If you’re a fan after Beats headphones, we’re here to help you make the right choice with this list of the best Beats headphones.
Beats has changed its tune (quite literally) in recent years, changing from the bass-heavy approach of its earlier years to a more neutral and balanced sound. It’s also launched an array of headphones in different forms, so you can now choose from on-ears, over-ears or true wireless earbuds.
We’ve reviewed practically all the Beats headphones out there, so we’re very familiar with the brand and what makes a good Beats headphone. We’ve tested each pair of Beats headphones like we would do with any other pair of headphones.
Our testing process goes through the design to determine how well they fit and how comfortable they are to wear. We’ll test the features they have, carrying out battery drains to see how long they last, test the call quality where necessary, and judge how good the ANC and wireless connection are by taking them out in the world. And of course we’ll test how they sound, judging them against previous Beats headphones.
We put all this effort into testing these headphones to give you insights into their performance, so you can be confident that you’re getting value for money.
If you’re considering other pairs to buy, have a look at our list of the best headphones and best over-ears to the best wireless earbuds and best noise-cancelling headphones.
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How we test
Our headphone tests are done by some of the best and most prolific reviewers in the industry, with years of experience listening to everything from the plasticky freebie earbuds that come with your smartphone, to five-figure beasts of glass and marble. We love music and we want your tunes to sound good, too.
So we listen every pair of headphones we can get on or in our ears. We use a variety of sources, from basic MP3s playing on a laptop to high-quality tracks on dedicated hi-res audio players.
Our test tracks are wide-ranging to give headphones a thorough challenge. They’re also familiar, so we know every track backwards, and we know which bits might trouble the lesser performers.
We listen again and again, and we do that for weeks in case the sound changes – because it usually does. Then we’ll listen to similarly priced rivals and come up with a verdict that reflects the performance and features for the money.
Pros
- Strong noise-cancelling
- Neutral, clear presentation
- Excellent wireless performance
- Physical controls
- USB-C audio
Cons
- ANC suffers with wind noise
- No room for higher quality Bluetooth codecs
- Design better suited for smaller ears
Pros
- Clear, detailed and balanced sound
- Strong noise-cancellation performance
- Long battery life
- Comfortable to wear
Cons
- Not the most exciting audio delivery
- No customisation of sound or ANC
- Charging case is still on the big side
- Expensive
Pros
- Clear, detailed sound
- Improved noise-cancellation
- Smaller design and case
- Better battery life than Fit Pro
- Comfortable to wear
Cons
- Lack of any new features
- Still only IPX4
- Strong alternatives from Bose and JBL
Pros
- Improved noise-cancellation over original
- Clear, spacious audio
- Excellent call performance
- Improved battery
- Feature parity on Android and iOS
Cons
- Patchy performance in busy signal areas
- Slightly loose fit
- More expensive
- No support for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs
Pros
- Natural, balanced tone
- Solid noise cancellation/transparency mode
- iOS and Android support
- Comfortable to wear
Cons
- Battery life less than rivals
- No wireless charging
- App is slim on features
Pros
- Small package
- Plenty of features
- Long battery life
Strong noise-cancelling
Neutral, clear presentation
Excellent wireless performance
Physical controls
USB-C audio
ANC suffers with wind noise
No room for higher quality Bluetooth codecs
Design better suited for smaller ears
The Studio Pro are a largely successful reboot of Beats full-sized headphones. They’re comfortable enough to wear with their soft, pliable earpads, though we would say they’re best suited for smaller ears. The space inside the earcups is a little compact and can pinch around the ears.
The design is more minimalist than before, and feels better constructed than the heavily plastic vibes of previous models, with physical buttons provided for playback, noise-cancellation and volume control which we liked. There’s no wear sensor so the headphones won’t automatically pause audio when taken off.
Like the other Beats headphones on this list, there’s support for Android and iOS with the ‘Find My’ functionality that searches for the headphone’s last known location: one-touch pairing on iOS and Google Fast Pair, and the ability to switch between devices within their respective ecosystems.
The Bluetooth performance is vastly better than the Studio Buds Plus and among some of the best headphones we’ve tested with barely any signal disruption. The call quality is solid but an area we feel there is room for improvement. While background noise was effectively muzzled, in busy areas we were told our voices sounded robotic and fuzzy.
The noise-cancelling is very strong though it comes with a few caveats. One is that the headphones are susceptible to wind noise, and the second is that noise leaks through when we turned our head. Otherwise the Studio Pro put the kibosh on the most noises we came across, including crying children. They’re an excellent choice for commuter journeys.
The transparency mode is very natural sounding but our only other issue is that there’s no room to customise the performance of the noise-cancellation to hear what we want to hear.
Battery life is claimed to be 24 hours but we found these headphones can go even longer streaming audio at about 50%. The headphones don’t sound as good at that volume level but you get more than 24 hours from each charge.
