TechAudioHeadphonesEarbudsI tried Amazfit’s ‘posture corrector’ true wireless headphones with built-in heart rate sensor – and yes, they are wildCan running headphones ever replace fitness trackers? The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro sure tryWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe Amazfit PowerBuds Pro combine the best qualities of running headphones and fitness trackers to offer something completely unique in the true wireless headphones market. For the comparatively low asking price, you get very decent sound quality, adaptive ANC, built-in heart rate sensor and even spine and hearing health protection features – excellent value for money offering if you ask me.Reasons to buy+Built-in heart rate sensor+Can asses spine posture+Recommends listening time based on sound levels inside the ear canal+Sleek design+Adaptive active noise cancellingReasons to avoid-Hard to get them out of the case-Hiding the buds' controls in the Zepp app is not ideal-ANC could be more powerfulWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechAudioHeadphonesEarbudsI tried Amazfit’s ‘posture corrector’ true wireless headphones with built-in heart rate sensor – and yes, they are wildCan running headphones ever replace fitness trackers? The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro sure tryWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe Amazfit PowerBuds Pro combine the best qualities of running headphones and fitness trackers to offer something completely unique in the true wireless headphones market. For the comparatively low asking price, you get very decent sound quality, adaptive ANC, built-in heart rate sensor and even spine and hearing health protection features – excellent value for money offering if you ask me.Reasons to buy+Built-in heart rate sensor+Can asses spine posture+Recommends listening time based on sound levels inside the ear canal+Sleek design+Adaptive active noise cancellingReasons to avoid-Hard to get them out of the case-Hiding the buds' controls in the Zepp app is not ideal-ANC could be more powerfulWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Can running headphones ever replace fitness trackers? The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro sure try
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe Amazfit PowerBuds Pro combine the best qualities of running headphones and fitness trackers to offer something completely unique in the true wireless headphones market. For the comparatively low asking price, you get very decent sound quality, adaptive ANC, built-in heart rate sensor and even spine and hearing health protection features – excellent value for money offering if you ask me.Reasons to buy+Built-in heart rate sensor+Can asses spine posture+Recommends listening time based on sound levels inside the ear canal+Sleek design+Adaptive active noise cancellingReasons to avoid-Hard to get them out of the case-Hiding the buds' controls in the Zepp app is not ideal-ANC could be more powerful
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
T3 VerdictThe Amazfit PowerBuds Pro combine the best qualities of running headphones and fitness trackers to offer something completely unique in the true wireless headphones market. For the comparatively low asking price, you get very decent sound quality, adaptive ANC, built-in heart rate sensor and even spine and hearing health protection features – excellent value for money offering if you ask me.Reasons to buy+Built-in heart rate sensor+Can asses spine posture+Recommends listening time based on sound levels inside the ear canal+Sleek design+Adaptive active noise cancellingReasons to avoid-Hard to get them out of the case-Hiding the buds' controls in the Zepp app is not ideal-ANC could be more powerful
T3 VerdictThe Amazfit PowerBuds Pro combine the best qualities of running headphones and fitness trackers to offer something completely unique in the true wireless headphones market. For the comparatively low asking price, you get very decent sound quality, adaptive ANC, built-in heart rate sensor and even spine and hearing health protection features – excellent value for money offering if you ask me.
T3 Verdict
The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro combine the best qualities of running headphones and fitness trackers to offer something completely unique in the true wireless headphones market. For the comparatively low asking price, you get very decent sound quality, adaptive ANC, built-in heart rate sensor and even spine and hearing health protection features – excellent value for money offering if you ask me.
Reasons to buy+Built-in heart rate sensor+Can asses spine posture+Recommends listening time based on sound levels inside the ear canal+Sleek design+Adaptive active noise cancellingReasons to avoid-Hard to get them out of the case-Hiding the buds' controls in the Zepp app is not ideal-ANC could be more powerful
Reasons to buy+Built-in heart rate sensor+Can asses spine posture+Recommends listening time based on sound levels inside the ear canal+Sleek design+Adaptive active noise cancelling
Built-in heart rate sensor
Can asses spine posture
Recommends listening time based on sound levels inside the ear canal
Sleek design
Adaptive active noise cancelling
Reasons to avoid-Hard to get them out of the case-Hiding the buds' controls in the Zepp app is not ideal-ANC could be more powerful
Hard to get them out of the case
Hiding the buds' controls in the Zepp app is not ideal
ANC could be more powerful
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Amazfit Powerbuds Pro deals
482 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
482 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆☆☆☆
$149.99$129.99View
$149.99$129.99View
$149.99$129.99View
$149.99$129.99View
$149.99$129.99
$129.99
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Before I embarked on doing this Amazift PowerBuds Pro review, I wasn’t sure what to expect from these true wireless headphones. I accidentally stumbled upon them on a product roundup, and the buds immediately piqued my interest; they are supposed to measure and track a bunch of metrics, including heart rate and even head position – not something you’d expect from cheap running headphones.
