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Beats PowerBeats Pro vs. Jaybird Vista

Last updated: 9 months ago
6 min read

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Comparison between Jaybird Vista and Beats PowerBeats Pro.

Beats PowerBeats Pro vs Jaybird Vista

Both wireless earbuds are a fantastic choice for workout sessions. They’re both very stable during rapid movement, with PowerBeats Pro having an advantage since it uses ear hooks to grab on ears.

Beats win again when it comes to battery life, lasting significantly longer than Vista. On the other hand, Jaybirds appear to be much more robust in construction, sporting military-grade shockproof capabilities.

Vista also offers a much better IPX7 water-resistance, making them washable in water. PowerBeats Pros are “only” sweatproof with its IPX4 rating.

Moreover, not only they have different designs, but they’re also quite different in terms of features. Let’s dive into all the similarities and differences to make your purchase a bit easier.

CONTENTS (show more)

    Quick Comparison

    Beats PowerBeats ProJaybird Vista
    Beats PowerBeats ProJaybird Vista true wireless earbuds
    Better stability with ear hooksBetter comfort for long listening sessions
    Offers a stabler Bluetooth connectionJBS1 chip ensures reliable connection
    Support for AAC & SBC, great for iOS usersOnly supporting SBC Bluetooth audio codec
    11h / charge + 24h in case6h / charge + 10h in case
    IPX4 – sweatproofIPX7 – waterproof & MIL-STD-810G
    Proximity sensor for auto play/pauseIntuitive mobile app with powerful EQ
    V-shaped sound with deeper bassEnergetic audio output you can equalize
    Beats PowerBeats Pro reviewJaybird Vista review

    Both models:

    • Are well made with premium-feeling materials
    • Have a fun, punchy sound signature to appeal the masses
    • Are an excellent pick for sportspeople
    • Have built-in physical control buttons

    PowerBeats Pro vs Jaybird Vista price comparison

    PowerBeats Pro:

    Jaybird Vista:

    Specifications

    Beats PowerBeats Pro Jaybird Vista
    Type: In-ear In-ear
    Connection: Wireless Wireless
    Back-design: Closed-back Closed-back
    Driver size: 12mm 6mm
    Frequency range: n/a 20Hz – 20,000Hz
    Impedance: n/a 23Ω
    Weight: 22g both buds 12g both buds, 35g case
    Cable length: n/a Charging cable 31cm
    Microphone & controls: Built-in Built-in
    Water-protection: IPX4 (sweatproof) IPX7 (waterproof)
    Bluetooth: version 5.0 + H1 chip version 5.0 + JBS1 chip
    Battery life: 11h per charge 6h per charge
    Charging time: 1h full charge – 5min for 1.5h 2h full charge – 5min for 1h
    Active noise-cancelling: No No
    Charging cable: Lightning to USB USB-C to USB
    Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC SBC
    Wireless range: 33ft (10m) 33ft (10m)
    Type: Built-in mic Built-in mic
    Mic design: n/a Omnidirectional
    Mutable: No No

    What’s in the Box?

    Beats PowerBeats Pro

    Beats PowerBeats Pro – Unboxing in 2 Minutes

    Jaybird Vista

    Jaybird Vista box content

    With packaging you’re getting:

    • True wireless earbuds
    • Charging case
    • User manual
    • Jaybird: USB-C cable; PowerBeats Pro: Lightning cable
    • Jaybird: 3 ear gels (ear fin/ear tip combo); PowerBeats Pro: 4 pairs of silicone ear tips

    Comfort & Fit

    Jaybird Vista provides much better comfort, even after a couple of hours of use, whereas PowerBeats Pro stay more securely in your ears.

    PowerBeats Pro offers a more foolproof solution when it comes to stability, giving you an ear hook design to prevent the earbuds from falling out of your ears.

    However, that kind of design isn’t very ergonomic. Consequently, the housings can start to rub against your skin, which gets slightly irritating. Although not painful, it’s still something you should know about before purchasing.

    Jaybird Vista are much better in that regard, giving you a more traditional in-ear design, which is comfortable for hours. With different sized ear fins, you can also achieve excellent stability.

    Although we have never experienced that, some users report that those ear fins can cause discomfort after a while. There is also an ear gel with no ear fin, so if that irritation happens to you, maybe try those gels.

    Beats PowerBeats Pro and Jaybird Vista cases

    Noise Isolation

    Both of them rely on passive noise isolation with no additional features to eliminate the outside noise.

    Fortunately, the isolation is above average in both. When you’re playing music, you practically can’t hear anything around you.

    It would be nice to have ambient sound mode, which is useful if you’re jogging out in the open, but neither of them has it.

    Bluetooth

    When it comes to connection strength, Vista’s are clear winners. Although their Bluetooth stability isn’t as good as some other wireless headphones, it still outperforms PowerBeats Pro.

    Stutters start to appear after trying to pass a second brick wall, which is quite good. PowerBeats Pro can sometimes interrupt even when your phone is inside the pocket.

