Beats Studio Buds Plus review: Are they worth the upgrade?

Looking for a pair of high-quality true wireless earbuds that can deliver exceptional sound quality and noise cancellation? The newly released Beats Studio Buds Plus may be just what you need. This upgraded version of the Buds Pro+ has a lot to offer, from increased battery life to better sound clarity and active noise reduction, and eye-catching transparent design. Let’s take a closer look and see if the Beats Studio Buds Plus are worth the upgrade.

Design and Appearance: Still Eye-Catching

At first glance, the Beats Studio Buds Plus don’t have a major change in appearance design compared to their predecessor. However, the newly added transparent color scheme is still eye-catching. The shell material with a matte transparent effect is used, which makes the component structure inside the charging box and earphones visible, albeit faintly. The matte shell material gives the earbuds and charging case a unique, futuristic look, allowing you to catch a glimpse of the components inside. So, not only do they sound good, they look good too.

The Beats Studio Buds Plus come in a variety of colors, including the eye-catching transparent option. For those who prefer a more classic look, black and white options are available, as well as black gold and ivory white limited editions.

Personally, I prefer the smoked translucent approach to the fully transparent casing Nothing Ear (2). Comes with some drawbacks. With a transparent case, you may constantly worry about fingerprint smudges or a bunch of hairline scratches building up on the case over time. This can take away from the overall aesthetic of the earbuds and make them look less premium.

Beats Studio Buds Plus

Battery Life

The Beats Studio Buds Plus has a significant upgrade in battery life compared to the previous generation. The official claims that the battery life of the Beats Studio Buds Plus can reach an astonishing 36 hours (the earbuds last for 9 hours), which is 24 hours in the test data of the previous generation (the earbuds last for 8 hours). This is a full 50% increase, which means you can enjoy your music for longer periods without having to worry about charging the earbuds frequently. The earbuds are rated for up to six hours of playback with ANC enabled or nine hours if you leave it off. That’s more than enough to get you through a long day or a cross-country flight without missing a beat.

Buds support Fast Fuel flash charging, with an IPX4 sweatproof rating, you can feel confident using these earbuds during your workouts without fear of damage.

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Earplug Size

One size doesn’t always fit all, and Beats knows this, Buds Plus adds a smaller XS size option to the original S/M/L three sizes of earplugs, which can be better adapted to different people. The brand-new filter design and the same new design with a little more air guide holes than the previous generation are also added. The three-microphone design and active noise reduction provide a better listening experience for users. According to official data, Beats Studio Buds Plus can improve the sound clarity by up to 2 times in transparent mode, and the active noise reduction effect can be improved by up to 1.6 times.

Sound Quality

The most critical factor for any earbuds is sound quality, and the Beats Studio Buds Plus have been upgraded to provide better sound quality. The custom drive unit used can provide better low frequency and ultra-low distortion, which means you can enjoy your music with greater clarity and detail. The earbuds also support spatial audio, Dolby Atmos, etc., which can bring users a better listening experience. However, due to the absence of H-series chips and the lack of related sensors, users cannot experience functions such as automatic switching, automatic play/pause on Apple devices, nor can they enjoy personalized spatial audio functions that support dynamic head tracking.

support Hey Siri voice wake-up on iOS. On Android, users can use the audio switching function to seamlessly switch listening between devices logged in with the same Google account and customize the function of the headset button.

Are the Beats Studio Buds Plus Worth the Upgrade?

If you’re looking for a pair of $150 true wireless Bluetooth noise-canceling buds, the Beats Studio Buds Plus are definitely one of the competitive options. The earbuds have a lot to offer, from increased battery life to better sound clarity and active noise reduction. In addition to the newly added transparent color matching that is eye-catching enough, the black and white color matching has also been adjusted compared to the previous generation, and the visual effect is even better. There are also black gold and ivory white batch colors. But it is clear that full transparency will be the absolute protagonist. The arrangement of internal components of Beats Studio Pro+ takes into account the full transparent design, so it looks regular and comfortable.

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Max Hyland
Max Hyland
Long form contributor Apple iPhone, iPad, watch reviews, opinion, editorial

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