Apple‘s AirPods ushered in the era of true wireless earbuds back in 2016. Since then, the market has exploded with models from nearly every consumer tech company all vying for a piece of the wireless earbud pie. Two of the most popular and capable options come from Apple itself: the Beats Studio Buds and AirPods Pro.
Both deliver a compelling overall package, from extended battery life to effective noise cancellation. But with some key differences under the hood, deciding between the Beats Studio Buds and AirPods Pro largely comes down to three factors:
- Platform integration: How seamlessly the earbuds pair with and adapt to your particular device ecosystem
- Sound quality: Aspects like frequency response, bass, highs/lows that determine how good music actually sounds
- and Value: Meaning the performance you get relative to the price
We‘ll compare how the Beats Studio Buds and AirPods Pro stack up across these categories and more so you can determine the best choice for your personal needs and budget.
Beats Studio Buds vs AirPods Pro: Feature Comparison
First, let‘s run through a high-level spec comparison between the two models:
| Spec | Beats Studio Buds | AirPods Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Life | 8 hrs with ANC off 6 hrs with ANC on | Up to 5 hrs with ANC on (Gen 1) Up to 6 hrs with ANC on (Gen 2) |
| Audio Codecs | AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Noise Cancelling | Active | Active |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless Charging Case | No | Yes |
| On-board Controls | Clickable ‘b‘ button | Stem squeeze |
| Colors | Black, White, Red, Gray, Blue, Pink | White |
| Price | $149 | $249 |
Both models here share high-level features like active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and support for premium AAC audio over Bluetooth.
Where they start to diverge are areas like battery life (the Studio Buds achieve 3+ more hours), case charging (the AirPods Pro case supports wireless), and physical controls (Beats uses an external button vs the AirPods‘ squeeze stems). We‘ll explore the implications around these differences in more detail below.
Diving Into the Details
Beyond the specs, understanding where these wireless earbuds excel and falter comes down to examining the finer details across four key categories:
Compatibility and Connectivity
As you may know, Apple owns the Beats brand, so it shouldn‘t come as a surprise that the Beats Studio Buds work great with iOS/iPhones. Much like AirPods, the Beats Studio Buds experience fast, seamless pairing right within the Bluetooth settings thanks to Apple‘s proprietary tech. You even get access to handy features like Audio Sharing between Apple devices.
What sets the Studio Buds apart is equally solid compatibility with Android and Windows devices as well. Connecting your non-Apple phone or tablet to the Studio Buds takes just a quick tap using Google‘s Fast Pair. And you can install the Beats app on Android to view battery levels, customize controls and enable useful functions like Find My Buds.
The AirPods Pro don‘t work as harmoniously with non-Apple gear. You have to manually pair them through Bluetooth menus without the benefit of fast pairing. And there‘s no companion app for Android or Windows that allows you to configure the AirPods or use Apple-only features like "Hey Siri" or Spatial Audio with head tracking.
So while the Studio Buds certainly provide better cross-platform flexibility, the AirPods Pro remain the better pick solely for all-Apple households thanks to their tighter ecosystem integration.
Sound Quality and Noise Cancellation
With headphones and earbuds, sound quality comes down to a combination of the hardware components inside as well as audio processing technologies that enhance performance.
In terms of hardware, both the Beats Studio Buds and AirPods Pro contain custom-designed drivers in each bud that deliver optimized sound compared to off-the-shelf components. Apple is particularly proud of the low distortion speaker driver inside AirPods Pro.
For processing, the H1 chip inside the AirPods Pro powers algorithms that enable features like Adaptive EQ (which tunes music to your ear shape) and Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking (think surround sound that moves as you turn your head). The Studio Buds don‘t currently offer anything similar natively, though you can apply some EQ presets through the Beats app.
Many critics praise the AirPods Pro‘s sound reproduction and active noise cancelling capabilities as the best from any Apple audio product yet, headphones included. There‘s excellent clarity across low, mid and high frequencies with punchy – but not overbearing – bass all contributing to a pleasant sound profile.
