Beats Studio Pro vs Beats Solo 4
Quick take: The Beats Solo 4 costs $70 less; the Beats Studio Pro has active noise cancelling while the Beats Solo 4 doesn't; the Beats Solo 4 lasts longer per charge (50 hrs).
Which one to buy
Same brand, same lack of EQ, same missing multipoint, and both work with iPhone and Android. Both also play lossless over USB-C. What separates them is ANC and how they sit on your head, and at street prices the gap is only about $70.
The Studio Pro is over-ear with adaptive ANC and a transparency mode; the Solo 4 is on-ear with no noise cancelling at all and almost no passive isolation. If you ride a train, a bus or a plane, that settles it: Solo 4 owners consistently tell commuters to look elsewhere, while Studio Pro owners say engine rumble and office hum fall away nearly as well as on pricier Sony and Bose sets, provided the seal holds. The Solo 4 strikes back with battery. 50 hours against the Studio Pro's 24 with ANC on (owners quote about 40 with it off) means charging it almost never comes up.
Comfort is a closer call than over-ear versus on-ear suggests, because the Studio Pro has its own complaints: small cups, firm clamp, a thin headband pad that makes a hot spot on the crown, and a hinge that snags long hair. The Solo 4 presses on your outer ears, and most owners are done somewhere between one and two hours. Glasses wearers struggle with both, though on the Studio Pro the bigger cost is that frames break the ANC seal.
Owners also rate the Studio Pro's tuning more highly, punchy but controlled, while Solo 4 owners describe bass-forward sound with recessed detail that no EQ can fix. Unless you have quiet, short listening sessions and like the Solo's look, the Studio Pro is the upgrade owners most often recommend.
Beats Studio Pro
If you commute or fly, want ANC and transparency, or listen in longer stretches. It is the upgrade Solo shoppers are most often told to make, as long as you buy it on sale.
Beats Solo 4
For a light, stylish pair for short sessions in quiet places and anyone who values a 50-hour battery over noise cancelling.
| Spec | Beats Studio Pro | Beats Solo 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$170 | ~$100 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Over-Ear Headphones | On-Ear Headphones |
| Noise Cancelling | Adaptive ANC | None |
| Battery (single charge) | 24 hrs | 50 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | 10 min = 4 hrs | Fast Fuel: 10 min = 5 hrs |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC (lossless via USB-C) |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | No | No |
| Driver Size | 40 mm | 40 mm |
| Weight | 260 g | 217 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | No |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | Yes |
| App EQ | No | No |
Pros & cons
Beats Studio Pro
- ✓Regularly $170 — flagship-adjacent ANC at clearance pricing
- ✓USB-C port doubles as a lossless DAC
- ✓First-class features on both iOS and Android
- ✓Custom 40mm drivers far better tuned than old Beats
- ✓10-minute Fast Fuel charge buys 4 hours
- ✓Find My and Google Find Hub both supported
- ✗No wear detection, multipoint, or user EQ
- ✗Unchanged 2017 plastic design shows its age
- ✗Headband transmits clamp to the top of your head
- ✗Ear cushions aren't user-replaceable when worn out
- ✗Pleather pads run sweaty in warm rooms
Beats Solo 4
- ✓Huge 50-hour battery is untouchable for on-ears
- ✓Genuine lossless over USB-C or 3.5mm
- ✓Far more balanced tuning than 2010s bass-cannon Solos
- ✓Fast Fuel: 10 minutes buys 5 hours
- ✓Personalized Spatial Audio head tracking on iPhone
- ✓One-touch pairing on both iOS and Android
- ✗No ANC at a $200 list price
- ✗Trademark Solo clamp aches after an hour or two
- ✗On-ear clamp plus glasses gets painful fast
- ✗No EQ app on either platform
- ✗No true multipoint — just Apple ecosystem switching
Beats Studio Pro vs Beats Solo 4: common questions
Is the Studio Pro worth about $70 more than the Solo 4?▾
For most buyers, yes. The extra money gets you adaptive ANC, transparency and over-ear cups, which matter on any commute. The Solo 4 has no noise cancelling and almost no isolation. The case for the Solo 4 is the 50-hour battery and a lower price for quiet-room listening.
Is the Studio Pro or the on-ear Solo 4 easier to wear with glasses?▾
Neither is great. The Solo 4's on-ear clamp gets sore sooner with glasses on, and most owners hit soreness inside two hours anyway. The Studio Pro's cups seal around the frames poorly, which weakens the ANC as well as the comfort.
Can you EQ the Studio Pro or the Solo 4?▾
No. Neither offers a user EQ in the app on iPhone or Android. The Studio Pro has three fixed sound profiles when used as a USB-C DAC, but over Bluetooth both are fixed tunings, so pick based on which default sound you like.