Powerbeats Pro Feature IPX4 Water Resistance Rating

Apple claims that its new Powerbeats Pro earbuds feature a "reinforced design" that makes them sweat and water resistant, but there are still a lot of questions about what that specifically means given that past Beats headphones have experienced failures due to moisture exposure.

As it turns out, the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ feature an IPX4 water resistance rating, which means they're certified to hold up to water splashing against the enclosure from any direction, but have the potential to fail when immersed or exposed to jets of water.

powerbeatsprotowel
The IP4X rating, as iMore points out, is mentioned in a reviewer's guide that was provided to media sites that have early access to the earbuds. It is not included in Apple's official marketing materials.

Apple promotes the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ as being resistant to sweat and water, making them ideal for working out and other fitness-related activities. The Verge was told in April that the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ have been engineered to handle "all of your sweat without fail."

It does not appear that Apple's earlier headphones, such as the BeatsX or the Powerbeats 3, have official Ingress Protection ratings, which may mean that they weren't subjected to testing.

Apple's Powerbeats 3 earbuds were marketed as sweat and water resistant, but there have been reports of failures after extended sweat exposure, which leaves some questions about the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌.

With an IPX4 rating, the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ should be able to survive sweat exposure, but we're not going to know how they hold up until users have had time to properly test them out over time.

For comparison's sake, the current 2018 iPhones have an IPX7 rating and can survive total immersion in water. ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ should not be submerged in liquids with an IPX4 rating, and you're going to want to keep them as dry as possible.

Avoiding sweat during physical activity is impossible, but keeping them out of the rain and the shower is advised, as is drying them off after a long workout.

Top Rated Comments

Baymowe335 Avatar
64 months ago
I’ve washed AirPods and they are fine, so I think Apple headphones are definitely resilient even if there is no water rating.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sotiredofsoup Avatar
64 months ago
My Powerbeats 3 finally gave up the ghost this past weekend exactly 2 years to the day from purchase. The number of times I had to leave them in the sun in a container of rice finally wore out the adhesive on the controller and it fell apart. I was getting the frequent red/white flashing error which always meant they need a few days to dry out (I'm training for a marathon in extremely sweaty fashion).

I preordered the PBP as soon as they were available because I believe the wire and controller were the failure point on the PB3. I can't wait for them to arrive.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rafterman Avatar
64 months ago
You're sweating wrong.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
neuropsychguy Avatar
64 months ago
AirPods need to be IPX4.
They basically are, even if not rated as such. I exercise with them and never have issues (and I tend to sweat a lot and live in a warm, humid climate). I wouldn't wear them in the rain without an umbrella; no need to take a chance.

I'm looking forward to more water resistant AirPods though.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BrokenLimits Avatar
64 months ago
Why not IP68, so that it can be worn during swimming?
Bluetooth and underwater don't work well.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
quietstormSD Avatar
64 months ago
My Powerbeats 3 are pretty water/sweat resistant. I've sweated a ton and even dunk water on top of my head during long hot runs and they haven't failed me.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....