Beats X vs Powerbeats3: Pros & Cons and Verdict

Wireless earphones give you a ton of flexibility that is rare to find in other types of headphones. If you take wired headphones, you’ll have the wires dangling down and this could make it a little annoying while headphones can be clunky to wear.

This is why wireless earphones are most ideal for working out because they sit comfortably in your ears without bothering you in any way, and at the same time, you get to listen to your favourite music.

There are many companies out there that make good quality wireless earphones, but one of the best in this niche market is Beats. They have come up with two earphone models specifically geared for working out and for doing other activities, without having to alter your earphones in any way.

Today, we will be talking about two of Beats popular models, namely, Beats X and Powerbeats 3.

Beats X vs Powerbeats3

In this section, we will compare Beats X vs Powerbeats 3 to give you an idea of which of the two is better across different aspects and the reasons for the same.

1. Design

The design is an important aspect of earphones because that’s the first thing you’ll notice and you sure want to wear something that is appealing to you.

Both these earphones are distinct when it comes to design. Powerbeats 3 comes with ear hooks to give you a great fit.

On the other hand, beats X doesn’t come with hooks or wings. Rather, it is a simple pair of earbuds that give a good fit for your ears. It also comes with optional wings that help the earbuds sit firmly in your ears.

Also, the earpieces are magnetized, which means, they can stick to each other, back to back, when not in use. This makes for a comfortable storage when the earpieces are not in use. It reduces the possibility of getting scratched as well.

The earbuds on the right-hand side have a power and Bluetooth button with a tiny LED on it to indicate that the earphones are in use. The left earpieces have a lighting port and the rechargeable batteries sit on that side of the earphones.

When it comes to colour, Powerbeats 3 is black in colour and this means, you can pair them with any costume of your choice.  There is a multi-coloured one that will cost slightly more. Also, they are stylish and look cool in your ears.

But Beats X gives you a little more option when it comes to colours. You can choose from black, white, grey or blue, just depending on your personal preferences.

Another major difference between the two earphones is their form. The Beats X are long and wrap around your neck and they are also lightweight and flexible, so wearing them is never an issue.

In Beats X, the earbuds are connected to each other and to the other working parts of the earphone through that ribbon-shaped cable which Beats calls “Flex Form.” This cable can stretch up to 860mm from one end to the other, and the central section has a memorized bend which bends gently around your neck. This makes the Beats X ideal to wear almost anywhere, whether you’re out for a walk, in the office or just about anywhere else.

Powerbeats 3, on the other hand, have a completely different form factor. They come with a firm hook that will never fall off and this greatly helps if you want to use these earphones during a gym workout.

Powerbeats comes in four different sizes of earbuds. This is fantastic because you can get the perfect fit, regardless of the shape of your ears. Each pair comes with a small carrying case as well for easy storage, so there is no possibility of damage.

The build is quite solid and durable. The cord, though, looks a little fragile and thin, but other than that, everything else looks solid. On the other hand, the cord of Beats X is longer and thicker, so it feels more durable and lasting.

In terms of battery life, Powerbeats 3 is better as it has a 12-hour battery life when compared to the eight hours of Beats X. That said, it is rare that anyone is going to listen to music for more than eight hours a day unless you’re a professional working in a music studio. If that’s the case, then neither of these earphones are for you.

But for more casual listeners, this four-hour difference in battery life may not make such a big difference.  Also, the advantage is Beats X charges quickly, so you have to plug it in for just 30 minutes to get a full charge.

A cool aspect about both these earphones is that they come with a fast charging option, which means, you can get a few hours of play time from just a few minutes of charge.

In Beats X, you get two hours of playback time from just five minutes of charging while in Powerbeats 3, you get one hour of play time from the same five minutes of charging. This is most comfortable when you are pressed for time or have to rush out immediately and forgot to charge your earphones, or in just about any other emergency situation.

There is also a difference between the two earphones in the way they charge. Since Apple engineers designed Beats X from scratch, they have opted for a lighting port to charge these earphones.

