By 
The Beats Studio Buds+, as the mathematical sign in their name hints, are an upgraded take on the brand’s well-regarded Studio Buds true wireless earphones. The new iteration, which debuted today, brings upgraded audio performance, improved ergonomics, and longer battery life while retaining the original’s instantly recognizable design. The $170 price of the Buds + is only $20 more than the $150 sticker of the Beats Studio Buds.
Since their 2021 launch, the Studio Buds have been a consumer favorite, earning the title of the best overall earbuds in our testing and tens of thousands of five-star customer reviews online, thanks to a concoction of cool design and comfy fit, great sound, robust noise cancellation, and an agreeable price. By one-upping the Studio Buds in sound and comfort without deviating too far north from their price tag, the Buds + are a worthy sequel. Here’s why.
SCORES
Sound: 8/10
Comfort: 9/10
Design: 9/10
Battery Performance: 9/10
Overall Score: 9/10
THE BEATS STUDIO BUDS + AT A GLANCE
- Excellent sound quality
- Stellar noise cancellation
- Lightweight, comfy, and easy to operate
- Superb integration with both iPhone and, yes, Android
- Up to 9 hours of battery life (6 hours with noise cancellation)
- IPX4 water-resistant
- The case still lacks wireless charging
SOUND 8/10
In 2021, the Beats Studio Buds impressed me by producing top-tier sound with a versatility suited to any audio content — classical masterpieces, podcasts, audiobooks, and phone calls all sounded good piped through them. And now, the dual-layer audio drivers of the Studio Buds + deliver an excellent sonic experience that’s among the best you can get in a set of sub-$200 true wireless earbuds.
Compared to the Studio Buds, the Buds + pumps out a next-level sound, courtesy of a duo of air vents integrated into each bud. Adding these vents to the setup enhances the airflow generated by the transducer, bringing a strong and distortion-free bass, a balanced mid-range, and a crisp treble.
I enjoyed how the earphones played my go-to tracks for testing audio gear, from the complex instrumentals in “Kind of Blue” by Miles Davis to the bass and the vocals in “Single” by Everything but the Girl. Podcasts and audiobooks sounded great, too.
Of course, the Studio Buds + can play Dolby Atmos audio, which is even more immersive than standard content. Enhanced Apple Music tracks — especially live recordings — created the impression that I was listening to multiple speakers placed around me, not a set of tiny earphones. And I did not have to fiddle with an app to activate spatial audio.
The adaptive noise cancellation of the Studio Buds + is strong and, like their sound, superior to that in the cheaper Buds. Their redesigned hardware and upgraded processing tech swiftly decreased the traffic noise underneath my living room window during WFH sessions. In a more challenging outdoor setting, I was pleasantly surprised by how efficiently the Buds + reduced the ruckus of heavy machinery from a construction project in midtown Manhattan while I walked to the office.
The earphones’ transparency mode is another audio feature that has taken a leap forward. Those onboard vents I mentioned above, in tandem with upgraded microphones, kept me aware of my outdoor and open-office surroundings better than the Studio Buds.
Overall, when it comes to noise cancellation and ambient noise capabilities, the Buds + performed admirably during my testing. Their ability to eliminate background noise is great for the money but not on the same level as the near-complete silence of the AirPods Pro, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, and Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds. Still, it’s important to note that with stickers of $250 and up, these rivals are all considerably pricier.
The call quality of the Beats Studio Buds+ is top-notch, as well. Participants heard me clearly during telephone, FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom calls. The Bluetooth 5.3-toting earbuds maintained a solid link with an iPhone 14 Pro, a MacBook Pro, and a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
COMFORT: 9/10
The Studio Buds earphones set the bar for ergonomics in 2021. Still, weighing 5 grams apiece, the Buds + are even comfier and better suited for prolonged use. With four sets of ear tips in the box (one more than the Studio Buds), you can easily find an ideal fit.
