Beats Studio Buds Review: Apple’s Android Olive Branch

Apple acquired Beats as early as 2014, and has been slowly pushing this famous brand further into the iOS ecosystem. At least before the appearance of Beats Studio Buds. These latest Beats brand true wireless earbuds abandon the powerful Apple W1 and H1 chips, thus gaining universal appeal and extending an olive branch to the Android market. Enough to seduce Galaxy and Pixel users? Check out our Beats Studio Buds review.

Who should buy Beats Studio Buds?

• Android users Finally, you can appreciate Beats through the comprehensive support for smart functions and quick pairing.
• student You can carry Beats Studio Buds almost anywhere. They are small in size, reasonably priced, and fast in charging.
• Fitness enthusiast Will enjoy the carrying case and IPX4 sweat resistance rating.

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Beats Studio Buds wrote their mantra on the packaging-a beautiful sound starts with proper wear. You will find three sets of silicone earplugs hidden inside, so finding the right one shouldn’t be too difficult. We often pay tribute to the lightweight earplugs. These bad boys are only 5 grams and barely stick out of your ears. They should be firmly fixed in place, you may forget that they are still there the next time you exercise.

Both earbuds have a clickable button to control playback. It is more reliable than the touch control you find on most true wireless earbuds, but at the cost of the onboard volume control. You won’t find automatic ear detection, so even if one earbud drops, your music will continue to play. On the bright side, you can easily switch between ANC and Transparent mode directly from the earbuds or in the operating system application of your choice. If you have an Android phone, it’s the Beats app, and Apple users can go to Settings.

Read more about Beats: Beats PowerBeats Pro review

Apple’s various products are still taking the USB-C and Lightning routes, while Beats Studio Buds leans toward the former. They are geared towards a larger audience, so it makes sense to choose more easily available charging options. Unfortunately, the charging box does not support wireless charging.

This time, Apple did not use Beats products to avoid Android. In fact, it even includes Android phones in the marketing content of Beats Studio Buds.

You will need the Beats app to use all the features, but this is common on today’s wireless earbuds. It allows you to manage your listening modes, modify controls, and even name your earbuds. If you encounter problems, the Beats app can help you connect your earbuds to your phone. However, after you complete the initial setup experience, there is nothing to do in the Beats app.

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How to pair Beats Studio Buds with Android phones?

You just need to press the pairing button on the Beats Studio Buds charging case to start the pairing process. After doing this, you should see a notification on your phone—just like an iOS pairing card. After connecting, you can check battery information and use location tracking in Bluetooth settings.

Regardless of the H1 and W1 chips, Beats Studio Buds can be paired with various Apple devices almost instantly. Just make sure you have turned on Bluetooth and turned on the charging case. After clicking the card that pops up, you can start rocking.

Apple does not provide the Beats app for iOS, so you can manage all your preferences from the Settings app. Click the small “i” icon next to the Studio Buds name, and you will see your options. Now you can manage Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) mode, adjust button controls, and rename your earbuds.

The biggest disadvantage of the lack of the H1 chip is that Beats Studio Buds will not automatically sync between your iCloud devices for fast switching. You will not be able to switch seamlessly between your phone and computer, and you will not find the spatial audio sensor. Siri lovers don’t be afraid, because when paired with an Apple device, you can still access your favorite assistant by voice only.

Can Beats Studio Buds easily stay connected?

Beats Studio Buds keeps connected with Android or iOS devices without problems. They use Bluetooth 5.2 and support AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs. AAC is a natural partner of Apple devices, so you may need to turn it off when pairing with an Android device; depending on the paired phone, the performance of AAC varies greatly on the Android operating system. Unfortunately, these earbuds do not support higher quality aptX or LDAC codecs.

learn more: Bluetooth codec 101

If you absolutely must have a top-notch noise reduction feature, then you will want to look elsewhere. The noise reduction function of Beats Studio Buds is mediocre at best. Although silicone earplugs help manage high-frequency sounds, ANC has difficulty coping with environmental noise when activated.

Many of the environmental sounds you hear every day—think airplane noise or air conditioning—are below 1,000 Hz. With ANC enabled, Beats Studio Buds reduced these sounds by approximately 25%. Although this sounds like a reliable number, it is actually far lower than the best competitors.

Beats Studio Buds did get some praise for beating Apple AirPods Pro in passive and active cancellation, but that’s not to say a lot. However, it does help combat auditory masking, so your music sounds accurate in most situations.Passive and active adjustments should help Long-term ear health, However, because it may make you less likely to increase the volume.

Beats was once known for its strong, heavy bass. We are happy to report that those days have passed. Beats Studio Buds provides a consumer-friendly response (cyan), close to Seiyuu Standard curve (pink). All of this is to say that most people will be satisfied with their play in all genres.

There is a noticeable drop in the midrange, which makes the low and high tones sound relatively loud. Importantly, the shocking auditory masking problem of the old beats is a thing of the past. For such a long time, with strong bass enhancement, we won’t really miss you.

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Most human voice frequencies are between 100Hz and 400Hz, and Beats Studio Buds attenuates about 5 to 10dB. Sound configuration means that the vocals in some songs (such as Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u”) sound quieter than the vocals in some studio options. High-frequency sounds tend to glow because the cymbals on the classic “September” of Earth, Wind and Fire are easy to identify.

Beats claims that Studio Buds can provide 5 hours of power when active noise reduction is turned on, and 8 hours of power when turned off. We found that with ANC turned on, our continuous 75dB test produced 4 hours and 24 minutes in the right earbud and 4 hours and 41 minutes in the left earbud. This is lower than the average level of true wireless earbuds, although it is close to Beats’ claims and matches other Apple and Beats products.

We have achieved two additional charges through the charging box, and Fast Fuel can replenish 60 minutes of juice after 5 minutes of charging.

Are Beats Studio Buds suitable for making calls?

Beats Studio Buds relies on dual beamforming microphones to provide adequate audio quality. No one reported any problems hearing my voice during the call, even when crossing a busy street.

You can make the Beats Studio Buds microphone listen correctly here.

Beats Studio Buds is priced at US$149 in the United States and is a reliable entry point to the true wireless earbud competition. When prices start to fall due to sales and discounts, you can expect Studio Buds to rise to the top of many shoppers’ lists.

They have a lot to enjoy, so buyers are unlikely to regret it. From sweat prevention to active noise reduction, Beats seems to have covered all its foundations. The light weight and pocket-friendly packaging are just the icing on the cake at this price.

You can also take a look: The best noise-canceling true wireless earbuds

In other words, both Apple and Android have shortcomings. Beats Studio Buds are suitable for both operating systems, but they are not entirely suitable for either. Therefore, it is difficult to excel in one direction or the other.

If you think the price is right and you like the Beats brand, please buy it. They are not the top real wireless earbuds in the world, but compared to other Apple and Beats options, they are really good value for money.

In the process of finding the best earplugs, there are always many good choices. In this case, it depends on whether you prefer iOS or Android. Apple users with extra cash should try AirPods Pro. They bring a wireless charging case, excellent sound and excellent noise reduction to the desktop. You also get better Apple integration and more features. Most importantly, the price of AirPods Pro is usually around $200 or less.

On the Android side, Galaxy Buds Plus is worth a look. They work best with Samsung devices, but can provide nearly 12 hours of playback time on a single charge, and the price is usually less than $100.

If you are a big fan of Alexa, then the second-generation Echo Buds is a good choice. Integration with the Alexa app provides extensive control of your earbuds and smart home for maximum flexibility.