The original
Apple AirPods Pro 3
$249
Search on Amazon ↗Apple AirPods Pro 3 ($249) and Beats Studio Buds+ ($170) both come from Apple-owned brands and both work with Find My, so the $79 you save mostly buys you less. You give up the AirPods Pro 3's stronger noise cancelling, wireless charging, IP57 rating and hearing and heart-rate features, but gain better Android support.
The original
$249
Search on Amazon ↗Close match
Beats
$170Save $79 (32%)
Search on Amazon ↗| Spec | AirPods Pro 3 | Beats Studio Buds+ |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $249 | $170 |
| Noise cancelling (SoundGuys) | About 90% average noise reduction | About 20 dB reduction, scored 8/10 |
| Battery, ANC on (maker) | Up to 8 hours | Up to 6 hours |
| Battery, ANC on (SoundGuys test) | 8 h 42 min | 8 h 22 min |
| Water resistance | IP57, earbuds and case | IPX4, earbuds only |
| Ear tip sizes | 5 (XXS, XS, S, M, L) | 4 (XS, S, M, L) |
| Case charging | MagSafe, Qi, Apple Watch charger, USB-C | USB-C only, no wireless charging |
| Weight per earbud | 5.55 g | 5.0 g |
| Hearing and health | Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, heart-rate sensor | Not listed |
| On Android | Basic playback only (SoundGuys) | Fast Pair, Find My Device, Beats app |
A 2023 model without the AirPods Pro 3's hearing and heart-rate features.
AirPods Pro 3: Buy the Apple AirPods Pro 3 if you use an iPhone and want the strongest noise cancelling, wireless charging, a sweat- and water-resistant case, or Apple's hearing and heart-rate features.
Beats Studio Buds+: Buy the Beats Studio Buds+ if you want to save $79, switch between iPhone and Android, and can live with weaker cancelling and cable-only charging.
Yes, by SoundGuys' testing. It measured about 90% average noise reduction for AirPods Pro 3. For the Beats Studio Buds+ it scored noise cancelling 8/10 and says they reliably cut outside sound by about 20 dB.
Apple rates AirPods Pro 3 at up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on, and Beats rates the Studio Buds+ at up to 6 hours. In SoundGuys' standard test the gap was small: 8 h 42 min versus 8 h 22 min with ANC on.
Yes. Beats says they work with Apple's Find My on iPhone and Google Find My Device on Android, and pair with one touch on Apple devices or Fast Pair on Android.
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Every swap is a product sold in the US that does the main job of the original. Close match is another brand with similar features, Same brand, cheaper is an older, smaller or renewed model from the same maker, and Budget pick is the cheapest thing that still does the job. On each page, Closest match is the close match nearest the original in price, and Lowest price is the cheapest swap. We compare published specs, retailer listings and reviews; we don't test products ourselves.
A cheaper product is cheaper for a reason. Each swap says what you give up, like weaker noise cancelling, a smaller screen or a shorter warranty, so you can decide if the savings are worth it.
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