Amazfit PowerBuds Pro review – Price and availability
The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro was released in July 2021 and is available to buy now fromAmazfit US,Amazfit UKand third-party retailers such asAmazonfor a recommended retail price of $149.99/£119.99/AU$299.90.
Currently, the buds sell for $119.99 on the official Amazfit US website, and you can also get them cheaper than RRP via third-party retailers, especially in the US.
Amazfit also has a more sports headphones-looking model calledPowerBuds(retailer link), which comes with magnetic ear hooks, and also features in-ear heart rate monitoring. It lacks ANC but has environmental noise cancelling (ENC) that filters out some of the ambient noise during calls.
Some screenshots of the Zepp app(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Some screenshots of the Zepp app
Some screenshots of the Zepp app
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Amazfit PowerBuds Pro – Health features
The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro doubles as afitness tracker, thanks to the built-in PPG optical heart rate sensor in the right earbud. On top of this, both headphones feature three digital microphones, a proximity sensor, an accelerometer and a pressure sensor for more accurate exercise monitoring.
The buds have a ‘Running Detection’ mode which automatically tracks runs as workouts when this feature is turned on in the Zepp app. During runs, the buds can also automatically boost the bass of the buds via the ‘Motion Beat Mode’ (more on this in the Sound quality section of the review).
The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro also offers so-called ‘Cervical Spine Posture Reminders’ – the headphones continuously check your head’s angle and can prompt you to relax your neck when it detects the head to be in a too-steep grade. Not a feature I’ve seen in any other wearable, let alone headphones, although it makes sense as the buds will tilt with your head, making it easier for them to recognise if you’re putting too much pressure on your spine.
Finally, the PowerBuds Pro can recommend weekly listening time based on sound levels in the ear canal via the ‘Hearing Health’ feature. The buds continuously track sound levels in the ears, which you can check in the Zepp app. Strangely, and despite the headphones being able to measure sound levels in the ears, the PowerBuds Pro don’t offer fit recommendations like the Jabra Elite 7 Active or theBeat Fit Pro. Feels like a missed opportunity.
The Amazfit Powerbuds Pro come in a sleek case(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The Amazfit Powerbuds Pro come in a sleek case
The Amazfit Powerbuds Pro come in a sleek case
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Amazfit PowerBuds Pro review – Design and fit
I couldn’t help but notice the similarities in design between the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro and theApple Airpods. You get the same clean, off-white aesthetics, capsule-like charging case, etc. They don’t lookexactlythe same, but Amazfit’s designers took a page out ofApple’s Human Interface Guidelines book for sure.
The Amazfit Powerbuds Pro comes with four sets of ear tips (S-XL). The main unit of the buds is slightly bulky, and due to the arm, it’s harder to find the ‘proper’ running headphones fit. The buds will always travel out of the ears a bit, but not to a level where they actually fall out. They are generally comfortable but fit differently than true wireless in-ear headphones.
There is plenty of battery power left in the wireless charging case(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
There is plenty of battery power left in the wireless charging case
There is plenty of battery power left in the wireless charging case
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Amazfit PowerBuds Pro review – Battery life
The earbuds' continuous call time is up to 3 hours and 30 minutes with ANC on, and you’ll definitely need noise cancelling if you conduct calls outside so A) you can hear people and B) they can hear you.
These stats are pretty impressive, in case you’re not a workout headphones expert; most premium buds have an 8-hour battery life without ANC, which goes down to 4-5 hours with active noise cancelling activated.
The PowerBuds Pro have a ‘dome pattern design’(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The PowerBuds Pro have a ‘dome pattern design’
The PowerBuds Pro have a ‘dome pattern design’
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Amazfit PowerBuds Pro review – Sound quality
The PowerBuds Pro have an ‘independent acoustic module, LCP liquid crystal diaphragm, and dome pattern design’ that provides ‘deeper bass, calmer midrange and clearer treble for superior sound quality’, or so Amazfit claims. The good news is that sound is super clear in the buds, no matter what type of music or podcast you throw at it.
