Amazfit PowerBuds Pro vs AirPods Pro (2021): Can The Newcomer Beat The Crowd Favorite?

This comparison might not seem like a fair one because the Apple AirPods Pro are a household name while the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro are virtually unheard of. However, you have to give the latter more credit because even though they’re not popular yet, they have the audio quality and features to go head to head with the crowd favorite. Not to mention they’re a fraction of the price which is a very nice bonus. If you’d like to find out if the PowerBuds Pro can really take on the AirPods Pro, here’s an in-depth comparison that covers their design, performance, and battery life.

Amazfit PowerBuds Pro vs AirPods Pro Comparison Chart

Design

The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro look very similar to the Apple AirPods Pro, only bigger and more durable.

By now, everyone knows what the Apple AirPods Pro look like. The all-white finish, the blowdryer-like silhouette, and the unmistakable stems that hang from your ears are all iconic trademarks. They’re known for being very enjoyable to wear too, so lightweight that you can barely tell they’re there. For added comfort, the AirPods Pro also have silicone ear tips, a feature that’s missing on the older AirPods models. As for the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro, not a lot of creativity went into their design as they seem heavily inspired by the AirPods Pro. There are, however, some important differences to take note of.

For starters, the PowerBuds Pro are clunkier than a lot of the other long-stem models out there, including the AirPods Pro. This is understandable though considering how much circuitry they contain inside. Aside from being bigger, the PowerBuds Pro are also a lot more durable than the AirPods Pro. They come with an IP55 rating which means they’re both water and dust-resistant. This way, you can take them to your sweaty gym sessions and outdoor runs without any fear of breaking them. The AirPods Pro only have an IPX4 rating which means they can’t survive anything more than sweat and light rain.

As for their charging cases, they bear a striking resemblance to each other as well. Not only do they both have the same rounded rectangular shape, but their controls are found in the same spots as well. The LED indicator is out front, the charging port is at the bottom, and the pairing button is at the back.

Audio Performance

The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro win against the Apple AirPods Pro for having a customizable EQ.

Out of the box, the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro’s sound is one that’s geared towards bass lovers. Listening to bass-heavy tracks will give you a heart-thumping experience which gets even more intense as you turn the volume up. Turning the ANC on enhances the bass even more. But even though the lows come through with a lot of power, it’s impressive that the mids and highs remain clear and detailed. As for those who aren’t into heavy bass, the PowerBuds Pro come with ten presets, including Pop, Jazz, and Smooth. You can also tinker around with the EQ yourself via the Zepp app if you want a customized sound.

While the bass on the Apple AirPods Pro are sturdy, they’re not quite as powerful as the PowerBuds Pro’s. However, we have to commend them for their clean, controlled, and well-balanced audio performance that sounds great across all genres, whether it be pop, EDM, or jazz. That said, we have to give this round to the PowerBuds Pro because of their customizability. With the AirPods Pro, you’re stuck with just one sound because they don’t come with a companion app that lets you tweak the EQ. But this shouldn’t be too much of a problem for non-audiophiles who just want to listen casually to their favorite tracks.

Active Noise Cancellation

The Apple AirPods Pro‘s ANC holds superior against the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro’s.

While it’s quite disappointing that the Apple AirPods Pro don’t come with a partner app, they more than make up for this with their excellent active noise cancellation. When you have the ANC feature turned on, you’ll be fully immersed in your music without getting distracted by honking cars or chatty officemates. While high frequency sounds like whistles and sirens might still leak through, they’ll sound nothing more than soft background noise. But if you’re in a situation where you need to be able to hear your surroundings, you can always turn on transparency mode. This allows you to hold a conversation without having to hit pause or remove your earbuds.

As for the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro, their ANC is effective but not built to compete against the likes of the AirPods Pro. It’s still impressive though that you get four different ANC modes to choose from, namely Adaptive, Indoor, Workout, and Travel. This feature ties in nicely with the PowerBuds Pro’s customizable EQ. The Adaptive mode seems to be the most helpful as all you have to do is turn it on and it will automatically adjust the ANC for you depending on your surroundings. Similar to the AirPods Pro, the PowerBuds Pro also have a transparency mode which allows the mic to filter in external sounds like oncoming traffic and fellow outdoor joggers.

Battery Life

The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro have a slightly better battery life than the Apple AirPods Pro.

When it comes to battery life, neither the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro nor the Apple AirPods Pro is that dependable. With the PowerBuds Pro, you get a slightly longer playtime of 5.5 hours which increases to 30 hours if you account for the charging case. As for the AirPods Pro, you can squeeze out around 4.5 hours of usage with them which totals to 24 hours if you put them together with the charging case. Note that these numbers can decrease depending on your usage of ANC and your listening volume.

Verdict

The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro win against the Apple AirPods Pro for offering better value for money.

Even though the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro won’t ring a bell for many people, we recommend them over the Apple AirPods Pro simply because they’re better value for money. You’ll get a pair of wireless earbuds that deliver an exciting bass performance, clear mids and highs, a customizable EQ, and effective ANC with different modes. That’s definitely more than what you can get with the AirPods Pro. While the PowerBuds Pro’s design seems to be highly reminiscent of the AirPods Pro’s, at least they’re more durable and have better chances of surviving the elements.

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Last update on 2022-05-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API