Beats Studio Pro vs AirPods Max

• Beats Studio Pro

  A promising option

  The Studio Pro succeeds the popular Studio Wireless 3, bringing a number of improvements, including USB-C Audio and Spatial Audio with Dynamic Head Tracking, as well as a refined design and up to 40 hours battery life.
   

  Pros

  • Clean and detailed design
  • Comfortable wear
  • Works well with Android and iOS
  • Decent battery
  • Versatile connectivity

  Cons

  • Lack some dynamics
  • Plastic can feel a bit cheap

• 

  Apple AirPods Max

  An excellent option

  Although there hasn’t been an update in three years, the AirPods Max still hold their own as a great pair of noise-canceling headphones. The headphones are aesthetically appealing, have a great battery life, and they have terrific sound quality.

  Pros

  • Great ANC
  • Stylish design
  • Dynamic sound
  • Digital crown makes for easy control

  Cons

  • Design can feel a bit heavy
  • Average mic quality and battery life

While Apple is the best known (at least in the headphone world) for its AirPods, not everyone knows that the company also own another big name in audio — Beats. Both of these names are instantly recognizable not only for their sheer brand power, but also distinct design languages, with the clinical, industrial style of the AirPods, and the much more “traditional” design the Beats deliver.

Interestingly though, even though even a few years ago, Beats were a bit synonymous with an overly bassy, muddled sound, it’s been slowly changing. Thanks to the audio magic of Apple’s engineers, modern Beats sound surprisingly good, while still maintaining a more fun sound profile that fits popular music very well.

Related

Beats Studio Buds+ vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: Is going Pro worth the price?

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are feature-packed and durable, but skimp on the multi-connection ecosystem that Beats promise for a smaller price.

The AirPods, on the other hand, have always gone for a more balanced sound, trying to stay more neutral and not as pronounced. This sound profile, along with quite a few software tricks up their sleeve, has made the AirPods quite an audio wonder, getting better with each iteration.

Now, the competition — or rather a friendly rivalry — has been heating up at the highest level for both companies. Beats recently announced its fourth generation of its Studio over-ear wireless headphones. The Beats Studio Pro succeeds the popular Studio Wireless 3, bringing a number of improvements, including USB-C Audio and Spatial Audio with Dynamic Head Tracking, as well as a refined design.

On the other hand, Apple is still going strong with its AirPods Max, which are a great buy even three years after their initial release — although we are looking forward to seeing the next generation soon.

Similar price, availability, and even specs

The Beats Studio Pro were announced on 19 July 2023, and they hit shelves on 10 August of the same year, with a $349 price tag and are available in four color options, comprising Black, Navy, Sandstone and Deep Brown.

The Apple AirPods Max were announced in 2020, so they have been around for a few years now. In that time, though, they have also come down in price from the initial $549 price tag. You can now find most colors at around $449, putting them closer to the Beats Studio Pro price. They come in Space Gray, Silver, Pink, Green and Sky Blue. That being said, the official MSRP didn’t budge, so on Apple’s website the headphones are still $549.

• 	Beats Studio Pro	Apple AirPods Max
  Brand	Beats	Apple
  Battery Life	Up to 40 hours	Up to 20 hours
  Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.0
  Noise Cancellation	ANC, Transparency modes	ANC, Transparency modes
  Microphones	Six with ANC on, three with ANC off	Eight with ANC on, Three with ANC off
  Colors	Black, Navy, Sandstone, Deep Brown	Space Grey, Silver, Green, Pink, Sky Blue
  Compatbility	iOS and Android	iOS and Android
  Dimensions	181 x 178 x 78mm, 260g	187. 3 x 168.6 x 83.4mm, 385g

Both carry a unique design

The Beats Studio Pro and Apple AirPods Max are quite different when it comes to design. Both are very distinctive and follow the design cues well known from other products of the same company.

Beats utilizes a branding forward approach

The Beats are much more out-there when it comes to their design. They follow a similar design language to what we have now come to expect from the Apple-owned company’s Studio headphones, with rounded ear-cups and strong branding. It’s an iconic design and while it’s evolved since the introduction of the Beats Studio Wireless in 2017, there’s a firm nod to the initial design intent. That being said, the newest Beats are much more mature than their designs from years back, so they won’t feel out of place even in an office.

You’ll find a wide adjustable headband, circular ear cups and the “b” branding on the outside of each cup. There are metal hinges, a lovely set of muted color options and the ear cushions have been re-engineered for this model, with what the company calls UltraPlush, which sees memory foam wrapped in leather designed for all-day comfort.