That said, the Beats Studio Buds hold their own here as well. They produce pleasing audio for this device category with emphasis on the lows and low-mids you‘d expect from a Beats product. The active noise cancelling works almost as capably as the AirPods Pro to mute ambient sounds around you.
If you want the pinnacle of sound performance, the AirPods Pro still lead the way. But casual listeners who appreciate some extra thump on the bass should find the Studio Buds perfectly satisfactory – and at $100 cheaper to boot!
Battery Life and Charging
Battery runtime is crucial for true wireless earbuds you rely on everyday. Here the Beats Studio Buds‘ 8-hour battery assert their dominance over the AirPods Pro‘s 6 hours of listening time with ANC on.
Power users can further stretch the Studio Buds by disabling noise cancellation to achieve close to a full 24 hours including the charging case. The AirPods Pro counter with 30 hours total including wireless charging.
Both models offer fast charging that nets you around 1 hour of use from a 5 minute charge. It‘s handy for when you‘re rushing out the door with no time to completely top up.
The glaring omission from the Studio Buds is support for wireless charging. The AirPods case conveniently works with all Qi wireless pads, while you have to physically plug in the Beats case through its USB-C or Lightning connectors.
For most owners, the extra several hours of listening time will outweigh the benefits of wireless charging however. Particularly since both can rapidly charge in those moments when battery runs low and you want to keep music playing.
Design and Controls
In terms of fit and finish, Apple pulls off slightly sleeker styling with the AirPods Pro. They nestle into ears for a low profile look, especially with the smooth contours and glossy white finish.
That said, the Studio Buds project an understated, fashionable look as well with their matte black or white color options and smaller footprint courtesy of the missing stem. And for those who want a personalized touch, accents like the red, blue and pink provide welcome variety the single white AirPods Pro lacks.
For controls, both options work well for managing playback, calls, volume and summoning voice assistants. Owners generally adapt quickly to the Beats‘ distinct button or squeezing the AirPods Pro stem.
It really comes down to subtle preferences around tactile feedback and remembering squeeze vs press actions. Notably, the Studio Buds give you dedicated volume buttons which the AirPods Pro lack. But the AirPods compensate with more functionality through sensors and squeeze combinations.
And one advantage unique to AirPods Pro is automatic ear detection for auto-play/pause when inserting or removing a bud. The Studio Buds have no on-board sensors to replicate this behavior.
Value Comparison
We‘ve clearly shown areas where each earbud model bests the other. But it‘s the sizable $100 price difference between them that seals the Beats Studio Buds as overall better bang for your buck.
You simply get 80% of the AirPods Pro‘s functionality for 60% of the cost with the Beats Studio Buds. Key advantages like enhanced compatibility, longer battery life and satisfying audio remain intact for $100 less upfront.
Unless you‘re an iPhone die-hard who demands full Apple ecosystem integration, the Beats Studio Buds deliver the performance most listeners need in a more affordable package. That calculus tips further from a value standpoint towards Beats as the clear price-to-performance winner.
The Bottom Line
So where does that leave us? Here‘s the bottom line when comparing the Beats Studio Buds versus Apple AirPods Pro:
The AirPods Pro lead in areas like sound quality, platform integration, wireless charging convenience and sleek styling. Apple has packed its audio engineering might into a superb package with the AirPods Pro.
However…most buyers don‘t require that degree of audio fidelity or ecosystem perfection. And they likely wince at the AirPods Pro‘s steep $249 cost.
That‘s why the Beats Studio Buds strike a masterful balance of great compatibility, battery life and audio in a tighter $149 budget pick. Casual music lovers, Android users, workout junkies and penny-pinchers should all gravitate to the Studio Buds for affordable access to Apple-level quality.
Have any other questions around how the Beats Studio Buds compare to Apple‘s AirPods Pro? Drop them in the comments below!
