to be a top competitor for higher quality workout headphones and then take these cheap corner-cutting steps that degrade the product, especially from one generation to the next. And that in my opinion is exactly what Beats did. PowerBeats 3 have taken a step backwards from their predecessor, and with the increased competition (and better price points) from rival brands (Bose, JBL, etc.) I would advise looking elsewhere for a better quality pair of bluetooth headphones for your money.

Three months ago, I was in the market for a new pair of headphones. I looked at many different brands, styles, and price points. In the end I decided on purchasing the Powerbeats 3 by Beats. When I was in my teenage years, I purchased a pair of Bose over the ear headphones, and absolutely fell in love with high end, expensive headphones. This led me down a road of purchasing quality headphones for the years to come. I made my decision to purchase the Powerbeats 3 based on their build quality, sound quality, long lasting batteries, and exceptional Bluetooth range. The Powerbeats 3 are marketed as fitness headphones which means that one of their best qualities is that they will stay in your ears, no matter how much jumping, running, or moving around that you do. This is accomplished with a rubberized hook that extends up from the top of the headphones and wraps around your ears, essentially locking them into place in your ear canal. The buds are at an angle to the headphones, which make them fit into your ears comfortably, and at least in my ears make a solid seal which blocks out outside noise. I find that when I wear them even without any audio playing the ambient noises are greatly reduced in my ears. With music playing, I cannot hear the outside noises at all. A similarly rubberized band connects the two ear pieces, which I wear behind my neck. The built-in remote sits on the band just under your left ear, allowing for volume control, and moving on to the next track. The buttons are pronounced, and easy to use without being able to see them. On top of the left earbud is a flush power button that is easy to use and provides a satisfying melodic tone that informs you when the headphones are powered on and connected to your Bluetooth device. The Bluetooth range is exceptional as well, far outperforming the range of Bluetooth devices I’ve owned in the past. With the Powerbeats 3 I can leave my phone in my bedroom and walk throughout the downstairs of my home without losing signal. This equates to about 35 ft range, including through several walls. When I am working outside, I have been able to go up to 75 ft away line of sight without losing signal. Compared to the previous Bose headphones I owned, the Powerbeats 3 headphones have slightly decreased sound quality, but that is to be expected since they are different styles of headphones. The Powerbeats 3 have high amount of bass to them due to the battery powered drivers built into the headphones. I think this is due to them being classified as fitness headphones, as many people working out like to have loud, heavy bass music going to pump them up and motivate them to work harder. The audio isn’t drowned out by the base though, but rather has full, and rich sound that is just heavier on the bass side. The volume isn’t quite what I’d like it to be, as sometimes I’ve attempted to turn up the sound, and found it lacking at the top volume. This has only accounted for maybe 2 or 3 percent of the time I’m listening to them though. I often listen to piano music on these headphones while working on my homework, and find the piano sound full and rich, leaving my completely satisfied with the sound quality. One way that these headphones completely outclass much of their competition is with the battery life. While many of its competitors sport a battery life of around 6 hours, the Powerbeats 3 clock in at a whopping 12 hours, meaning I can go days without having to charge them. When needing to charge, they have a quick charge function that will give an hour of play time off only a 5 min charge. To charge the batteries completely takes approximately 1 hour. On the bottom of the left ear bud there is a micro USB slot for charging. Even though the charging port is left exposed and uncovered, the manufacturer claims that it won’t be damaged by sweat, rain, or moisture of any kind which is important for fitness headphones. Overall, I am a big fan of these headphones, and would definitely purchase them again. The superior build quality makes me believe that they will last for years to come, as long as I can keep them in my possession and don’t lose them. Although rarely on the quieter side, the sound quality is excellent, if not exceptional for the type of headphones they are. It is incredibly convenient to be able to leave my phone sitting in one place and be able to walk around my home, or the gym and be confident in the Bluetooth range. I would recommend these headphones for anyone wanting a pair of quality Bluetooth earbuds in the $100-$200 range.