Apple’s AirPod Max provide a simple, trendy look

The Apple AirPods Max delivers a very different look, so in actual fact, you may have already made your choice between these two models based on this alone. They also have a distinctive, fashion-forward design now, much like the in-ear AirPods have achieved since they arrived in 2016. The AirPods Max step away from plastics and move towards stainless steel, aluminum and fabric.

Related

I bought the AirPods Max to see if they’re still worth the hype 3 years later

Apple’s over-ear headphones have achieved iconic fashion status, but are the AirPods Max still worth the steep price? We took a another listen.

The headband is a knitted mesh with stainless steel adjustable rods covered in a soft-to-touch material. The knitted mesh transfers to the ear cups too, wrapping the memory foam cushions, while the outside of the ear cups themselves have a smooth aluminum finish, delivering a very premium look.

You won’t find obvious Apple branding anywhere either. In terms of comfort, they are exceptional, although your mileage may vary. These have been worn for 11 hours on a plane, and we hardly noticed they were on our heads. However, some users (especially with larger heads) do tend to experience pressure from the headband, as it’s not as heavily cushioned as some competitors. The color options are great too, with subtle and bright options, suiting a variety of tastes.

Beats Studio Pro deliver premium touch controls

When it comes to controls, both the Beats Studio Pro headphones and the Apple AirPods Max are pretty smart. The Beats Studio Pro has controls hidden within the left earcup. You control volume using the buttons above and below the “b” — while a hidden button within the “b” itself controls playback, allows you to skip tracks, launch Siri and answer or reject calls.

Beats Studio Pro touch interactions excel

One press on the hidden “b” button lets you pause or play music, as well as answer or end calls. Hit that button twice, and you’ll skip forward a track, while three presses gets you back to the previous track and a press and hold launches Siri.

There’s a system button on the right ear cup of the Beats Studio Pro headphones, meanwhile, which also performs a number of tasks. It will turn the headphones on or off, activate Bluetooth pairing mode when you hold it down for three seconds, or switch between Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Transparency mode when you double press.

If you’re in USB-C Audio mode, you can also use this button to move between EQ profiles. There are also five LED lights on the right ear cup of the Beats Studio Pro, which blink when the earphones are ready to pair, show battery life when you press the multi-function button once and show you which sound profile is active when in USB-C audio mode.

Related

What is ANC? How the hotly contested headphone tech works

Most modern in-ear or over-ear headphones feature ANC. Here’s what that spec really means, how it works, and why it’s worth the higher price tag.

Apple AirPods Max controls mirror Watch’s Digital Crown

For the Apple AirPods Max, the design of the controls is taken straight from the Apple Watch. There’s a Digital Crown on the top of the right earcup that controls the volume when you turn it, while pushing it once lets you play and pause music or answer and end calls. To activate Siri, you press and hold the Digital Crown, while pressing it twice will skip forward a track and pressing it three times will go back to the previous track.

There’s another button on the top of the right earcup that allows you to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes. If you press and hold it, that will allow you to put the AirPods Max into pairing mode for things like connecting to an Android device, PC or devices like AirFly Pro when you’re on a plane, for example.

Related

4 features I want to see from the AirPods Max 2

Apple’s AirPods Max 2 are rumored to be released this year, and these 4 features would make me want to buy them all over again.

On the hardware front, the Beats Studio Pro headphones have USB-C, as well as a 3.5mm line-in. The AirPods Max, however, have Lightning ports for charging but no 3.5mm line-in.

Both feature easy connectivity, tracking, and compatibility

When it comes to features, the Beats Studio Pro and the Apple AirPods Max aren’t too different. Both offer one-tap setup with Apple devices, so it’s super easy to get them connected to your devices if you are using an iPhone or iPad. This connection then automatically transfers between Apple devices if you are using the same Apple ID, so both pairs of headphones will automatically connect to your Mac or Apple Watch once setup.

Related

3 AirPods Max alternatives that are just as trendy

AirPods Max have gone viral, but they’re not the only over-ears that deliver a sleek aesthetic and great sound. Here are are top tested alternatives.

When using them paired with Apple devices, both the Beats Studio Pro and Apple AirPods Max offer Apple’s Dynamic Head Tracking feature, which is designed to shift the audio according to your head movements, making it feel like the sound is all around you. In addition to Dynamic Head Tracking, Spatial Audio is supported for virtual 360-degree sound when listening to tracks rendered in Dolby Atmos and Personalized Spatial Audio.

