Latest Beats earbuds; ‘exciting’ but fiddly

The futuristic transparent design almost makes up for one major issue with Apple’s latest Beats Studio Buds+.

REVIEW

Beats are making waves with their latest earphones release – the Beats Studio Buds+.

Not only are these available in new colours, including a popular transparent shell option, they are the new and improved iteration of the Beats Studio Buds, a hot rival of Apple’s AirPod Pros.

Of course, these are technically also an Apple product as the tech giant acquired the Beats company back in 2014, and with Apple’s engineering notable in the buds, they’re certainly a tempting option for both iPhone and Android users alike.

Unboxing

Inside of the box you’ll find the Beats Studio Buds+, a short USB-C to USB-C charging cable, documentation, a Beats sticker and additional eartips.

The Buds+ now come with four sets of eartip options – large, medium, small and a new ‘extra small’ eartip, great for those who may have previously struggled with the fit. Coincidentally (or not) Apple’s latest AirPods Pro 2 also have a new extra small eartip.

What’s most exciting about these buds though is that they are Apple’s, or should I say Beats’ first ever transparent earphones. And the Beats Studio Buds+ come in three new colourway options – Black/Gold, Ivory and Transparent.

Beats’ first ever transparent earphones. Picture: Elly Awesome

Design

Personally, I just had to get the transparent model. There’s something nostalgic and exciting about the transparent form factor, which gives you a peak under the hood. And these buds certainly do look awesome. You can see all the components – the screws, hinges, and even the battery. Maybe this only excites geeks like me? I love it!

However, there are a couple of less practical features about the design, which isn’t unique to the transparent option. I found the case to be a little slippery and the buds quite difficult to remove and return to their case.

This is my first time trying the Beats Studio Buds, and I usually default to AirPods as my main earbuds, and in comparison I hate to admit that to me the Beats were surprisingly fiddly. However, without the long AirPods-style stem to hold onto, the look of the Buds in-ear is certainly low-profile and very stylish. I do think some people, and I imagine people with large fingers, will be genuinely challenged by this design. At least this can almost be forgiven by the Buds’ excellent audio quality.

There’s something nostalgic and exciting about the transparent form factor. Picture: Elly Awesome

Audio quality and battery life

The Beats Studio Buds+ have excellent audio quality; the music is detailed and I hear this model has slightly improved audio quality with punchier bass compared to the previous model.

Overall they reminded me of the audio quality of AirPods Pro. If anything, the Active Noise Cancellation and a Transparency mode are the main features that set AirPods Pro and Beats Studio Buds+ apart.

The Active Noise Cancellation on these are great and to a high standard, however, if you’ve used Apple AirPods Pro and especially the AirPods Pro 2, they do unfortunately fall short. The same goes for the transparency mode. With AirPods Pro 2 (which are $130 more expensive) you can barely tell the earbuds are in your ears when using transparency mode, whereas the Beats offer a slight ear-plug effect where you can notice the sound of your own voice inside your head.

I found the case to be a little slippery and the buds quite difficult to remove and return to their case. Picture: Elly Awesome

Additionally, the Beats buds have a physical clicky button to enable noise cancellation and transparency along with music navigation such as the play and pause functions.

The battery life has been improved from the previous generation and you can now get a solid nine hours of battery life on a single charge (with noise cancellation off) and up to three additional charges from the case. It’s excellent, and there’s also a quick charge feature where just five minutes of charge can offer one hour of playback.

My preference would be the $30 more expensive Beats Fit Pro. Picture: Elly Awesome

Should you buy them?

After testing the Beats Studio Buds+, which retail for $269.95, I think they are a great option for both Android and Apple fans looking for a unique set of earbuds (especially if you go with the transparent option). They offer excellent sound, build quality and functionality and are definitely an upgrade from the Beats Studio Buds.

However, they wouldn’t be my first choice from the Beats range, especially if I’m able to be flexible with my budget. My preference would be the $30 more expensive Beats Fit Pro, which have better noise cancellation and transparency modes that are closer to the quality of Apple’s $399 AirPods Pro 2.

For me, the Beats Fit Pro also have a better in-ear fit and are easier buds to handle. However, these all have totally unique earbud designs so if you have the option of a hands-on before you make a purchase then that’s a great place to start.

Elly Awesome is an Aussie tech and lifestyle vlogger | @ellyawesometech | YouTube