Let me preface by saying that in the past year and a half of hiking (I hike at least 2 times a week and walk around the neighborhood at least 3 times a week), I was using Jaybird X2s. The X2s were excellent but I needed to get a new pair because I really beat this pair up. Things I noticed about the Jaybird X2s: - Excellent sweat/water resistance (even while hiking in 4 hours of rain in Yosemite) - Used with Comfy earbuds, you can absolutely remove ambient noise (which can be a bad thing if you are hiking alone but great if you just want to listen to music) -I never wore them underear during hiking because they didn't seem to stay in the ear while hiking. When worn over the ear, they stayed put nicely. -I used them to listen to music on an iphone 6S plus. I rarely used them to make/take calls because where I hike is remote and has no cell service. -Bluetooth connectivity was good but not great. Connecting always required me to go into the iOS Bluetooth settings to find the device. So as I researched for a new pair, I narrowed it down to the Jaybird X3s and the Beats Powerbeats 3. About 2 weeks ago I purchased the Jaybird X3s based on my past positive experience with the X2s and I got a 10% off coupon at Best Buy. I tried out the X3s for those two weeks and here is my feedback: -The look great (I bought the black pair) and are smaller than the X2s in that they don't stick out of your ear as noticeably. -I do like the new charging mechanism on the in line control vs. the X2s where you plugged into a port on one of the earpods. The reason I like this is because the cover's attachment on the earpod that exposes the port to charge the headphones on the X2s eventually broke...so whenever I would charge the X2s I had to make sure to keep the plastic cover close by otherwise I wouldn't have anything to cover the exposed port after completing the charge. -Even though they seem smaller, I still wore the X3s over ear because when I tried to wear them underear, they seemed to feel like they were going to fall out. I even tried the various ear fins and different Comfy earbuds and it didn't make a difference. -Sound quality was pretty good and seemed better than the X2s. Sound isolation with the Comfy earbuds was excellent. -Connectivity: The Bluetooth connectivity was on par with the X2s. However, connecting to the new MySound app worked probably two times over the 2 week trial period. I had to call Jaybird support and we went through all the troubleshooting steps and it still wouldn't connect the MySound app to my Apple iPhone 6S plus. Looking at other forums online, others had the same issue. After my experience with the MySound application on the X3s not working, I decided to return them. I opted to try the Powerbeats 3 because the price reduced to $149.99 (from $199.99) and Best Buy honored my 10% coupon on top of that! After trying the Powerbeats out for several days, I couldn't be happier. What I like about the Powerbeats 3s is that I totally feel secure with them on. Because of the ear hooks, I don't feel like they will even fall off my ears. Aside from the secure fit, I actually do prefer that the earpods allow me to hear ambient sounds. This is particularly important because I often hike alone and need to be aware of my surroundings. -They sound great, a little more bassy compared to the X2/X3. I do like that option of custom EQ via MySound app on X3s but it unfortunately didn't work for me...and I believe you have to have an internet connection for the MySound application to work (which I didn't have very often in the remote areas I hiked..I'd check on whether an internet connection is needed with Jaybird support if that's a concern). -At the $149.99 plus 10% discount, the Powerbeats 3 are comparably priced to the Jaybird X3s at $129.99 retail (although I see the X3s just now went on sale for $99.99) -Connectivity: With the Powerbeats 3 this is much better/simpler than the Jaybirds. Whenever I power up the Powerbeats 3s, the iphone recognizes them...I don't have to go into settings in iOS to find the device and pair them!!! The Bluetooth connection is really strong. I can listen to music anywhere in my 3 story townhouse...no connection loss at all. -Battery life: Awesome! When I do any major peak hiking, I'd expect to be out on the trail for 6-8 hours. These bad boys never die out with that 12 hour battery life. Overall, I like the Powerbeat 3s. If I had to pay the original $199.99 retail price for them, I don't believe they are worth it. But with a drop in price and my 10% discount, that price is on par with the Jaybirds and I get a much longer battery life, strong secure fit, and seamless connectivity. The only thing I'd recommend with the Powerbeats 3s is to add a EQ to customize the sound like the MyApp on the X3s.