The sound quality is neutral with lots of detail and clarity. Some may feel that the Beats’ sound lacks character, but in our minds it serves to present music as is without much tweaking. Bass is weighty and punchy; midrange clarity is excellent, and while the treble isn’t as bright as we’d like, it is clear and detailed.
Plug them into a wired USB-C connection and they sound even better, able to support 24-bit/96kHz files. In this mode the Studio Pro sound more energetic, lively, and dynamic.
Clear, detailed and balanced sound
Strong noise-cancellation performance
Long battery life
Comfortable to wear
Not the most exciting audio delivery
No customisation of sound or ANC
Charging case is still on the big side
Expensive
For those searching for a pair of Beats headphones for running and fitness, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are your best bet.
While the Powerbeats Fit and Fit Pro offer a sturdy enough fit and IP resistance to be used in the gym, the Powerbeats have a sporty design with a lightweight plastic build, hook design and a malleable rubber stem. They offer the better, more stable fit.
As far as features go, these are a big upgrade on the original Powerbeats Pro.
There’s the addition of noise cancellation, which is the best we’ve heard from a Beats true wireless. There’s transparency mode for when you need to hear what’s around you.
There’s also a heart-rate monitor, which tracks your heart rate via various apps so you can keep track fo your cardiovascular health; and battery life has been boosted to up to 45 hours.
Disappointingly the earbuds stick with their water IPX4 and include a wear sensor to automatically play and pause your tunes.
When it comes to sound, the Powerbeats Pro 2 share the same charateristics as the other models on this list. It’s not the most exciting sound, but it’s clear, spacious and detailed; with a solid bass performance. They lack a little fun with their sound but they are a clear, balanced listen.
Clear, detailed sound
Improved noise-cancellation
Smaller design and case
Better battery life than Fit Pro
Comfortable to wear
Lack of any new features
Still only IPX4
Strong alternatives from Bose and JBL
The Powerbeats Fit can be worn for casual use or exercise with its wing-tip design.
It’s still powered by Apple’s H1 chip (the same one found in the AirPods), the headphones have a number of iOS-exclusive features but work with Android devices too.
Connected to an iOS device and the earbuds operate at a system level, which means there’s no need for a separate iOS app – and users benefit from exclusive features such as dynamic head tracking with Spatial Audio with head tracking and Dolby Atmos.
There’s also automatic switching between iOS devices, audio sharing with Apple products and hands-free voice assistance from Siri, and for even more convenience there’s one-touch pairing and support for the Find My app in case they go missing.
Android users benefit from the Beats app, which includes control customisation, battery levels and the Ear Tip Fit Test, with one-touch pairing possible when setting the buds up. However, some Apple-exclusive features such as Spatial audio aren’t available.
We’re at the point where the feature set is a little samey, and the Powerbeats Fit doesn’t bring anything new to the table, not even an increase in the IP rating.
The noise-cancelling performance is a big improvement over the Fit Pro. When we used them in the gym they reduced the noise of the machinery around us, and when we took them for a run outside, we found they removed most noises, though cars and bigger vehicles can penetrate your bubble of isolation.
The audio performance is much better than the Fit Pro, a bigger soundstage, louder, clearer and more detailed sound; with a better bass performance and a clearer treble response.
They’re an upgrade of the Fit Pro, but we were hoping for more on the feature front. Regardless, if you’re after a pair for sports and general use, this Beats true wireless is recommended.
Improved noise-cancellation over original
Clear, spacious audio
Excellent call performance
Improved battery
Feature parity on Android and iOS
Patchy performance in busy signal areas
Slightly loose fit
More expensive
No support for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs
The Studio Buds Plus carry the same design as other efforts in the Beats range with its sculpted boot-shape design but there are now vents to relieve pressure in the ear and allow for a better fit to improve the noise-cancelling performance.
We found the fit does feel more secure, although they still have a habit of moving about.
Otherwise they’re pretty much the same as the original pair. They’re nice to use with the glossy multi-function button providing good feedback, and volume control is included though it has to be activated within the app which comes at the expense of onboard control over noise-cancellation. It’s not the best compromise.
The Studio Buds Plus pack features for Android and IOS users, a list that includes one-touch pairing, the Find My function on both platforms, and device switching. Apple users get hands-free Siri too.
Battery life is better than the original, as we tested you can get around six hours of battery from a charge. There is no wireless charging support, but fast-charging is provided with a five-minute providing an hour of playback.
The earbuds’ active noise cancellation performance is better as it suppresses more noise. The transparency mode is clear, avoiding any noise; and call quality is strong, with very little noise affecting the levels of clarity. An area we find the Beats are poorer in is its wireless connection, which gets patchy in busy areas.
As far as audio quality goes, the performance mirrors previous models in being flat and balanced across the frequency range, and it sounds punchier and more spacious too. Bass is slightly more effective than it was on the original model.
