When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
When Beats came out in 2008, I was unimpressed, to say the least. Overpriced, promoted everywhere, and with an excessively bass-heavy sound, Beats headphones seemed to be designed to attract an audience who just wanted nice-looking headphones with powerful bass.
Over 15 years later, the now Apple-owned company delivers products that reproduce a more balanced sound. Although still far from being transparent, the latest generation of Beats headphones and earphones feature a distinctive and engaging sound that’ll please most listeners.
Beats headphones are not made to be in the recording studio, but to transform music into an immersive experience, defined by enhanced lower frequency and a carefully designed soundstage that galvanizes the listener, whether they’re working out, wandering around the city, or working.
If you're attracted by the catchy design, powerful sound, and notoriety of Beats products, this article will help you identify the best Beats headphones to satisfy your needs.
While if I'd ever have to buy a pair of Beats headphones, I'd go for the Beats Studio Pro, the other earphones and headphones might be able to meet your expectations (and budget) more than Beats most high-end product.
Quick Summary of the Best Beats Headphones
- Beats Studio Pro (Best Beats Headphones Overall)
- Beats Solo3 Wireless (Best Beats Headphones - Runner-up)
- Beats Fit Pro (Best Beats Headphones for People on the Move)
- Beats Powerbeats Pro (Best Beats Headphones for Athletes)
- Beats Studio Buds + (Best Beats Earbuds)
- Beats Flex (Best Beats Headphones for Those on a Budget)
Best Beats Headphones
1. Best Beats Headphones Overall – Beats Studio Pro
SPECS
- Type: Headphones
- Wireless: Yes
- Bluetooth version: Class 1
- Battery life: 40 hours
- Built-in mic and controls: Yes
- Noise-cancelling: Yes
The latest evolution of the iconic 2017 Beats Studio3 Wireless, the recently-released Beats Studio Pro is aesthetically not that different from its predecessor, but the audio architecture within these over-ear headphones has been completely revolutionized.
The noise cancellation of the Studio Pro is excellent: by analyzing the environment thousands of times per second, the headphones ensure a close-to-perfection ANC (the one provided by the AirPods Max still feels superior, but they're also way more expensive).
With active noise cancellation turned on, the battery life goes from 40hrs to 24hrs. For the price, these are definitely high-quality noise-cancelling headphones.
If you’re interested in high-res audio playback, you might be happy to hear that the Studio Pro, when connected through USB-C to the source, provides lossless audio reproduction, which is a great upgrade from the Beats Studio3 Wireless.
Depending on what you're listening to, you can choose between three presets to adjust the sound: Standard (for music playback), Conversation (EQ and frequency optimization for communication), and Entertainment (wider imaging and more immersive soundstage).
Finally, the transparency and personalized spatial audio modes have been further improved compared to the Beats Studio3 Wireless and can enhance your listening experience and revolutionize the way you listen to audio.
If you're looking for the best Beats headphones in terms of audio quality, battery life, and noise cancellation, look no further than the Studio Pro.
2. Best Beats Headphones - Runner-up – Beats Solo3 Wireless
SPECS
- Type: Headphones
- Wireless: Yes
- Bluetooth version: Class 1
- Battery life: 40 hours
- Built-in mic and controls: Yes
- Noise-cancelling: Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)
The Solo3 features the classic design we’ve all been familiar with for the last 15 years, yet Beats worked hard to evolve, creating over-ear headphones that deliver a superb listening experience, whether you’re using them for deep music listening, casual listening, or multimedia entertainment.
The responsive real-time audio calibration makes adjustments to balance reproduced audio and your surroundings, ensuring the environment won't overshadow what you're listening to.
If that's not enough, then the pure ANC will ensure your listening experience will be undisturbed by external factors and give you complete focus.
The multifunction on-ear controls on the ear cup will allow you to stay connected and control your music directly from your headphones.
You'll be able to immerse yourself in sound through cutting-edge spatial audio technology, further enhanced by the carefully-crafted acoustics that improve the music's clarity and charm.
With 40 hours of battery life, and the Fast Fuel option to get an extra 3 hours of music by charging them for only ten minutes, the Solo3 is among the best Beats headphones and will accompany you throughout the day without issues.
3. Best Beats Headphones for People on the Move – Beats Fit Pro
SPECS
- Type: Earbuds
- Wireless: Yes
- Bluetooth version: Class 1
- Battery life: 6 hours
- Built-in mic and controls: Yes
- Noise-cancelling: Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)
The Fit Pro are perfect true wireless earbuds for anyone who wants to move around with an inconspicuous pair of earphones that still deliver a great sound. The flexible wingtip ensures the earbuds will be secured as you move.