I wanted to get these new Powerbeats 3 from Best Buy, but unfortunately they aren't released yet, so I purchased them at a Apple retailer that had a pair in stock before the official release date to other retailers. I had the previous version and lost them. The major differences between these and the powerbeats2 is the battery. The new W1 Apple chip gives these 12 hours of playback. I use them for my commute to work on the metro train as well as walking/running. They sync effortlessly to my iPhone as well as my Nike Apple Watch. I can go out for exercise and leave my iPhone at home as these pair with the Apple Watch separately if you desire. The charging this time around as seen in the photo aren't covered up. They are exposed which can prevent annoyance getting to them with the cover in the previous model. They come with 4 different ear size tips, so there's no reason there's not one for everyone to fit in their ear comfortably. My only issue is the sound. It's just not loud enough (exactly like the powerbeats2) for my desire. I love them, but I wish they could be louder. I owned the "Beats by Dr. Dre Tour2" and loved the volume levels for them. I wish There was a app to make adjustments to not only the sound, but bass, tremble, etc. In the box they also come with a carrying case that's kinda cheap and not as quality in material as the last one. It doesn't even have a zipper. Just a small opening for you to figure out how you'll adjust to fit them in their. That was disappointing honestly. These are a everyday use for me and are worth is the price somewhat. $150.00 would have made more sense. They aren't perfect, but they get the job done. In addition, I like how you can view the battery life on the iPhone along with your Apple Watch. Last comment is the charge time itself. It's vastly fast to say the least. No time at all.

I exercise 5-6 days per week and hands down the most critical piece of equipment that will either make or break my workout is my headphones. They've got to be wireless, stay in my ears and sound amazing. After going through my fourth pair of Jaybirds (Two pairs each of Bluebuds and X2's) I ended up giving these Powerbeats3 a shot as the X2's were discontinued and no local Best Buy store had any inventory of the new Jaybird X3's. I generally have stayed away from Beats for a few reasons: 1) Unnecessary price markup given the cost/value of competitors. 2) I can't get the Best Buy protection plan since the warranty is serviced through Apple. Which, by the way, doesn't offer AppleCare on these which doesn't give me a lot of confidence in protecting my investment. As you can imagine, I've relied heavily on the protection plan over the years to avoid the lengthy exchange process and aggravating downtime when dealing with the manufacturer directly. The simplicity of Best Buy protection plan exchanges are the very reason why I don't buy consumer electronics anywhere else. Luckily for me, these failed within my two week return window so I dodged the bullet. I had these Powerbeats3 for 11 days. During those 11 days I ran 7 times, twice in the rain, and during every workout I was sweating profusely (That's the point, right?). Starting on day 8 my music would randomly pause, skip or the volume would randomly adjust. By day 10 the inline controls stopped working all together. Sound was still great, but the user experience was beyond annoying. I called support, tried doing the reset/re-pairing, etc, but the inline controls just flat out broke. I took them back today hoping that the Jaybird X3's would be in stock, but sadly they weren't so I'm going to cross my fingers that I got a lemon and give a new pair of Powerbeats3 one more shot. In summary, these sound great but not enough to justify the $50-70 markup over Jaybird X3's and Bose SoundSport's. As an iPhone, iPad and Nike+ Apple Watch Series 2 owner, the W1 chip and iCloud device pairing is cool, but again not enough to justify the markup. They stay in my ears just fine, but so did the Jaybird's. In the end, I just want a great pair of wireless workout headphones that sound great and can take a beating. Several hundred dollars later the search continues...

I owned the Powerbeats2 before this model and was very excited for these new ones to come out. However when first using them, instant regret set in for spending $200 on these. Like other reviews that I've read regarding this product there are two negative things that stuck out when first starting to use them, the sound isn't loud enough/poor sound and the cheap case they provide with this set is a joke. I wish the would emphasize in the instructions how important the tips are for getting the best sound quality. Take you time on getting the best fit (unfortunately there aren't many options that come with it) and see how the loudness and quality sounds. Like everyone else who gave this product a negative review, it wasn't loud enough when working out. There is a way to get around this though if you have an iPhone like I'm sure most users do; in the music settings disable the sound check setting. This setting averages out the loudness of all your songs because songs are usually recorded at different volumes, which ends up bringing down the overall loudness (especially on songs that you want loud!!). Not sure if android phones have this setting, but after disabling it for gym use I noticed a HUUUGE improvement. Most songs that I listen to during gym workouts (hip/hop, edm, rock) didn't really range on recorded volume anyway and the sound quality was still just as good. After fixing the loudness, I really started to enjoy these headphones and the battery life definitely is a lot better than the previous model, however I haven't put the full 12 hour gimmick to the test yet, but I would think it would come close. The sound quality is fantastic FOR SPORT HEADPHONES, which should be the only reason you purchase these. The fit is a lot more comfortable to me with the minor adjustments they made, but then again everyone's ear is different. They also stay perfectly positioned during workouts once you get the cord slack just right. Pairing is easier than ever with an iPhone and the range is great. Would've given it five stars if it came with a better case (preferably one with a chargeable battery in it for this price) and more earbud tips or if the price was $50 cheaper.

