Apple’s new Powerbeats Pro sporty earphones are sweat and water resistant, but official technical specifications fall short of detailing the level of water resistance.
According to iMore, the new earbuds have an IPX4 water resistance rating.
An IPX4 rating is officially validated for splashing water, to quote: ‘Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect.’ An IPX4 rating in workout headphones is pretty normal since the most moisture you’re going to get on your Powerbeats Pro is from sweat gentle dripping off your body, you’re likely going to be just fine.
The IPX4 rating has been confirmed in a marketing flier Beats sent out to reviewers.
Given that the previous Powerbeats were prone to failure due to moisture exposure—which happened to me twice—it’s nice to know that engineers have addressed such a glaring omission for the earbuds that pretend to be aimed at fitness and workout buffs.
As MacRumors explains:
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.
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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.
For what it’s worth, the Cupertino tech giant told The Verge that the new earphones have been engineered to handle “all of your sweat without fail.”
Powerbeats Pro cost $250 and are available in Black from Apple.com. Additional color options—Ivory, Moss and Navy—will become available at a later stage. You can sign up for email alerts via the Beats by Dr. Dre website to get notified when these color options launch.