    H1 chip inside the Beats is a huge bonus, making the pairing process with iOS devices a breeze. As soon as you open the charging case, a notification already appears on your device’s screen.

    There’s a bit longer pairing process with Jaybird’s, but once you connect them with your device, the next pairing is instantaneous. It helps that Jaybird put JBS1 chip inside Vista, which improves Bluetooth stability and video lag in apps such as YouTube.

    PowerBeats Pro’s are also handling video lag very well, although Vista’s take the lead here.

    Beats PowerBeats Pro and Jaybird Vista earbud

    Battery

    If long battery life is essential to you, PowerBeats Pro is the way to go. With its 11-hour playtime, they’re hard to beat (the advertised listening time 9 hours). Vista can only do 6 hours at the time.

    Beats also win when you include the charging case. With it, you get a total of 24 hours of battery life. That is much more than a total of 16 hours from the Jaybird Vista charging case.

    However, size does matter when it comes to portability, and a Vista’s smaller charging case is more pocketable than Beats. But then again, size does correlate to battery capacity.

    Thankfully both of them provide a quick charge option if your wireless earbuds suddenly run out of juice.

    • Beats offer 1.5 hours of playtime in just 5-minute charge
    • Jaybird gets 1-hour of battery for a 5-minute charge

    In the end, PowerBeats Pro easily wins in the battery department. It can last longer and charge quicker.

    Durability

    Each of these earbuds appears to be quite robust, withstanding a decent amount of abuse, although Jaybird can survive harsher conditions.

    For instance, with IPX7, Jaybird’s earbuds are much more water-resistant. You can fully submerge them in water for 30 minutes without any problems.

    There is also the military standard MIL-STD-810G that makes Vista shockproof.

    PowerBeats Pro can only survive sweating with its IPX4 rating while putting them under running water can cause harm.

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    They’re both made from quality materials, with a soft finish to prevent wearing fatigue.

    However, the charging cases are a different story. Jaybird’s one is quite decent. It’s small and light, with a soft finish all around it. The lid doesn’t open all the way up, so be careful not to push it too hard.

    PowerBeats Pro case feels slightly cheaper, especially the lid. It’s flimsy, which is not something that you expect from a product at this price.

    Beats PowerBeats Pro and Jaybird Vista construction

    Features

    There are many more differences than similarities, but lets first start with what is the same:

    • Both have a physical button that controls functions like answering calls, skip music, adjust volume, and summon smart assistant.
    • There is a built-in microphone on both of them for hands-free phone calls
    • Both offer a mono mode, where only one earbud can be used to listen to.

    But there are some fundamental differences between these two. Jaybird Vista has a mobile app that lets you take care of your EQ settings. The latter is quite powerful, making your earbuds sound just the way you like them. You can also change what specific gestures do so that you’re not stuck with factory set controls.

    PowerBeats Pro can pause the music when taken out of your ears, but can’t have their sound changed or tweaked inside the app since it doesn’t exist.

    Therefore, if you prefer better customizability, Jaybird Vista is a better choice.

    Sound

    These two models are both meant to please active users. That is why their sound signature leans towards punchy low-end and bright treble. That is useful when you’re running since the movement of your body makes you feel like the bass is lacking.

    But with the inclusion of the Jaybird app, you can completely change the overall sound signature of the Vista. Therefore you can choose a separate EQ preset for workout and home use.

    But to summarize each of them:

    PowerBeats Pro are still very “Beatsy”, with an overall bassy presentation. The bass is more tamed than in older models but is still bleeding into the midrange, making these wireless earbuds strongly colored.

    If your playlist mainly consists of hip hop, EDM, or rap, these can make those genres sound quite enjoyable.

    Jaybird Vista is also very punchy out of the box but is also a bit harsh because of slightly forward midrange. Thankfully the MySound app is doing wonders, making you tweak the audio the way you want to. Once you do that, the sound quality out of these is quite amazing.

    You can make these reasonably neutral, very bassy, bright, dark; you name it. Despite the equalization, they always remain exciting to listen to, with punchy, controlled bass.

    Beats PowerBeats Pro and Jaybird Vista outsdoors

    Should You Get Jaybird Vista vs. Beats PowerBeats Pro?

    Honestly, it comes down to design preferences and features that might make your life slightly more comfortable.

    If you want a secure fit, class-leading battery life, and seamless interaction with your iOS device, PowerBeats Pro are a better pick. There is just something about that H1 chip that makes the experience so much smoother.

    But if what you’re looking for extreme durability, overall better comfort, and the option to customize your sound fully, Jaybird Vista offers much more.

    The price difference between these two isn’t that big, and in both cases, you’re getting a high-quality product. For a workout companion, you can’t go wrong with either of these wireless earbuds.

    PowerBeats Pro:

    Beats PowerBeats Pro review

    Jaybird Vista:

    Jaybird Vista review


    You can check other workout earbuds:

    Best workout earbuds

    Best workout headphones

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