Natural, balanced tone
Solid noise cancellation/transparency mode
iOS and Android support
Comfortable to wear
Battery life less than rivals
No wireless charging
App is slim on features
The Beats Studio Buds are a solid pair of all-rounders for anyone searching for Beats on a budget.
The earbuds feature a sculpted boot-shaped design with ear-tips to help them slot into the ear. However, the fit isn’t quite secure enough that you could take them on a run – instead, we’d recommend the Powerbeats Pro or Fit Pro if that’s your use case.
Like the Beats Fit Pro, the Studio Buds come with a good range of features for both Android and iOS users, including one-touch pairing and the Find My headphones feature.
The earbuds offer solid active noise cancellation for their price provided you get a tight seal, and there’s a Transparency mode along with voice assistant support for whichever device you’re using. All of this operates at a system level for iOS users, whereas Android users will need to download the Beats app.
As far as audio quality goes, the Studio Buds offer a neutral and balanced sound across the frequency range, though the soundstage is limited in width compared to the Fit Pro. Highs are described with a sharpness but can become too bright if the fit isn’t correct, while the bass is solid it does lack depth. The Studio Buds Plus are better in pretty much every way, though they come with a jump in price to around £180 / $170. For an even cheaper true wireless pair, there are the Solo Buds, which we’re still yet to review.
Small package
Plenty of features
Long battery life
With the Solo 4, Beats now offers headphones in true wireless, over-ear and on-ear forms, so there’s a choice for anyone depending on the form factor you prefer.
On-ears can be uncomfortable for some but at first we didn’t find the headphones to be uncomfortable to wear but after a few hours we did find that they pinched our earlobes. We wouldn’t recommend that you wear these headphones for hours on end.
However, for those who can wear on-ears for several hours, the compact form factor means you can carry and store them without taking up much space. Build quality is fine but there are some creaks to in the plastic structure of the headband. It’s an area where the Solo 4 could be better in.
In terms of features there is no noise-cancelling but the battery life is excellent wiht 50 hours of charge available, and there is Spatial Audio support, though that’s only for iOS users. Despite that, like the rest of Beats’ headphones, it supports features across the iOS and Android ecosystem with Find My support.
The sound quality is also like the rest of the Beats’ headphones: balanced, clear, and works solidly across a range of music genres. The Solo 4 doesn’t excel in terms of sound, but nor does it sound bad with anything you pass through it. There’s enough clarity and detail to make for an enjoyable listen.
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Full Specs
Beats Studio Pro Review
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Review
Beats Powerbeats Fit Review
Beats Studio Buds Plus Review
Beats Studio Buds Review
Beats Solo 4 Review
UK RRP
£349.99
£249
–
£179.99
£130
£199
USA RRP
$349.99
$249
–
$169.99
$149.99
$199
EU RRP
€399.95
€299
–
€199.95
€149.95
–
CA RRP
CA$466.95
–
–
CA$229.95
CA$179.95
–
AUD RRP
AU$529.95
–
–
AU$269.95
AU$199.95
–
Manufacturer
Beats by Dr Dre
Beats
Beats
Beats by Dr Dre
Beats by Dr Dre
Beats
IP rating
No
IPX4
IPX4
IPX4
IPX4
No
Battery Hours
24
45
30
24
24
50 00
Wireless charging
–
Yes
–
–
–
–
Fast Charging
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Size (Dimensions)
x x INCHES
–
–
x x INCHES
x x INCHES
x x INCHES
Weight
260 G
86.4 G
61.3 G
59 G
58.2 G
217 G
ASIN
B0C95J98LV
B0DT4WR7ZB
B0FPGQZTFB
B0C384VMY2
B0979RDMR4
B0CZPMXGSH
Release Date
2023
2025
2025
2023
2021
2024
First Reviewed Date
–
–
–
–
–
26/06/2024
Model Number
Studio Pro
Powerbeats Pro 2
–
Studio Buds +
–
–
Audio Resolution
SBC, AAC
SBC, AAC
SBC, AAC
SBC, AAC
–
–
Driver (s)
Beats custom-designed, two-layer dynamic diaphragm transducer
Custom-designed, dual-element dynamic diaphragm transducer
–
–
8.2mm dual-element diaphragm
–
Noise Cancellation?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
–
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3
Bluetooth 5.3
Bluetooth 5
Bluetooth 5.3
Bluetooth 5.2
Bluetooth
Colours
Sandstone, Navy, Black, and Deep Brown
Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple,, Electric Orange
Jet Black, Spark Orange, Gravel Grey, and Power Pin
Black/Gold, Ivory, Transpareny
Black, White, Beats Red
Black, Pink, Blue
Frequency Range
20 20000 – Hz
– Hz
20 20000 – Hz
20 20000 – Hz
– Hz
– Hz
Headphone Type
Over-ear
True Wireless
True Wireless
True Wireless
True Wireless
On-ear
Voice Assistant
Siri
Siri
–
–
Yes
Siri, Google Assistant