What I appreciated the most was how balanced the headphones sounded, not to mention the sound output, which was phenomenal. There are EQ presets in the Zepp app to customise the sound, although I found the ‘flat’ EQ setting to be the best – it balances all sound ranges the most optimally. Occasionally, I also used the ‘Blues’ setting to emphasise bass and treble.
One way to increase bass is to start running, in which case the PowerBuds Pro activate the Motion Beat Mode that cranks the bass up a notch. This is quite fun and will make the music sound more audible without turning the volume up too high. You can always check the sound levels in the ears in the Hearing Health section of the app.
The PowerBuds Pro offers Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (Adaptive ANC) up to 40dB. This Adaptive ANC is a combination of hybrid digital adaptive noise-reduction and passive sound insulation technology; in reality, due to the large form factor of the headphones, the buds tend to travel out of the ear slightly, reducing passive noise cancellation and also ANC.
Even worse, the different ANC modes (e.g. Travel, Workout, Indoor) didn’t make any difference to me in heavy traffic. The buds and ANC worked well indoors and for non-vigorous activity, though, and I often found myself reaching for the PowerBuds Pro when I was in the office and wanted to isolate myself from the chit chat around me.
Touch controls are located on the arms of the Powerbuds Pro(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Touch controls are located on the arms of the Powerbuds Pro
Touch controls are located on the arms of the Powerbuds Pro
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Amazfit PowerBuds Pro review – Workout performance
I didn’t know what to expect from the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro in terms of running performance, despite their many workout-related features. The headphones I usually use either have an earhook design – like the excellentBeats Powerbeats Pro– or sit in my ears, so I don’t have to worry about them dropping on the pavement at the worst possible time.
I hope it goes without saying, but all the extra sound layered on top – e.g. ANC, extra bass, etc. – does make the PowerBuds Pro sound more artificial than your standard audiophile cans. However, these headphones sound pretty goodandcan perform well under workout conditions; if you want studio quality sound, try wired over-ear headphones instead.
(Image credit: Amazfit)
(Image credit: Amazfit)
Amazfit PowerBuds Pro review – Verdict
The Amazfit PowerBuds Pro headphones punch above their weight and offer many exciting health and wellness features in a sleek, attractive package.
These features include passive and adaptive active noise cancelling, built-in heart rate sensor and automatic run detection, spine and ear health checks and more. Not all these features are the most accurate – I won’t trade myFitbit Charge 5in for these buds for tracking sleep – but as part of a package offer, all the extra modes make the PowerBuds Pro great value for money true wireless headphones for exercise.
I wish the buds helped me find the perfect fit, which is a strange feature exclusion considering the PowerBuds Pro monitor sound levels in the ears already. That said, if you can work out which ear gel fits your ears best, you’ll be rewarded with excellent sound performance both on and off the running track (or gym), especially if you like punchy, bassy sound.
I’d recommend the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro to people who like premium true wireless headphones – both in terms of sound and looks – and want to use said earbuds for occasional running and exercise (so not hardcore training). They’ll definitely be my choice for music listening in the office.
Amazfit PowerBuds Pro review – Also consider
For something more stylish, look no further than theBang & Olufsen Beoplay EX. They might carry a rather hefty price tag, but the Beoplay EX have superbly-balanced sound, is completely waterproof (IP57 rating) and have similar ANC performance to the PowerBuds Pro.
Amazfit Powerbuds Pro: Price Comparison
482 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
482 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆☆☆☆
$149.99$129.99View
$149.99$129.99View
$149.99$129.99View
$149.99$129.99View
$149.99$129.99
$129.99
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Sky Stream gets a great new trick that unlocks long hidden potentialA Sky Stream puck update gives you a host of new channels
A Sky Stream puck update gives you a host of new channels
If you ever needed proof that cassette players are back, this is itWe Are Rewind has made a portable tape deck so retro it should appear from nowhere in a DeLorean
We Are Rewind has made a portable tape deck so retro it should appear from nowhere in a DeLorean
PS5 could finally be getting Gears of War and Halo after game-changing decisionThe age of exclusives is coming to an end
The age of exclusives is coming to an end
