- Nike and Apple team up to give Powerbeats Pro 2 a bold, performance-driven redesign.
- Heart-rate tracking, ANC, and Apple ecosystem integration elevate every run.
- Nike Run Club pairing turns workouts into structured, data-driven sessions.
Last year, I took the rather tentative decision to run my first marathon. It was difficult, to say the least. Early morning rises to hit 10K before work, through a rather wet Australian winter, where the easier choice would have been to throw in the proverbial towel and go back to bed.
Or, at least, it would have been, had I not taken delivery of the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 a few months earlier.
They quickly became a crucial part of the running ritual – the last thing I grabbed as I left the house, before the sun came up, before the coffee kicked in, before the legs had properly woken up. From that point on, they ran alongside me every step of the way, through training, gym sessions, and, eventually, through the finish line at the foot of the Opera House.
As a result, when Apple announced it was teaming up with Nike once again, this time to bring a bold, performance-focused twist to the Powerbeats Pro 2, I knew I had to get a first look at the latest iteration. And I have to say, they’re well worth the upgrade.
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First Impressions: They’re Real Head Turners
For the first time, Nike’s iconic Swoosh have been paired with the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, bringing an instantly recognisable aesthetic to one of the most premium buds on the market.
From the moment I put them on, they felt like real head turners. At least, that’s what I told myself when people were giving me a second look when I was slogging through Centennial Park hot laps at the weekend.
They also come in with a self-charging case, adorned with Nike branding throughout, and the American brand’s iconic mantra ‘Just Do It’ slapped across the lid. Extra motivation then, when you’re not feeling 100%. It’s a small detail, but one that’s bound to get you going in the morning.
Powerbeats Pro 2 – Nike Special Edition: What’s Inside The Box?
Beyond its dashing good looks, the Powerbeats Pro 2 – Nike Special Edition keep all the features athletes love. Heart-rate monitoring, Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), sweat and water resistance, and up to 45 hours of battery life make these earbuds a true training companion even when you forget to charge them overnight.
These days, ANC has become an expected feature for me, especially during busy urban runs through Sydney, where traffic, cockatoos, and the general hustle of the city can easily break through lesser headphones’ output.
Another standout is Transparency Mode, which lets you control how much of the outside world comes through. Whether I’m hitting the gym or doing weekend hot laps around Centennial Park, it’s a simple toggle between a locked-in lap and situational awareness when I’m in flow state.
They’ve also kept the secure-fit earhooks, so even during intense interval sessions or long weekend runs through the Botanic Gardens, the earbuds stay locked in place. There are also options for five ear tip sizes so they fit a wide range of canals.
Seamless Connection With Apple
Of course, these are Apple products, as well as Beats, so the Powerbeats Pro 2 work seamlessly with the Apple ecosystem. Which, undoubtedly, more than half of you will be using it. For the Android-inclined, we recommend getting your hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro.
A standout feature here, too, is the use of the brand’s proprietary Nike Run Club app. I know the vast majority of runners reading this will be used to Strava, WHOOP, Garmin, or any number of running apps that have flooded the market.
Trust me when I say the Nike Run Club app feels like it’s genuinely built around real runners, tracking data, sharing insights, and even giving some much-needed motivation during those harder stints.
When paired with the NRC app, heart-rate tracking is seamless, syncing directly to Apple Health while feeding real-time data into the Nike Run Club app. It’s like having a personal coach in your ears, guiding every session.
Verdict
I’ve been running consistently for the last six years now, even managing to regularly clock around 30–50K a week. In the same way I’ll rotate through my running shoes, depending on the distance, day, and terrain, I’ll switch up my audio tech depending on the run.
My go-to was always AirPods, through every generation, until I discovered the Powerbeats Pro 2 – an ever-reliable running companion I always grab when I want to commit to a half-marathon around Sydney’s Circular Quay to keep me moving, motivated, and in the zone from start to finish.
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