The obvious advantage of this mode of charging is that you can use the same cable to charge both your iPhone and earphones. This saves you on cable and helps to save on carrying or managing different cables for different devices.

Powerbeats 3, on the other hand, charges via a micro USB cable which means you’ll have to keep track of another cable and should remember to carry it with you every time you travel anywhere.

Lastly, Powerbeats 3 is water and dust resistant while Beats X is not. This is something to keep in mind, especially if you plan to use it not just in the gym, but also for adventure sports or if you’re likely to get wet in the rain. Beats X will not withstand water exposure.

Going purely by design aesthetics, Powerbeats 3 is slightly better because it has a more retro look and the battery life is excellent. Of course, if you have colour preferences, then Beats X may give you more choices.

Also, if you’re one of those people who tend to forget to charge your earphones, then Beats X may be a better choice as you get two full hours of playtime with just a five-minute charge.

2. Comfort

If you’re going to be sweating away at the gym, Powerbeats 3 is a good choice. They come with ear hooks that clip firmly on to your ears and help the earphones to stay stable, even if you jump to the sky and back! In addition, they are also sweat-proof, so you don’t have to worry about sweat entering your earphones and causing damage.

The best part is you can take calls with these earphones too, so talk away to glory while doing a workout, if that is something you’d like to. In addition, you can also access Siri with the necessary cord controls.

Beats X is not exactly designed for gyms and workout sessions. They are more ideal for travel and casual listening. The cord is thick and sits nicely on your neck, thereby making it more comfortable when compared to Powerbeats 3 that most dangles down.

Also, with Beats X,  the area of the cord that connects with the actual earbuds is thin and doesn’t pull the buds out of your ears. In other words, it is a comfortable feeling to have the earbuds in your ears without a constant feeling of something pulling it down. This also gives you a great fit.

However, these earphones are just earbuds and come with no hook. This partly explains why they are not ideal for a workout session because it cannot sit firmly in your ears when you do exercise. Also, these earphones are not sweat proof, so they are not ideal for an intense workout session. But still, you can use them for walking or low-intensity jogging sessions.

In terms of a seal, the Beats X go a little deep into your ear canal and create a much better seal. So, there is no real chance of it falling off during normal activities.

Powerbeats 3, on the other hand, are smaller and do not give you that tight seal. But then, they have a flexible pair of ear hooks that more than make up for this lack of a tight seal.

Comfort is excellent in both the headphones. The earbuds in Beats X is tipped with soft silicon pieces that are soft and soothing to the ears. It doesn’t hurt even when you have these earpieces on for extended periods of time.

Using both these earphones is fairly easy as well. When you press the on button for a few extra seconds, it turns on and also pairs with your iPhone. Of course, you’ll have to accept the pop-up screen that comes on your phone. Connectivity is excellent and there were no drops in all the time that we tested, which is great.

Overall, when it comes to comfort, Beats X is the hands down winner. Much of this difference is attributed to the cable size and the comfort that comes with it. As said before, the cables of Beats X is thick, lasting and feels comfortable on your neck as against Powerbeats 3 cable, that feels like something is dangling off your ears.

Another aspect is the fit. Though Beats X doesn’t have flaps, it still sits comfortably on your ears during casual activities. The fact that it comes with an extra pair of wings adds to its comfort.

For these two reasons, Beats X is way more comfortable than Powerbeats 3.

3. Sound Quality

If you’re an iPhone user, you’ll love both Beats X and Powerbeats 3 because they are designed to work well with iOS or Apple products. This is sure to be a heartening news for iPhone users because most of the earphones available today are more geared towards Android devices than iOS devices.

If you’re wondering why, it is because Android uses a popular codec called aptX for sound output, and this is not supported by Apple devices.

Since Android is the most widely used operating system in the world, most manufacturers prefer to design their earphones and headphones for Android. This is why you’ll rarely see earphones that are designed for Apple devices.

