Beats Studio Buds + vs Apple AirPods 4
Quick take: The Apple AirPods 4 costs $1 less; the Beats Studio Buds + has active noise cancelling while the Apple AirPods 4 doesn't; the Beats Studio Buds + lasts longer per charge (6 hrs).
Which one to buy
Both come from Apple's family and both cost about $100, but they're built for different people. The base AirPods 4 is an open, no-tip earbud for iPhone users who hate in-ear pressure. The Beats Studio Buds + is a sealed, stemless bud with ANC and transparency, and it works equally well on iPhone and Android, with one-touch pairing and Find My on iPhone plus Fast Pair and Find My Device on Android.
If you want any quiet at all, only the Beats has it. AirPods 4 owners describe zero isolation and turning the volume up on buses to compensate. The Beats' ANC is only average (owners say a $45 Soundcore cancels more), but its transparency mode is the standout and sounds natural. The AirPods' mic is the standout: owners say Voice Isolation lets them take calls in coffee shops without anyone noticing. They also get automatic switching between iPhone, iPad and Mac.
The Beats lasts a little longer per charge, 6 hours with ANC against 5, though its 36-hour case total assumes ANC is off. Neither case charges wirelessly, and neither has an EQ. On Android the AirPods lose most of their features, so that decides it for Android or mixed households. For iPhone-only users, owners of the AirPods 4 add a reminder: the ANC version usually costs a bit more and adds ANC, transparency and wireless charging.
Beats Studio Buds +
If you use Android, switch between Android and iPhone, or want ANC and a natural transparency mode at this price.
Apple AirPods 4
For anyone all-in on iPhone who can't stand sealed ear tips and cares most about call quality and automatic switching between Apple devices.
| Spec | Beats Studio Buds + | Apple AirPods 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$100 | ~$99 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Wireless Earbuds | Wireless Earbuds |
| Noise Cancelling | ANC | None |
| Battery (single charge) | 6 hrs | 5 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | 36 hrs | 30 hrs |
| Quick Charge | Fast Fuel: 5 min = 1 hr | 5 min = 1 hr |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | No | No |
| Driver Size | — | — |
| Weight | 5 g | 4.3 g |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IP54 |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | No |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | Yes |
| App EQ | No | No |
Pros & cons
Beats Studio Buds +
- ✓Native one-touch pairing on both iPhone and Android
- ✓Find My on iOS, Find My Device on Android
- ✓Genuinely natural transparency mode
- ✓Fast Fuel adds an hour in five minutes
- ✓Spatial audio works with Apple Music
- ✓Frequent $100 sales far below the $170 list
- ✗ANC weaker than a Space A40 at half the price
- ✗No multipoint, wireless charging, wear detection, or EQ
- ✗36-hour case total assumes ANC off
- ✗Intermittent dropout complaints drag the 4.1-star average
- ✗Early units hit by a left-bud drain issue
Apple AirPods 4
- ✓Same H2 chip and call quality as the ANC version
- ✓Featherweight 4.3g open fit stays comfortable for hours
- ✓30-hour total battery with the case
- ✓Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking
- ✓IP54 dust and splash resistance
- ✓5-minute charge buys an hour
- ✗No ANC or Transparency — the ANC version costs little more
- ✗Case is USB-C only; no wireless charging or Find My speaker
- ✗Measurably leaner sub-bass than the ANC version
- ✗Fit lottery — hard plastic shape either fits you or it doesn't
- ✗AAC only, no EQ, feature-poor on Android
Beats Studio Buds + vs Apple AirPods 4: common questions
My ears hate silicone tips. Is the Beats an option?▾
Probably not. The Studio Buds + seal in the canal, though owners with small ears find the stemless shape more comfortable than AirPods Pro. The AirPods 4's tip-free hard shell is the usual recommendation for people who can't tolerate sealed buds, at the cost of all isolation.
Does the Studio Buds + or the AirPods 4 block noise on a bus?▾
Only the Beats. Its ANC is average for the price, but it does reduce noise, and the seal helps. The base AirPods 4 has no ANC and no seal, so outside noise comes straight through.
Do the Studio Buds + and the AirPods 4 work properly on Android?▾
The Beats does. It supports Fast Pair and Find My Device natively, though spatial audio head tracking doesn't work. The AirPods 4 plays audio over AAC on Android but loses spatial audio, auto-switching, Find My and even battery percentage.
Is the AirPods 4's Voice Isolation better for calls than the Studio Buds +?▾
The AirPods 4. Owners say Voice Isolation removes background noise so well that colleagues can't tell they're on earbuds in a coffee shop. Beats owners don't single out the mic, and its top complaint is intermittent dropouts.