Beats Studio Buds + Review

What the Beats Studio Buds + actually are

These are Beats' mid-tier wireless earbuds, sitting below the over-ear Studio Pro and above whatever budget noise you find buried in Amazon search results. They run roughly $100 to $170 depending on sales, and the headline trick is that they work nearly as well with Android as they do with an iPhone. That's not the norm for an Apple-owned brand.

The big visual hook is the clear case and transparent earbud option, where you can see the guts of the thing. It's a small detail. People love it anyway. Underneath the gimmick is a genuinely capable set of buds with active noise cancellation, a transparency mode, and the kind of low-end punch the Beats name promises.

How they sound and perform day to day

The sound is exactly what the badge suggests: bass-forward, energetic, built for pop, hip-hop, and gym playlists rather than delicate acoustic recordings. Owners consistently report a cleaner, less bloated low end than older Beats gear. It's fun without turning every track into a subwoofer demo. If you want flat, analytical sound, this isn't your pair.

Noise cancellation is solid for the class. It won't erase a jet engine the way Sony's WF-1000XM5 or Bose's QuietComfort buds can, but it kills office hum, AC drone, and a good chunk of commuter noise. Battery lands around six hours with ANC on and roughly 24 total with the case. Call quality gets steady praise, which still isn't a given with earbuds.

Both Android and iPhone owners get one-touch pairing and a companion app for controls and firmware updates. There's no wireless charging, which stings a little at this price, and there's no automatic ear-detection pause-when-you-remove-them feature. You'll notice that one if you're coming from AirPods.

The honest pros and cons

Pros: genuinely good cross-platform support, punchy and improved sound, a comfortable fit for most ears, reliable calls, and a charging case that's compact enough to forget in a pocket. The transparency mode is natural enough for quick conversations without yanking a bud out.

Cons: no wireless charging, no auto-pause when you remove a bud, and ANC that's good rather than great. The fit relies on the right ear tip, so go through the included sizes before you judge comfort. None of these are dealbreakers, but they're the reasons this isn't a flagship killer.

Who should buy them and who should skip

Buy these if you switch between an iPhone and an Android phone, or if you're firmly on Android and want Beats sound without the usual feature penalty. They're a smart pick for workouts, commutes, and anyone who wants strong bass and good calls without spending $250.

Skip them if you're chasing the absolute best noise cancellation, in which case the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Sony's XM5 are worth the extra cash. Skip them too if wireless charging or auto-ear-detection is non-negotiable, or if you're deep in the Apple world and the AirPods Pro's deeper iOS integration matters more to you.

The verdict

The Beats Studio Buds + are one of the easier earbud recommendations in this price range, mostly because they don't ask you to pick a side. Good sound, capable ANC, dependable calls, and a case people actually enjoy holding. Wait for a sale closer to the bottom of that price range and they're a near-no-brainer.

Frequently asked questions

Do the Beats Studio Buds + work with Android?

Yes. They're designed to work well with both Android and iPhone, with one-touch pairing and a companion app on each. Android users get nearly the full feature set, which is unusual for an Apple-owned brand.

Do the Beats Studio Buds + have wireless charging?

No. The case charges over USB-C only. If wireless charging is important to you, that's the main thing to weigh before buying.

How is the noise cancellation on the Studio Buds +?

It's good for the price, handling office hum, AC noise, and commuter rumble well. It doesn't match top-tier rivals like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Sony WF-1000XM5, but it's more than enough for daily use.