-Good- Bass Ear clips Battery life Wireless Control module Multiple ear sizes -Bad- Price Case Strap adjustment Alright so lets start with the good, the bass is phenomenal and it can really rattle your head if you turn it up enough. The sound stage for non bass heavy listening was good for me too although I normally would switch to my sennheisers if I was at home, but on the go these are perfectly acceptable. The ear clips were the deciding factor when I bought these. I have tried all iterations of beats biggest competition, Jaybird, and I can never get them to stay in my ears when doing anything other than standing still. With these Powerbeats I never have to worry about them falling out and I never have to make adjustments during vigorous activity. The battery life is said to be 12 hours and many sources confirm that, but I haven't tried to test that. I don't really have a set schedule of when I use them so it would be hard to give detailed information about it other than to say I have always had ample amount of battery when using them and I only plug them into charge every 2-3 weeks. Now for the bad, the price is absurd, but that should come as no surprise if you are even looking in the direction of this brand because that is part of the price - the brand. I have tried to get away from the beats brand and I in fact hate all of their products aside from their earphones because it checks all of the boxes for what I want in an earphone. Many people claim the Jaybirds stay in their ears and the sound quality is amazing. For me the Jaybirds never stayed in my ears, but the sound quality was on point. I would recommend checking into Jaybirds before going with these as they are half the price. I had a previous generation powerbeats wired earphones that came with a much better case than these that had a nice solid feel to it with a zipper to fully close it. These come with some flimsy silicone type of case with the opening always being open. I cannot say enough bad things about the case and I think they would of been better off not even including a case than insulting its customers with whatever that silicone junk is suppose to be. The strap adjustment is a complete joke. It adjusts the cords that go behind the ears so they fit snug around your head, but then you have this long dangling cord on your back and depending on what your wearing constantly gets caught on your shirt. Making it too tight will start pulling on your ear when doing any activity that requires turning or moving your head in any way. They needed to include a way to clip the excess part of the cord to the cord that is hugging the back of your head or something. If you are exercising and use a headband you can tuck it under the headband, but I find myself not tightening it at all and just develop a tolerance for it. Honestly I wanted to give this product three stars maybe even two, but as I said above it checks all the boxes for what I want that no other company seems to do or just plain ignore - ear clips and good sound quality with bass. Ear clips was all the rage with those sony behind the ear things in the 2000s why can't others start doing that with earphones. Maybe I am alone in wanting that so there is no demand for it, but for me earphones are for being active and if they can't stay in my ears while I am active then what good are they, Powerbeats does this flawlessly and I will gladly pay that price for them which is why I give it 4 stars.

I bought these headphones 7 months ago and I think I barely used them before they stopped working. I thought spending $160 on Beats Headphones was worth it because Beats headphones are known to have really good sound quality and durability but boy was I wrong. I was very disappointed the first time I listened to the sound quality because they sounded exactly like my apple headphones which come for free with the phones! But even though the sound quality didn’t live up to my expectation, I decided to keep them because I travel and workout a lot and wireless headphones suited me. So I used these for 7 months and the last 2 months they started glitching, turning off, and disconnecting from my phone by themselves and I have a brand new iPhone 8 so the phone was definitely not the problem. Then just last week I went on a run and they died on me. They were fully charged, it wasn’t raining outside, and I wasn’t even sweating before these headphones decided to break. I’m not the only one who has had problems with these Powerbeats 3 because the reviews for these headphones are terrible on every site! If you’re looking for headphones, I would recommend just regular apple headphones because these will be the worst $160 you will ever spend! The only reason I’m giving it 1 star is because of the fitting and design which is very comfortable and lightweight but I would give it 0 stars if there was an option because this is unacceptable for $160 headphones. What’s sad is that I didn’t get the warranty or anything and lost the receipt because I didn’t think I was gonna have this problem so I can’t even return these. But overall, I’m very disappointed in Beats and Apple.