Jaybird Tarah Pro vs Powerbeats 3 Wireless Review

In this post we are going to directly compare the Jaybird Tarah Pro and the Powerbeats3. Rather than go through all of the details, however, we are going to focus on the major features that separate these two headphones. We have, however, posted individual reviews of both of them that you can read to get more information:

– Jaybird Tarah Pro Review

– Beats Powerbeats3 Review

Tarah Pro have a more versatile fit

One major feature that you’ll see with Tarah Pro and not prior Jaybird headphones is something called SwitchFit. It allows you to quickly adjust the earbuds to go from the under-ear position to the around-the-ear position.

Tarah Pro in the around-the-ear position

You would use the around-the-ear position more for workouts and the under-ear position for phone calls, work, commuting, etc. Here’s a look at how the SwitchFit system works.

A look at the SwitchFit system on Jaybird Tarah Pro

The other thing related to the versatile fit is the braided cable, which might be a little heavier, but does not stick to your neck when you’re sweaty like the cable will on the Powerbeats3.

We really like the braided cable on Tarah Pro

The earbuds also have magnets in them, which helps with storage, and when you do connect them, your music automatically pauses. Even more, if the Tarah Pro headphones sit idle for 15 minutes, they will automatically turn off. So, all you need to do after your workout is throw them in your gym bag or on your kitchen table and you’re good to go—they will turn off by themselves.

Tarah Pro wins on audio quality

Just to be upfront, the Powerbeats3 are fine in terms of audio quality, especially for the average consumer, but we prefer Tarah Pro. They have richer, deeper, clearer sound and you have the option to customize the EQ within the Jaybird app (just like you can with the X4, Freedom 2, and so on).

Customize EQ or discover sound signatures from other Jaybird users

As you can see in the screenshot above, you can search for sound profiles based on genre or you can just customize the EQ settings on your own. That way, if you’re listening to rap music, you can turn the bass up, but when you switch to country, you can emphasize the mids more if you’d like. We really like the features within the Jaybird app. Nothing like this exists for the Powerbeats.

Battery life

We are splitting hairs a bit on this one since both Tarah Pro and Powerbeats3 achieve fantastic battery life, but we have to give the edge to the Tarah Pro. Still, you’re looking at 12+ hours of battery life with both of them. You also get a fast-charge feature. Five minutes will get you two hours with Tarah Pro and one hour with the Powerbeats3.

Water rating

Splitting hairs again a bit with this one, unless you like wearing your earbuds in the pouring rain or shower. Tarah Pro are water resistant down to one meter for 30 minutes (i.e. IPX7 certified), while the Powerbeats3 are just “water/sweat resistant.” We’ve not had waterproofing issues with either earbuds, but Tarah Pro are better here just from a technical standpoint.

Jaybird Tarah Pro vs Powerbeats3 Comparison Chart

Definitely some compelling reasons to get Tarah Pro, but don’t count the Powerbeats3 out just yet.

Powerbeats3 are typically more affordable

If you just look at the MSRP, Tarah Pro cost less than the Powerbeats3. However, since the Powerbeats3 have been out since 2016, you can usually find them for around $120 versus $160 for Tarah Pro. You can check current prices on Amazon for the Powebeats3 and Tarah Pro.

Simpler design

Yes, we like the versatility of the Tarah Pro, but the Powerbeats3, for most people, will be simpler to use and better in terms of requiring less thought to setup and fit.

Secure, comfortable fit

With Tarah Pro, there is a little bit of a setup process, whereas the Powerbeats3 will probably be ready to go out of the box for 70% of people.

MicroUSB charge cable

Tarah Pro use a pretty clever magnetic, reversible charge cable. It works great. We just love the fact that the Powerbeats3 charge with a standard MicroUSB cable. This way, if you’re traveling or you’re prone to losing things, you can easily find a replacement charge cable for the PB3.

iCloud support

Not a major point, but since Apple owns Beats, their products sync up in a more direct way than other brands. As an example, if you’re signed into your iCloud account, you can transfer the earbuds from one device to the next without having to re-pair. It definitely saves time if you’re going from device to device.

Who wins?

All things considered, we’d rather have Tarah Pro. They are solid earbuds that will do pretty much everything you want. We really like them.