Apple AirPods Professional vs. Beats Studio Buds: Which is best?

The title for best-sounding wi-fi earbuds is a neverending debate, however there is no denying that Apple’s AirPods Professional is the preferred alternative available on the market. Having its devoted column on the Apple web site and an analysis that clouds whole enterprise entities, the AirPods Professional is each influential and basically good-sounding.

However if you happen to’re searching for a pair — whether or not on Apple’s web site or at a retailer — do not be shocked to search out shares of Beats Studio Buds close by. The notorious Beats label, which as soon as lived on the ears of each strolling athlete and celeb, was acquired by Apple in 2014. Since then, Apple has been promoting Beats-made headphones and earbuds in its personal shops. The Beats Studio Buds, for one, may be bought by going to Apple.com, clicking the Equipment tab, scrolling right down to “Store all Wi-fi Headphones”, after which discovering the product itemizing. Straightforward sufficient, proper? 

Clearly, Apple is not pushing the $149 Beats Studio Buds as a lot because it does for the $249 AirPods Professional. However that does not imply that if you happen to’re available on the market for a pair of wi-fi earbuds, you must rely the previous out. In additional methods than one, the Beats competitor could also be extra favorable to your wants. That will help you resolve, let’s examine the design, options, and efficiency of the 2 earbuds.

Design and match

In {hardware} alone, Beats and Apple have taken reverse approaches to how their respective earbuds feel and appear. The Apple AirPods Professional, like earlier AirPods, has a shiny white unibody with a brief stem that rests towards the underside of your ears. The stems function capacitive touchpoints for pausing and taking part in music, prompting Siri, and toggling between completely different noise-canceling modes. Whereas not as polarizing as the unique AirPods, the Professional’s design is ever so iconic and solely out there in Apple’s signature white end. It is a look that has aged gracefully since its 2019 launch, however one that’s quite restricted. 

Those that favor somewhat extra character will discover the Beats Studio Buds interesting. Accessible in six colours, together with Ocean Blue, Sundown Pink, and Beats Crimson, the Studio Buds carry a vibrancy that the AirPods Professional lack. Relying in your colorway of alternative, the earbuds’ charging case follows go well with. This is not the one {hardware} distinction between the Beats and AirPods, although. The Studio Buds are sculpted to slot in the curvatures of your ear, not needing any stems or hooks to maintain them cosy. As an alternative of stem-based controls, the Beats have a pill-shaped button on the skin of every bud for audio controls. 

Each the AirPods Professional (5.4 g) and Studio Buds (5 g) are light-weight and authorized with IPX4 rankings. That signifies that consolation and resistance to rain and sweat should not be a difficulty with both pair. It additionally helps that the 2 earbuds include cushioned ideas that not solely mildew to the form of your ear however function passive noise-canceling mechanisms. Extra on sound efficiency shortly.

Extra: Greatest headphones for exercises and working

Sound and options

In relation to pairing the earbuds, iPhone customers and solely iPhone customers can benefit from the H1 chip constructed into the AirPods Professional. With a flick of the charging case lid, the earbuds seamlessly connect with close by Apple gadgets that share the identical iCloud account. Should you’re on Android, Home windows, or any non-Apple-based {hardware}, you will must resort to the standard Bluetooth-pairing technique.

Whereas not as flashy, the Beats Studio Buds assist Bluetooth 5.2 (versus 5.0 on the AirPods) and one-touch pairing for iPhones and Android. By urgent the pairing button on the again of the charging case, the Beats can make the most of Google’s Quick Pair characteristic to effortlessly sync to any Google-powered system. There’s additionally a Beats companion app that is simply as feature-rich on the iOS platform as it’s on Android. 

As for audio efficiency, the Apple AirPods Professional is arguably the higher sounding of the 2. You may anticipate a extra full sound stage when listening to numerous genres and the AirPods simply do a superior job at maintaining mid-to-high frequencies clear, whereas packing sufficient bass to offer listeners the kick they need.

The Studio Buds lean extra in direction of a bass-heavy profile than the rest. Should you frequent home, EDM, and dance genres, then your ears will recognize the additional thump that Beats merchandise are infamous for. Simply do not anticipate the underlying devices to play properly with vocals and higher-pitched percussions.

Each items assist Apple Music’s Spatial Audio, which creates an immersive soundscape that amplifies sure devices and voices based mostly on the place you are dealing with. This characteristic may be loved on iOS and Android. 

It helps that the AirPods Professional has among the greatest lively noise-cancelation (ANC) and microphones that we have examined. From morning commutes to work conferences, the AirPods do an efficient job at blocking out ambient sound and maintaining your voice entrance and middle. The Studio Buds isn’t that far behind with ANC ranges however mutes a smaller frequency of sound.

Extra: Learn our AirPods Professional overview

Battery and charging

You may anticipate a complete of 24 hours of complete playtime from each choices. That features cost cycles of their respective circumstances and ANC turned off. As standalone earbuds, the Beats are rated for as much as eight hours of playtime, lasting longer than the AirPods Professional’s 5 hours. Does that make a major distinction in each day utilization? Most likely not. However you will have much less battery anxiousness with the Studio Buds.

Each the AirPods Professional and Studio Buds assist quick wired charging. What differs is the kind of connection/charging ports and the AirPods’ capability to wirelessly cost. In Apple style, the AirPods depend on a Lightning port for energy supply. That signifies that if you happen to’re an Android person, you will must dedicate an output only for the USB-C to Lightning cable that Apple contains within the field. 

Quite the opposite, the Beats Studio Buds cost through USB-C, a port that’s extra universally accepted. Nevertheless, customers who’ve assimilated to a cable-free life-style might be upset to know that Studio Buds don’t assist wi-fi charging.

Extra: Europe’s USB-C normal might carry welcome adjustments to new iPhones

Pricing

Going by official pricing, the $249 Apple AirPods Professional is considerably extra expertise than the $149 Beats Studio Buds. The $100 distinction alone could also be sufficient that can assist you resolve which pair to purchase. Nevertheless, it is value noting that the AirPods have been out for almost three years, and discovering a new pair at a reduction is quite common. 

In the end, I might suggest the AirPods Professional if you happen to worth a balanced sound efficiency, class-leading ANC and mic high quality, and personal any variation of Apple merchandise. Should you’re on Android, the AirPods are nonetheless a good pickup, however the Beats Studio Buds ought to play higher with Quick Pair compatibility. They’re additionally superior to the AirPods in relation to shade choices, bass efficiency, and affordability.

Alternate options to think about

The Professional model of the AirPods, consider it or not, isn’t the most recent earbuds providing from Apple. That will be the third-generation AirPods, which look related however promote for considerably much less at $179. The earbuds assist Spatial audio with dynamic head monitoring, have an adaptive EQ to fine-tune numerous audio experiences, and sit in a case that may cost through MagSafe. 

From Sony, the LinkBuds S are light-weight, comfy to put on for hours, and may swap between noise canceling and ambient sound. The newest earbuds from Sony even have an IPX4 score, which makes them immune to sweat, rain, and splashes. Greatest but, the LinkBuds S performs simply as nicely with the iOS model of its companion app because it does on Android, giving each events intensive entry to fine-tune the audio profile. 

For one thing extra reasonably priced, try the OnePlus Buds Professional. Whereas meant to compete towards the AirPods Professional, the OnePlus Buds are near half the value however supply related options like lively noise canceling, wi-fi charging, and a stem-shaped design.