Beats Vs. Apple: Which Of These Audio Giants Has The Best Gear In Town? - Rolling Stone

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Deciding between apple or beats headphones is like trying to pick a favorite child: almost impossible. That said, both are notable opponents who have launched stellar-sounding mid-range offerings (like Studio Buttons) and more outstanding premium ones (AirPods Max). but it’s not here for us to tell you that both can deliver great performance depending on what you’re looking for in your listening experience. yawn.

Reading: Apple headphone versus drake beats headphones

no, you’re here for editors’ favourites, the cream of the crop of audio technology, the headphones and earphones we still use outside of work hours. We’ve put all of these selections through rigorous testing, and while true wireless competition is fierce right now, you’re in good hands.

although beats is technically owned by apple (so in the end the winner is somehow still apple), we’re still deciding based on qualities like tech features, comfort and usability, and most importantly, whether they really sound. no good. Some of the proprietary technology, like Apple’s beloved W1 and H1 chips, is available for both. Other qualities, such as an emphasis on booming, room-shaking bass, are highlights of the Beats brand. here are our definite favorites.

beats powerbeats pro vs. apple airpods: which headphones sound better?

buy beats powerbeats pro $179.95

powerbeats pro wireless earphones were developed for those who loved the look of the original beats by dre earphones, but wanted advanced functionality and a more ergonomic fit. Apple’s AirPods have already been consistently ranked as some of the best true wireless Bluetooth earbuds on the market, with a lightweight, comfortable design and fairly decent audio quality. so how do you get up two years later?

although beats has always been a brand that stands out in the marketing and aesthetic department, its weak point has always been the lack of advances in audio technology. The Powerbeats Pro is the answer to those criticisms, with a linear piston driver that offers better acoustic response and low distortion in the bass. It is quite balanced in bass, midrange and treble, with a clear and finished sound.

buy apple airpods $99.00

airpods walked out the door sounding great, with plenty of bass to rival the powerbeats pro, and decent midrange and treble. We’ve listened to rock, pop, r&b, hip-hop, jazz, as well as podcasts and audiobooks, and we’ve never had any complaints about audio clarity. But since they don’t create an airtight seal in the same way that a rubber-tipped earphone would, AirPods don’t have any noise-cancellation and let a fair amount of ambient noise filter through.

In terms of fit, the Powerbeats Pro do not have ANC, but rather an ergonomic shape that fits comfortably in the shell of the ear and blocks out some of the noise. Each pair of headphones comes with four sizes of ear tips and an adjustable ear hook for further customization. They are especially loved by runners and gym rats as the buds are also sweat and water resistant.

what tips the powerbeats over the line is battery life: while both earbuds have up to 24 hours of playback with their respective charging cases, the powerbeats have nine hours of listening time on a single charge, while airpods only get a measly five (which has spawned a lot of memes, did your airpods die?).

winner: beat powerbeats pro

Bottom line: If you’re still happy or mostly listening to music or podcasts in quiet spaces, regular airpods are a good option. but powerbeats pro gives you more hours of audio and is still essential for the frequent flyer or the fitness obsessed who really likes to hit the pavement.

outperforms studio3 earphones vs. airpods max

While Apple had to work through previous headphone issues to achieve something truly special with its first entry into the headphone competition, AirPods Max, Beats had the privilege of years of headphone manufacturing when it launched Beats Studio3. The AirPods Max certainly garnered a lot of attention when they first came out (mainly due to their high price), but do they have enough key features to beat the Beats Studio3?

shop beats studio3 wireless headphones $199.99

First of all, the studio3 headphones impressed us because they don’t just suit bass players with this latest model, but they maintain a fairly well balanced sound quality. Pop singles like Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” sounded crisp, but other genres felt just as immersive. however, beats studio3 relies on its anc to do a lot of the heavy lifting for clear audio. the brand says the headphones can calibrate the audio in real time, but I didn’t find much difference between music genres apart from ambient noise reduction.

apple promotes a similar feature with its airpods max, in which each earbud has an inward-facing microphone and a 10-core processor. This enables a feature Apple calls “Adaptive EQ,” in which AirPods Max make micro-adjustments multiple times per second based on your volume level and the type of track you’re playing. while some audiophiles will miss an adjustable equalizer, this feature is truly dynamic and the outstanding quality of airpods max.

buy apple airpods at most $479.99

In addition to the sound quality, the studio3 headphones’ ear cups were comfortable enough to wear for hours and had fairly intuitive controls. The left earcup has a press-pause button and volume buttons for quick control of your songs, including Siri control. airpods max is also streamlined, using just two buttons: a larger version of the digital crown volume adjuster (originally on apple watch), and one to turn anc on and off.

airpods max are also excellently built, with a stainless steel headband frame that glides smoothly if you need to adjust the fit of the earbuds. This is a huge improvement over the studio3’s plastic band that snaps into place. Both have similar battery life, with the studio3 lasting up to 22 hours per charge and the airpods max giving you 20 hours of listening time.

winner: airpods max

Although they are a great investment, the airpods max have intelligent audio that pays off, they are comfortable to wear and have a simple and comfortable design. The studio3 headphones are a worthy contender with powerful ANC, but fall short of greatness in terms of premium sound.

airpods pro vs beats studio buds

The studio buds are the latest addition to the beats family of wireless earphones following the powerbeats pro, and we were excited to see if they would improve on any of their predecessor’s features. AirPods Pro also had some new audio features and a sleek and compact design compared to regular AirPods. So how did it go?

Both the studio buds and airpods pro have a rubbery tip design that feels really comfortable to wear after hours, but the studio buds stand out with a redesigned earmold that alleviates some of that “pressure” feeling on the ear. The studio headphones also weigh 5.1 grams, even lighter than the AirPods Pro (which felt pretty light already).

buy beats studio headphones $119.95

Unfortunately, we wish the studio headphones could improve on their lackluster ANC (which we didn’t even know was on), compared to the AirPods Pro’s extra mics that filter out most unwanted noise. but beats worked especially hard crafting a dual-chamber acoustic design and custom drivers for an overall clearer sound, and stereo remixes sound especially balanced, like the one by mamas & the “dedicated to the person I love” of dads.

buy apple airpods pro for $209.99

However, Apple has that new Spatial Audio feature that delivers theater-like sound exclusively on AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, for three-dimensional sound that follows the movement of your phone. it’s a nice feature, but ultimately a bit superfluous, and nothing you’d use to listen to music every day.

While both offer the same amount of battery life with the charging case (24 hours), the studio earbuds outperform the airpods pro with five hours of battery life in anc mode, but up to eight hours without him. airpods pro have 4.5 hours of listening time with active noise cancellation, but you only get five hours without it.

winner: beat studio buds

There are some drawbacks to the ANC functionality of studio headphones, but these headphones aren’t meant to provide the best quiet environment, they’re meant to comfortably last for hours on end. For long layovers and flights, listening to music all day at work, you won’t be interrupted by studio headphones like you would with AirPods Pro.