Furthermore, the Fit Pro comes with three ear tips of different sizes, so you can choose one that best matches your ears.
When it comes to audio quality, the Fit Pro performs quite well, considering its size. It comes with pure noise cancellation mode, spatial audio support, a built-in mic, and Siri assistance capabilities.
The 6-hour battery life, and the respectable audio quality, should be enough to keep you company on your long walks or early-morning workouts.
4. Best Beats Headphones for Athletes – Beats Powerbeats Pro
SPECS
- Type: Earbuds
- Wireless: Yes
- Bluetooth version: Class 1
- Battery life: 9 hours
- Built-in mic and controls: Yes
- Noise-cancelling: Passive Noise Isolating
Created with the pro athletes in mind, the Beats Powerbeats Pro is a lightweight and sturdy earphone designed for performance and endurance in all situations, with a reinforced, water-resistant structure that’ll seamlessly fit your ears, thanks to the high-quality ear hooks.
The earbuds work independently, meaning you can play both or just one and adjust the audio accordingly. The sound coming out of the Powerbeats Pro is vibrant and engaging, as you would expect from earphones for workouts.
The ear hook design of the Beats Powerbeats Pro provides a secure fit in all situations, and the great battery life is perfect for longer training sessions.
Spatial audio support, hand-free control options, extended battery life, and background noise elimination are other great features of the Beats Powerbeats Pro, which are undoubtedly the best Beats sports headphones.
5. Best Beats Earbuds – Beats Studio Buds +
SPECS
- Type: Earbuds
- Wireless: Yes
- Bluetooth version: Class 1
- Battery life: 36 hours
- Built-in mic and controls: Yes
- Noise-cancelling: Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)
There are many things to like about the Beats Studio Buds +. Despite their small size, these true wireless earbuds come packed with features, including spatial audio, Pure ANC, and Transparency mode, all performing just as well as in other, more expensive models.
The audio quality feels balanced and refined, with a rich soundstage that’ll please music listeners but also works great with visual entertainment.
Unsurprisingly, the bass is deep and immersive, so I’d imagine the Studio Buds + could also be used for intensive workout sessions.
With a microphone three times larger than the original Beats Studio Buds and a cutting-edge voice-targeting algorithm that prevents noise from obstructing your calls, the Beats Studio Buds + makes communication clear and optimized for every environment.
Finally, customizable controls and extreme comfort make this the best Beats earbud and a great all-rounder for anyone who wants to discover the world of Beats without breaking the bank.
6. Best Beats Headphones for Those on a Budget – Beats Flex
SPECS
- Type: Earbuds
- Wireless: Yes
- Bluetooth version: Class 1
- Battery life: 12 hours
- Built-in mic and controls: Yes
- Noise-cancelling: No
The most affordable option in the Beats catalog, the Beats Flex is an earbud that offers decent features to music listeners who want to join the Beats tribe without spending a fortune. Just like other, more advanced Beats earbuds, the Flex can satisfy the needs of both Android and Apple users.
While you won't have the spatial sound mode, transparency, or noise-canceling options, these Beats earbuds still feature the carefully-crafted acoustics that made the brand popular, with solid Bluetooth connectivity and battery life.
Plus, it comes with built-in controls also present in other high-end Beats products. It might not be enough to justify the price of these Beats earbuds, but then again, you also pay for the brand.
Best Beats Headphones Buyer's Guide
Now that we discussed each Beats model to analyze their characteristics, it’s time to identify how to choose the best Beats headphones based on your budget and requirements.
Identify Your Needs
Whether you’re looking for a high-quality audio experience or a simple companion for your everyday errands, there’s a Beats model that’ll meet your expectations. All you have to do is understand what you’re looking for from your headphones or earbuds.
If you're looking for excellent audio reproduction and cutting-edge technology to improve sound and remove background noise, the best option is undoubtedly the Studio Pro.
On the other hand, if you want to listen to music while working out, the Beats Powerbeats Pro is an excellent solution because it’s inconspicuous, sturdy, and extremely comfortable.
Finally, for everyday casual use, the Buds+ offers the best combination of performance, sleek design, and comfort.
Features
Love them or hate them, Beats products come packed with technological features that can upgrade your listening experience, most notably: spatial sound, transparency mode, and active noise canceling. These are fantastic options for some listeners, but is it something you are looking for?