Those vents (again) are instrumental here too. The tiny openings help release the in-ear pressure created by the movement of their audio drivers. I spent hours without needing to take a break from wearing the Buds +.
DESIGN: 9/10
My favorite thing about the design of the Studio Buds + is the all-new transparent color option that showcases the hardware bits used in making the earphones and their charging case. The new finish is fresh, striking, and high-tech in equal me sure. The earbuds and their matching case are also available in black with gold accents and ivory with black bits.
New colors and all-important vents aside, the Buds + look almost identical to the previous version. Their IPX4 rating for water resistance — a standard for all Beats earbuds — is also unchanged, making these suitable for exercising and exposure to rain. I completed multiple workouts and got caught a spring rainstorm during an outing with the Buds + but didn’t worry about them getting damaged.
On to user-friendliness. Having the option to customize the clicky buttons of the Buds+ to include controlling the volume by long-pressing the left (to lower) and the right (to increase) earphone addressed a shortcoming I found with the regular Buds. The new functionality elevates an already reliable setup above the touch-only controls of its rivals. (Such layouts are nowhere near as consistent in registering commands as tactile buttons.)
Two years ago, I was impressed by the easy one-touch Android pairing. With the Buds +, the Google integration gets even better. In addition to being just as easy to pair with Android phones (all you need to do is open their case in proximity to your device), the Buds + will instantly link to all Android and Chrome OS devices that use the same Google account. And you can keep tabs on the earphones’ whereabouts in Google’s Find Device app for Android.
Such a seamless and elaborate Google pairing makes the Beats Studio Buds+ an even more attractive proposition if you’re not in Apple’s ecosystem. The only difference from the Apple experience is that you’ll need to install a Beats app to customize the buds’ controls and update their firmware on an Android phone. With an iPhone or iPad, you can access these features by heading to the Bluetooth settings menu — no extra apps are necessary.
BATTERY PERFORMANCE: 9/10
Eking out up to 9 hours of battery life from a set of 5-gram wireless earbuds is quite an achievement, and I tip my hat to Apple for pulling this off with the Studio Buds +. Activating noise cancellation or transparency mode will shorten the buds’ endurance to 6 hours between charges — also impressive considering the buds’ size and fit. Noise-canceling earbuds that can offer comparable endurance are nowhere near as compact as the Studio Buds +. (The Studio Buds had a slightly shorter battery of up to 8 hours without noise cancellation.)
The sleek charging case of the Buds+ holds three full charges for a total of up to 36 hours between power-ups. I wish it had wireless charging, but the lack of this functionality is not a dealbreaker. Its USB-C connector is plenty fast, flexible, and future-proof.
OVERALL: 9/10
By blending high-quality audio, comfort, battery life, Apple’s signature ease of use, and great value, the Beats Studio Buds + are the best wireless earbuds for most upgraders. The earphones’ Google integration, now close to Apple’s, makes them an equally viable option for Android users.
Unless you are willing to spend much more for better audio quality and longer battery life and don’t mind compromising on ergonomics, the Studio Buds + are your best option. The compact true wireless earbuds are comfy, capable, and, best of all, easy to enjoy for both first-time users and seasoned gearheads.
That said, if noise cancellation is not a must for you, consider the lighter third-generation AirPods if you’re an Apple user looking for good sound and more charging options. Or, if you want more sound customization, look at the stem-toting (and even more affordable) Soundcore Liberty 4 earbuds.
Stefan is the senior technology editor for BestProducts.com, where he’s been covering the tech industry and testing the latest gadgets since 2015. He has more than a decade of experience covering consumer tech products, especially smartphones, tablets, laptops, and audio gear. He was previously the US editor for GSMArena.com; his work can also be found on Popular Mechanics and other Hearst publications.In the rare moments when he’s not playing with a new gadget, Stefan likes to watch live Premier League games or hang out with his cat and rabbit. He’s also an espresso snob.