The Beats Studio Pro and Apple AirPods Max also both work with Android devices, of course, though the Beats Studio Pro have the slight advantage here with support for Google Fast Pair, allowing for one-tap connection here too, and an Audio Switch feature for switching between Android, Chromebook and other compatible devices.

Related

How to link multiple Google accounts together (and why you would)

It’s not uncommon to have numerous Google accounts, for school, work, or personal use. Here’s how you can link multiple accounts together, and why.

Both the Beats Studio Pro and Apple AirPods Max also have Siri, and the AirPods Max have Announce Notifications too, so Siri will read out any notifications that come through if you have the feature switched on. They also both have Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes, and they both work with Apple’s Find My app too. Beats Studio Pro is also compatible with Google’s Find My Device system and through the Beats app, you can get access to a couple of other features like Locate My Beats and battery life widgets. For iPhone users, the battery life widget is accessible without an app.

The Beats Studio Pro also have support for USB-C audio though, as mentioned, which supports both downlink and uplink connectivity, allowing you to take a call whilst actively charging the headphones. The USB-C Audio feature also offers three EQ-optimized sound profiles, comprising Beats Signature Profile, Entertainment Profile and Conversation Profile. The Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes are disabled when using USB-C Audio. For a full comparison of features, see the table below.

Beats wins on battery, but AirPods Max is a “fun” victory

The Beats Studio Pro delivers twice the battery life of the AirPods Max, promising up to 40 hours, while AirPods Max promise up to 20 hours. It’s quite a significant increase, and pretty much holds up according to our testing. This means you can basically forget about charging your headphones for weeks on end, which makes them an ideal travel companion — you get all the music you want even if you forget your charger. The AirPods Max are not bad, but 20 hours is a bit on the low side when it comes to wireless over-ear headphones.

Within the ear cups, the Beats Studio Pro has a fully custom 40mm active driver and a two-layer dynamic diaphragm transducer at their heart, which is claimed to offer great performance across the frequency spectrum. There’s advanced digital processing on board too and they also have six microphones.

They deliver a nice, well-rounded sound without too much of an emphasis on either bass or trebles, which is quite a surprising twist considering these are still branded as Beats headphones. If you’re into the more V-shaped sound curve, you might even find them a bit underwhelming, but the surprisingly neutral sound is quite detailed and perfect for more nuanced listening session.

The AirPods Max, however, are (again very surprisingly), a bit more “fun.” They have a 40mm Apple dynamic driver on board, along with a dual neodymium ring magnet motor designed to maintain harmonic distortion of less than one percent.

They also offer computational audio, adaptive EQ and a total of nine microphones. In our experience, they deliver superb performance with fabulous ANC that can drown out pretty much anything. The high and low frequencies are a bit more emphasized, making them pop a bit more when listening to popular music, but their sound is a tad less natural and provided by the Beats.

Beats Studio Pro vs Apple AirPods Max: Which one should you choose?

Apple AirPods Max

Best overall

The Apple AirPods Max are the more premium, refined choice. They deliver superb performance, and they have some excellent features for Apple users — the Apple Magic really is in full swing here. Their build quality is top-notch, with machined metal and high quality fabrics really working wonders for the headset. Their sound quality is excellent, and the sound curve should make for a great, fun listening experience – albeit not as neutral as you might expect.

Related

I replaced my AirPods Max with these $9 Temu headphones, and here’s how it went

It might not be a direct comparison, but Temu knock-offs held their own in look and performance. And they even beat AirPods in one important area.

They are pricier than Beats though, and a couple of years old now, so it might be better to wait and see if they are replaced, perhaps with a USB-C port. Their battery life is also nothing to write home about, and if you have a bit larger head, you might experience some discomfort because of the fabric cushioning of the headband. Overall, if you have $200 more than the Beats to spend, the AirPods Max are a great and fashionable choice.

Beats Studio Pro

Best value proposition

The Beats Studio Pro are iconic, but they do have some downsides when it comes to fit and finish. They are a bit plasticky, with a much less refined look than the industrial AirPods Max. That being said, they deliver great performance, and offer some excellent features across both Apple and Android devices — and an outstanding battery life. They also have a surprisingly more natural sound, making them better if you like to listen to music a bit more critically — a perfect pairing for the wired connection options as well.

Overall, when you take into account their price and the sound quality, the Beats Studio Pro seem to offer better value than the AirPods Max. They are, truth be told, a bit worse when it comes to sound quality (albeit with a more interesting sound curve in my opinion) and especially their build quality, but offer 95% of the performance of the AirPods Max for $200 less — which seems like quite a steal.