The dust has fully settled on the launch of Apple’s new Beats Studio Buds and while the product is available in the US market, it is yet to make its debut in Australia. The earbuds arrive with several features on par with the AirPods Pro at a cheaper price. It is the first truly wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) from the beats brand and comes in multiple colour options as opposed to the AirPods Pro which also has ANC but comes in a monotonous White colour.
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The Beats Studio Buds is compatible with both Android and Apple devices while the AirPods Pro is deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, hence primarily compatible with Apple devices. Asides noise cancellation, both in-ear headphones have the same Transparency mode, sweat and water resistance (IPX4), Spatial Audio support, and all-round great sound quality. The table below has the side-by-side specs comparison of both devices showing their similarities and key differences.
| Beats Studio Buds vs AirPods Pro: Key Specs Comparison | ||
| Beats Studio Buds | AirPods Pro | |
| Launch Year | 2021 | 2019 |
| Compatible devices | Android, Apple | Apple |
| Colours | Beats Red, Black, White | White |
| Design | In-Ear | In-Ear |
| Size | 15mm (H) x 20.5mm (L) x 18.5mm (W) | 30.9mm (H) x 21.8mm (W) x 24mm (D) |
| Weight | 5.0 grams | 5.4 grams |
| Charging case | 25.5mm (H) x 72mm (L) x 51mm (W); 48 grams | 45.2mm (H) x 60.6mm (W) x 21.7mm (D); 45.6 grams |
| Chip | – | Apple H1 (SIP) |
| Controls | Physical ‘b’ button per side | In-Ear Detection, Touch controls |
| IP Rating | IPX4 (sweat & water resistant) | IPX4 (sweat & water resistant) |
| Connectivity | One-touch pairing via Bluetooth | One-touch pairing via Bluetooth |
| Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) | Yes | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Adaptive EQ | No | Yes |
| Charging | USB-C | Lightning connector, Wireless charging case |
| Battery Life | 8 hours of listening time on a single Charge (No ANC or Transparency mode); Up to 24 hours of combined playback with charging case | 5 hours of listening time on a single Charge (No ANC or Transparency mode); Up to 24 hours of combined playback with wireless charging case |
| Pricing | US$ 149.99/AU$ 199.95 | US$ 249.00/AU$ 399.00 |
Beats Studio Buds vs AirPods Pro: Pricing
Depending on the currency, the Beats Studio Buds (US$ 149.99/AU$ 199.95) is about US$ 100 or AU$ 199 cheaper than the AirPods Pro. The latter has been in the market since 2019, however, the US$ 249/AU$ 399 price tag has stayed consistent and has never fallen below that of the Studio Buds even when on sale. If you are on a tight budget, the Beats earbuds is the logical option.
Beats Studio Buds vs AirPods Pro: Listening Experience
With the Studio Buds, Apple moved away from the PowerBeats Pro’s over-ear design for an in-ear experience offered by the AirPods series except the AirPods Max. As mentioned earlier, the Beats Studio Buds and AirPods Pro offer Active Noise Cancellation to stop external sounds from coming while Transparency Mode filters the external sound coming into the earbuds. They both have Support for Spatial Sound; however, Adaptive EQ gives the AirPods Pro an edge in sound quality.
Read More: AirPods Max vs AirPods Pro vs AirPods: What’s the Difference?
The Beats Studio Buds has a responsive ‘b’ button for control and connects via one-touch pairing with Android or iOS devices via Bluetooth. On the other hand, Apple’s force sensor gets the job done on the AirPods Pro combined with features such as on-ear detection, automatic switching, iCloud syncing and multi-pairing across all Apple devices thanks to the H1 chip.
Android users will appreciate the fact that the Beats Studio Buds works with Google’s Find My Device and the option to trigger ‘Google Assistant’ after installing the Beats Android app. It also excels in the battery department. It lasts up to 8 hours of listening time on a single charge without ANC or Transparency Mode on and drops to only 5 hours with them turned on.
The AirPods Pro lasts up to 5 hours of listening time and drops to 4.5 hours with ANC on. Both models last up to a combines 24 hours of usage with the charging case, and while the AirPods’ case supports both wired and wireless charging, while the Beats’ charging case has a USB-C port.
Conclusion
The decision to get the Beats Studio Buds or AirPods Pro comes down to budget and features. The Beats Studio Buds offer ANC, dust and water resistance, USB-C charging, multiple colour options and long-lasting battery life at a considerably affordable price. However, for an extra cost AirPods Pro delivers appealing extras such as the deep integration across Apple ecosystem and H1 chip-enabled features including iCloud syncing, and in-ear detection.
If the question – ‘Beats Studio Buds or the AirPods Pro’ ever comes up again? You have just the right information to make the right decision.