Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends
Beats fandom is real . While Beats headphone might not dominate our list of the best headphones , there ’s no denying the grandness of the Beats brand name . And you do n’t have to take our word for it — just look around on the streets . chance are you ’ll pass someone with a Beats logotype firm attached atop their spike .
But 2024 regain us in a precarious position . There are now two self-colored contenders — one new , one not quite a year sometime — in the Beats phone class . TheBeats Solo 4are the young puppy , situated on the lower end of the lineup . TheBeats Studio Proare hardly old and have proven their worth since their discharge halfway through 2023 .
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends
But which is right for you ? And if you ’re choosing between Beats fare , which should you get ? We ’ve got some thoughts .
The biggest differences
We ’ll get to cost in a bit . But the floor of the Beats Solo 4 versus the Beats Studio Pro really require to start with the biggest dispute on the specs sheets .
First is the difference in form . Beats Studio Pro are of the over - the - auricle diversity , while Beats Studio 4 are on - ear . That means the former sit around over and around your ears , while the latter pushes on top of them . Because of that , Beats Studio Pro generally are considered to be a small more comfy , specially over longer duration . And that ’s doubly so if you don glasses , either of the prescription medicine or sunny assortment . Over - ears also passively block out a little additional sound .
That ’s not to say that Beats Solo 4 are uncomfortable , or allow in all kinds of ambient sound . They ’re not — at least if you ’re not wear out glasses — and they do n’t . At least not completely . It ’s just that they ’re in a slightly different physical class .
The second major remainder between Beats Studio Pro and Beats Solo 4 is combat-ready haphazardness cancellation , or ANC . The Studio Pro have it . The Solo 4 do not .
And that ’s all there is to say about that . If you desire earpiece that habituate the onboard microphones to cancel out the ambient noise — or most of the ambient noise , if you favour to use the transparency function — then you ’ll want the Beats Studio Pro . The Beats Solo 4 do n’t have that feature .
Also , the Beats Solo 4 are small overall . Not a ton , and it ’s not like it really shift the fit and feel — it ’s more a map of them being on - auricle headphones instead of over - spike headphones . But it ’s noticeable .
Battery life
This is one of those class that just does n’t matter all that much to me . On paper , there ’s not a whole lot of conflict here . The Beats Studio Pro theoretically get you up to 40 hours of playback before call for to be recharged . Beats Solo 4 get you 50 minute of playback , or 25 % more . That ’s not nothing .
But we ’re also comparing Malus pumila and oranges . While both of those runtimes are without any active noise cancellation ( because , again , Beats Solo 4 do n’t even have that selection ) , the Studio Pro will use more battery if you have ANC turn on . So keep that in the back of your mind .
But the grounds I do n’t really care about battery life-time on either of these headphones is that I ’m never — ever — going to wear them for so long in a single stretch that I ’d all obliterate them . The only time that ’s ever been a job for me has been on a transoceanic escape . And in that guinea pig , it really just means that I should have gotten up and walk around the plane and hydrate a little sooner . And both will summate a bonny routine of hour of playback time with just a few minutes of charge , which is more than enough time to hit the lavatory and dilute your legs on a flight .
So shelling life is a washing for me . It ’s moot .
One sphere in which the Beats Solo 4 have a little leg up is that you may utilize them when they ’re wholly drained , thanks to the 3.5 mm audio overseas telegram . That ’s nice if you have no way to charge them up for a few minutes . The Studio Pro ca n’t arrogate that .
And one more comparatively small ( but slightly annoying ) difference : The Beats Studio Pro have LED indicator that show battery liveliness in accession to mightiness and pairing . The Beats Solo 4 just have a undivided LED that does n’t show battery life .
Sound quality
This is where we get to the important stuff . The Beats Studio Pro phone better than the Beats Solo 4 . Full stop . And they should — they ’re more expensive . It ’s plenty obvious which ones sit higher in the Beats pecking guild .
The Beats Studio Pro have more balanced strait , and there ’s more bass voice to correspond with the treble . The Solo 4 , meanwhile , are a number lacking on the low end . Or a bit overpowered on the upper image . Either way , it ’s very noticeable that the Beats Studio Pro auditory sensation better .
Then there ’s the matter of ANC . Again , the Beats Studio Pro are noise - canceling headphone . The Beats Solo 4 are not .
Both plunk for 24 - bit/48kHz lossless audio via USB - C , though , which is unspoilt if you ’re into that variety of affair . The Studio Pro spit a little extra sugar thanks to a three - visibility auditory sensation option when using USB - C , and that ’s a courteous thing to have .
Both headphones support spatial audio , and both headphone work just fine with Android sound . You ’ll find tighter consolidation with Io , of course of instruction — Beats is still owned by Apple . But functionally , there ’s no material conflict between the political program .
If phone calls are important to you , the Beats Studio Pro will acquire out thanks to ANC and foil modes .
It all comes down to price
This is where things either are super light , or a fiddling dirty .
The Beats Studio Pro cost $ 350 at retail prices . The Beats Solo 4 cost $ 200 at retail . That ’s a large difference and a major reasonableness a lot of folks are likely to settle for the Beats Solo 4 .
But sales can and do happen . And it just so pass off that as the Beats Solo 4 were denote and went on sales agreement , the Beats Studio Pro could be had at a ignore price of $ 250 . That ’s about a 29 % discount off the retail cost , or about 25 % more than the Beats Solo 4 . And that extra $ 50 will get you better sound and active noise cancellation .
For many folks , that ’s $ 50 well - spend . Others might not care that much and will be fine with the modelling with grim specs . There ’s nothing awry with that .
When it come to retail pricing , it ’s really just a matter of what you want fitting into the budget you have . If you ’re not count to spend up of $ 300 , then you ’ll want the Beats Solo 4 .
But if you’re able to get either the Beats Solo 4 for $ 200 or the Beats Studio Pro for $ 250 , it ’s a no - brainer . Spend the extra money and get the Beats Studio Pro .