Besides Airpods, Beats X and Powerbeats 3 are probably your best choices for iPhone.

Powerbeats 3 and Beats X even come with Apple’s WI chip that makes it easy and quick to pair with any iPhone device. Another convenient aspect is that when these earphones are paired with your iPhone, they will automatically pair with all other devices associated with your iCloud account.

This means you can easily switch from your iPhone to Mac without having to constantly pair your earphones.

Another cool aspect is noise isolation. Both the earphones do not come with active noise cancellation, but since the Beats X goes far deeper into your ear canal, it creates a much better passive noise isolation.

In fact, we can say that this is one of the best earphones when it comes to passive noise cancellation and this means, it is ideal for your morning commute to work, especially if you take the public transport.  Powerbeats 3, on the other hand, is relatively small, so they do not provide passive noise cancellation.

Now moving on to the sound quality. we tested many tracks across different genres, and Beats X sounds better in most of the cases. Beats X has a more neutral tone without adding colour and this kind of brings out the natural feel to every track. They are not flat, but at the same time, they are not as fun and lively as Powerbeats 3.

On the other hand, Powerbeats 3 scores high on bass. If you’re a bass head or if you prefer bass-heavy genres, then Powerbeats 3 is a good choice. But, if you’re more concerned about the sound quality, go for Beats X.

Now, we’ve come to the verdict. Which of these two is better in terms of the most important aspect of earphones – the sound quality?

We think both are winners here, so depending on your preference, you can buy the right earphone. If you love bass and tend to hear more bass based genres, then Powerbeats 3 is your obvious choice as Beats X scores poorly in the bass area. Powerbeats 3 gives you that punch that could take your listening experience to new heights.

Beats X is more for a neutral sound where you get a good output for lows, mids and trebles. The sound in Beats X is balanced and can make for a good listening experience. Of course, it lacks the punch of Powerbeats 3.

So, the choice is really up to you. If you love bass, go for Powerbeats 3. On the other hand, if you prefer a more neutral and balanced sound that will work across different genres, Beats X is your choice.

4. Cost

For many people, the cost is the ultimate deciding factor because everyone wants to get good value for their money. Absolutely right on that!

Beats X retail for a lower price while Powerbeats 3 costs a bit much. You can also get them at much cheaper rates on Amazon, as there is always some deal or the other going on there.

So, is the price difference worth it? In other words, should you spend the extra money for Powerbeats 3? Yes, if you love bass and want punchy earphones. Also, if you plan to use it for a workout, then the price tag is worth it.

If you’re more of a casual listener, Beats X is a good choice.

5. Advantages and Disadvantages

We’ll now take a quick look at the pros and cons of each product to get a quick idea on which one is better and in what situations.

Beats X and Powerbeats3 Advantages

Below are the reasons why you should buy Beats X or Powerbeats3:

These are the advantages of both earphones.

Beats X and Powerbeats3 Disadvantages

Here are some of the shortcomings of Beats X and Powerbeats3:

We hope this quick view helps you to make the right decisions when it comes to buying a pair of good quality earphones.

Closing Line

Now it is time to decide which of the two is a better choice. Is Powerbeats 3 better than Beats X or is it the other way around?

To be honest, we don’t have an answer as to which is better because both are good in their own ways and come with a set of shortcomings as well. So, the choice depends on what would suit you the best.

As we said before, if you love bass and/or plan to use it while running or doing other intense workouts, Powerbeats 3 is your choice.

On the other hand, if you’re more of a casual listener who likes to listen to music while doing everyday activities or if you tend to travel and want a pair of earphones for your morning commute, Beats X is your choice.

Both have an aesthetic design, well-balanced sound, good fit and are reasonably priced. More importantly, they are compatible with the iPhone, something that you don’t find often considering that the market is dominated by Android-powered earphones and headphones.

So, it is up to your expectations that determine the winner between these two earphones.

In our opinion, both are great choices.