AirPods vs. Beats Studio Buds | Which Pair of Earbuds Should You Choose?
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You’ve probably seen celebrities rocking the new Beats Studio Buds, but it wasn’t until recently that the new true wireless buds were finally released.
These earbuds are light, inexpensive, and offer amazing sound quality, battery life, and Active Noise Cancellation for $100 less than the AirPods Pro (and are even $10 more affordable than the regular AirPods without the wireless charging case).
So with all of these cool features for less than the price of AirPods, which earbuds should you go for? Are AirPods falling behind, or are should you still get them right now? Here’s what you need to know.
Design
Not everyone’s a fan of Apple’s stems. Some people hate them, and others like them, but it’s clearly a unique AirPods feature. On the other hand, the Beats Studio Buds are completely stemless and have a similar design to the Samsung Galaxy Buds or the Google Pixel Buds.
You should also consider the ear tips. Both the Studio Buds and the AirPods Pro have ear tips that some people might not find comfortable. It definitely takes some time to get used to them, but if you don’t want to deal with that, you should go for the regular AirPods.
Another advantage is that the Beats Studio Buds have colors to choose from, like red, black, and white, which beats both the AirPods and AirPods Pro since they only come in white.
Price
As we previously mentioned, the Beats Studio Buds are the cheapest compared to the AirPods and AirPods Pro. The regular AirPods start at $159 without a wired charging case and $199 with a wireless charging case. The AirPods Pro, on the other hand, cost $249 full price. Finally, the Beats Studio Buds cost $149, which is at least $10 more affordable than Apple’s cheapest AirPods.
Keep in mind, though, that because of all the features the Beats Studio Buds have, you’d actually be getting a pair of “budget AirPods Pro” with some compromises.
To be fair, both the AirPods and AirPods Pro are constantly on sale on places like Amazon, but we can expect the Studio Buds to lower their price in the future too.
Still, if you’re only looking for the most affordable model right now that still has amazing features, then you should go for the Beats Studio Buds.
Sound
It doesn’t matter how many colors and features the Beats Studio Buds have if they don’t deliver good sound quality. Fortunately, they’re good at that too. Even if they aren’t as premium as the AirPods Pro, the Beats Studio Buds have excellent sound quality.
The regular AirPods fall behind in this category. The sound quality is good, but it’s not as great as both the AirPods Pro and the Beats Studio Buds. Not just because they’re cheaper, but since AirPods don’t have ear tips, they can’t have Active Noise Cancellation, and so music isn’t as immersive.
Battery Life
When it comes to battery life, the Beats Studio Buds outperform both the AirPods and AirPods Pro. With Active Noise Cancellation, the Beats Studio Buds last up to 5 hours, whereas the AirPods Pro only last 4.5 hours.
Without ANC, however, the Beats Studio Buds can last up to 8 hours, beating the 5 hours of playtime from the AirPods and AirPods Pro. That being said, the Beats Studio Buds lack wireless charging, which is a key feature both the AirPods and AirPods Pro have.
Still, if you’re looking for the most battery without any extra charging, the Beats Studio Buds are the better option.
Compatibility
The Beats Studio Buds are great for Android and Apple devices. You can pair them and start using them in just a moment, and the Studio Buds support Android features that the AirPods don’t.
On the other hand, if you’re a total iPhone user, you might be better off with the AirPods or AirPods Pro. You’ll have more features available, and you’ll be able to use them in the Apple ecosystem without any hiccups.
Spatial Audio
Apple’s newest Apple Music feature is Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. It’s a brand new way of immersing yourself in your favorite songs. The best part is that there’s no additional cost, and the other great news is that the Beats Studio Buds, the AirPods, and the AirPods Pro all support Spatial Audio.
It doesn’t matter which pair you go for; you’ll still enjoy this new Apple Music feature.
Noise Cancellation and Mic Quality
Regarding Active Noise Cancellation, only the Beats Studio Buds and the AirPods Pro have it. But, as you’d expect, the AirPods Pro have better noise cancellation than the Studio Buds. The Studio Buds will give you decent ANC, but it won’t be as good as the AirPods Pro.
Another feature where the Beats Studio Buds fall behind is mic quality. The microphones are decent, especially for the price range, but it’s nowhere near as good as the AirPods Pro’s mics. If you plan to use your earbuds to make many calls, you’re better off with the AirPods Pro instead of the Studio Buds or the regular AirPods.
Which Should You Buy?
The Beats Studio Buds offer several great features that make them the best choice for many people. They’re great for both Android and Apple devices, have excellent sound quality, fantastic battery life, and they come in three colors for you to choose from. And the best part of all, you’ll basically get a pair of “affordable AirPods Pro” for $100 less. If you’re more interested in battery life and price, the Beats Studio Buds are a great option for you.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to stick with the Apple ecosystem, you want the best sound and mic quality, and you don’t mind paying extra for it, the AirPods Pro are a must-have.
The regular AirPods could be a good choice if you don’t like the ear tips and you still want to stick with the Apple ecosystem without spending too much. Although, I’d recommend you consider getting the Beats Studio Buds instead.
