The smart headphones market grew by a staggering 20.9% between 2022 and 2023 and is continuing its meteoric rise this year.
Apart from letting you enjoy your favorite tunes, this handy technology is an excellent choice for managing a digital assistant, fitness tracking, and noise cancellation.
If you’re in the market for a set of earbuds, you’ve probably come across the Beats and AirPods products during your search for the ideal fit.
Apple makes both of these types of wireless headphones, so you can’t let brand loyalty guide you on this one. Instead, read this AirPods vs Beats Studio Buds comparison before you decide.
The Basics Regarding AirPods vs Beats Studio Buds
Price is always a major consideration when investing in technology, and there’s little difference between these two headsets in this regard. Third-generation AirPods are usually between $10 and $50 more expensive than Beats if you exclude the wireless charging case.
If you opt for the latest AirPod Pro model, you could pay as much as $100 more.
Price aside, these are the major differences in specs between the varieties in the same price range:
Dimensions
The AirPod 3 is 1.21 inches tall, by 0.72 inches wide, and 0.76 inches deep. Each earpiece weighs 0.15 ounces, compared to the 0.17-ounce weight of the Beats Studio Bud.
Beats Studio Buds are 0.59 inches tall, 0.81 inches long, and 0.73 inches wide, but they do come with detachable small, medium, and large ear tips.
Sound Features
AirPod 3s feature personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, a custom high dynamic range amplifier, and an adaptive EQ. They run off a custom high-excursion Apple driver.
Beats Studio Sound Buds feature transparency and active noise cancelation. They support spatial audio and a custom acoustic platform to broadcast powerful, immersive, balanced sound.
They have a two-chamber housing with a dual-element diaphragm driver for excellent stereo separation, and an advanced digital processor for the best clarity and loudness.
Sensors and Microphones
AirPods have inward-facing microphones, skin-detect sensors, a force sensor, dual-beamforming microphones, and speech- as well as motion-detecting accelerometers.
External-facing Beats microphones help integrate surrounding sounds into your listening experience in transparency mode.
They also have dual beam-forming microphones but no skin-detection sensors. That means your Beats Studio Buds will keep playing if you remove them from your ears.
Connectivity
The AirPods have Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology. The latest Beats models have Class 1 Bluetooth to extend the wireless range and limit dropouts.
AirPods and Beats Wireless Earbuds Compatibility
AirPods aren’t the best earbuds for Android users as they’re not readily compatible with these operating systems. Beats Studio Buds has one-touch pairings for Android and Apple devices.
If you opt for AirPods, you can use them with:
- The latest iPhone and iPad touch models
- Apple Watches with the latest watchOS
- Mac computers with an updated macOS
- Apple TVs with the latest tvOS
If you have an older iPad it will still work with your AirPods as long as you have the latest version of iPadOS.
Battery Life
Apple AirPods and Beats Studio Buds offer almost the same battery life. When in full use, the Beats’ battery life is around four and a half hours, while the Airpod batteries run for just over five hours.
Thanks to the AirPods charging case, you can extend your listening time to up to 24 hours after charging your case via a lighting connector. AirPods also support wireless charging.
You’ll need to charge your Studio Buds case using a USB-C port for an extra two full charges.
User Friendliness
You can communicate with your third-generation AirPods by using a sequence of one, two, or three presses on the stem of the earpiece. To use the AirPods with Siri, simply press and hold the stem.
When you buy AirPods, you can change these settings to suit your preferences via the settings tab on your device.
Beats Studio Buds don’t have a stem, so you control them by pressing the logo on your earpieces. You can use one, two, or three presses to manage the audio and calls.
If you want to turn down the volume, you can do this using Siri or by moving the volume slider on your app.
Both these sets of headphones have an IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating. Thanks to this, you can confidently use them for gym workouts, but the lack of a stem or hooks means that Beats Buds can fall out of your ears during running workouts.
There is a small risk the earpieces might incur some damage if you drop your Beats during exercise. According to this company, you don’t need to buy a new set of earbuds if this does happen. You can order genuine replacement parts if needed.
Overall, the sturdy plastic design makes both the Beats and AirPod earpieces durable enough to withstand minor bumps and falls.
Refining Your Options
Unless you’re in tune with the latest technological terminology, you still might find yourself in the dark when comparing these two options. In short, you should choose AirPods if you:
- Need top-performing microphones
- Often misplace your earpieces
- Desire superior sound quality
Beats Studio Buds are best suited to those who:
- Prefer tap-based gestures
- Want a snug-fitting earpiece
- Are shopping on a budget
- Would prefer a color other than white
- Are Android users
Both of these devices are among the world’s best-selling and trendiest devices, so you can’t go wrong either way.
Take Your Pick
Hopefully, you’re a little closer to deciding between AirPods vs Beats Studio Buds after reading this breakdown. Whichever you choose, you’re bound to experience hours of enjoyment and convenience thanks to your purchase.
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