Since Apple launched its truly wireless AirPods several years back, there have been countless competitors seeking to dethrone the tech titans. Apple still appears to have a firm grip on the wireless audio space, especially when they announced their Hi-Fi friendly AirPods Max, but the latest release from Beats Electronics, the Beats Studio Buds, is likely the closest anyone can come to an AirPods competitor.
But even that is a bit untrue. The recently released Beats Studio Buds were made in collaboration with Apple and are sold through Apple’s webshop. But, the truly revolutionary part of this teamwork is that, unlike most Apple devices, the Studio Buds offer seamless connection to both iPhones and Android products. Plus, the Studio Buds forego the Apple-exclusive lightning cable for a standard USB-C cord. But, there are sacrifices made from a tech side to accommodate the additional compatibility. The Studio Buds do not sync across iCloud devices meaning you can’t quickly switch between Apple devices.
Still, the sound is reportedly high quality and the Studio Buds feature both Active Noise Canceling (ANC) and Transparency listening modes. And, with up to 8 hours of listening time on a single charge, and 24 hours of charge in the Beats Studio Buds case, you can feel confident bringing your buds anywhere.
Most downsides are relatively minor like a less than stellar mic and some ambient sounds drifting in despite the ANC mode. But we were most disappointed that the Beats Studio Buds case doesn’t support wireless charging. Though, we wouldn’t be surprised if we see that in a future update. Either way, the colorful, minuscule, and stylish Beats Studio Buds are certainly approaching that AirPods class of wireless earbuds.