Spatial sound is fantastic for gamers and watching movies. As the technology becomes more popular, some artists are starting to mix their music using this technology to simulate a 3D experience, but we're still in the early stages.
Transparency and active noise cancellation modes are great if you find yourself in noisy environments and give you plenty of options to customize the way noise is filtered out.
Whether you need these options or not ultimately depends on how and where you use your headphones. Noisy office? Then Transparency mode is your best bet. Angry partner? Active Noise cancellation will help you restore balance in your mind, if not in your house.
Battery Life
Battery life becomes crucial if you’re spending most of the day out. The best Beats headphones offer up to 40 hours of battery life, but that’s considering without using the ANC, which generally lowers it to 24 hours.
Most models come with the Fast Fuel option, allowing you to fast charge your earbuds or headphones and get a few extra hours of life. Once again, consider how you'd use the headphones and how frequently you'd need to charge them and make a decision accordingly.
Sound Quality
I was never a big fan of the classic Beats sound, with powerful bass and muddy soundstage, but I must admit I was impressed by the performance of their new headphones.
In particular, the Beats Studio Pro offers a great immersive experience that music listeners of all genres and styles will appreciate. The sound coming out of these headphones is rich and detailed, and while I wouldn't call it transparent, it still offers a clear sound texture across all frequencies.
Similarly, the Buds+ delivers engaging audio considering their price, so I'd definitely recommend them to the casual listener.
What about the other models? They’re all great in their own ways, but I wouldn’t say that sound quality is their forte.
Budget
Technically, you shouldn’t go for Beats headphones if you’re on a budget. While their sleek design and worldwide-known brand make them appealing to the average consumer, there are more affordable options that deliver great sound quality.
But if you like the technology and design of Dr. Dre's brand, the headphones are available in different price ranges: aside from the Studio Pro, which costs $350, the other options range between $150 and $250 (except for the $70 Beats Flex).
In my opinion, the Studio Pro headphones are worth the extra cost, but if your budget doesn't allow such an investment, both the Studio Buds + and the Beats Powerbeats Pro are valid alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Beats headphones wireless?
Yes, most Beats headphones are wireless, with the possibility to connect them to audio sources via a 3.5mm analog input.
Recently, Beats started offering USB-C connectivity for lossless audio listening, like in the Beats Studio Pro. This allows a more high-fidelity listening experience while using streaming platforms that offer lossless streaming.
Do Beats headphones work with non-Apple devices?
Yes, Beats headphones are designed to work with most devices. However, bear in mind that the headphone’s functionalities might change depending on the source device you use, and features like spatial sound or audio pairing might not be available.
Apple users will undoubtedly be able to make the most of these headphones, thanks to the seamless compatibility with the Apple ecosystem. However, Android devices can perfectly pair with Beats headphones and provide an excellent listening experience.
What is the sound quality of Beats headphones?
Beats headphones notoriously offer enhanced lower frequencies and an immersive sound, making music more engaging and galvanizing. This feature will definitely please bass-heavy music enthusiasts but might draw back audiophiles or listeners interested in the clarity and transparency of audio.
Since they entered the market in 2008, Beats headphones have caused an ongoing debate because of the way they reproduce audio.
Their bass-heavy approach makes them ideal for certain genres, hip hop and dance music mostly, but often gives a distorted image of how the music actually sounds or interferes with the sound the artist intended to create. However, recent models seem to be more focused on offering balanced acoustics.
Are Beats headphones durable?
Beats headphones are made with solid plastic that’s designed to last a long time. If treated properly, a pair of Beats earbuds or headphones can last for years.
Like every pair of headphones, Beats products should be treated and stored with care. Most Beats headphones come with a carrying or charging case that'll help you store them securely at all times.
Can I use Beats headphones for gaming?
You can use some Beats models as gaming headsets. However, you might have some latency issues. Plus, you might not be able to use the microphone unless you purchase a convertor cable to split the signal.
Beats headphones are not specifically designed for gaming but can do the job if necessary. However, if you're buying a pair of headphones exclusively for gaming, I'd suggest opting for different (and often more affordable) options.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helped clarify the most crucial aspects of every Beats headphone and earphone!
To summarize, if you're interested in sound quality, Beats Studio Pro is the headphones for you: a great immersive soundstage optimized for spatial audio, solid build quality, and sleek design make those headphones a must-have for the stylish music listener.
Alternatively, check out the Beats Studio Buds +: versatile and not particularly expensive, the Studio Buds + earphones feature excellent active noise cancellation and are highly compatible with both Apple and Android products.
Happy listening!
