Eons ago, when iPhones still had Lightning ports, I used to rely on the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max for private audio consumption. The former’s portability and water resistance made it ideal for outdoor use, while the latter’s longer battery life and large ear cups excelled at delivering long, immersive music listening sessions—mostly indoors.
With my iPhone switching to USB-C last year, it was time to bid the AirPods Max farewell. I just wasn’t willing to keep a Lightning cable around and clutter my desk for this single accessory. Plus, silly me, I figured Apple would soon release the AirPods Max 2, featuring USB-C and other internal upgrades. Well, except that the company casually rereleased the AirPods Max 1 with a USB-C port, fresh colors, and nothing else. So, despite being theoretically inferior, I decided to opt for 2023’s Beats Studio Pro.
I refuse to pay $529 (again) for 2020 technology
The AirPods Max (USB-C) are objectively a lazy upgrade. Apple didn’t bother to put any effort into the product, and it feels wrong to reward that by paying a premium. At the very least, it could’ve introduced the newer features already offered by the more affordable AirPods Pro 2, but it didn’t. The absentees include the H2 chip, Adaptive Audio, Conversation awareness, Siri (not Hey Siri) trigger word, Voice Isolation, Personalized Volume, Bluetooth 5.3, and more. Alternatively, Apple could’ve discounted the $529 price tag, as users are now paying full price for four-year-old components. Spoiler alert: it didn’t do that, either.
Since all my primary devices are Apple-branded, buying third-party headphones didn’t feel like the right move. I’ve tried a couple in the past; while they may deliver superior sound quality and comfort, the lack of proper integration with the Apple ecosystem makes them irritating to use.
That’s not to mention needing to rely on companion apps for maintenance and firmware updates and whatnot.
So, the only first-party over-ear headphones with ANC I was left with were the Beats Studio Pro. While they typically sell for $350, the company often discounts them heavily, sometimes by over 50%. In fact, at the time of writing, Apple is offering them for just $170 through Amazon.
Shiny materials come at a cost
The first thing I noticed after unboxing my Beats Studio Pro is how cheap they feel compared to the AirPods Max. They’re primarily made of plastic (instead of stainless steel and aluminum), their ear cups are smaller, the physical button clicks lack the flagship feel, etc. The cheaper build, however, improved my overall listening experience, as the Beats headphones are around 125 grams lighter. While this may sound like a negligible number to some, it makes a big difference when putting that weight on your head for prolonged periods. I will admit that, while the AirPods Max’s ear cups look too clunky, they rested more comfortably over my ears.
The color options didn’t really sway my purchase decision, as I always opt for black, and they both offer it. Those seeking vibrant options may find the AirPods Max more appealing. Otherwise, the Beats Studio Pro come with a proper carrying case (rather than a weird bra of sorts), along with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable and a 3.5mm analog audio cable. For reference, the AirPods Max offer a charging cable but lack the headphone jack and its respective cable.
Performance: A balanced mix of pros and cons
Beyond the price, comfort, and cosmetics, how the headphones perform obviously plays a major role in the picking process. I’m not an audiophile to comment on which gets what best in terms of sound quality. However, I was still able to make some applicable observations.
For starters, both devices sound crisp and offer an acceptable active noise cancelling (ANC) mode. I can’t tell which ANC is stronger, as the two isolated noise for me in a similar, moderate manner. Though, the AirPods Max certainly get louder, as I often find myself blasting the Beats Studio Pro’s volume to 90% or so. With the former headphones, I wouldn’t typically cross the 75% volume mark.
Audiophiles may appreciate the Beats more as they support lossless playback through wired USB-C connections, thanks to the built-in DAC. They also support three different sound profiles in wired mode, each tailored for a different kind of audio (music, games, movies, calls, etc.).
Foundry
Beyond that, both headphones are deeply integrated into Apple’s ecosystem. You get fast pairing support that automatically connects them to all of your iCloud devices, although Automatic Device Switching is absent on the Beats Studio Pro. The two headphones similarly support Audio Sharing on Apple devices, Find My, Spatial Audio, OTA software updates through the Settings app, and handy Control Center toggles.
Admittedly, the Beats Studio Pro’s ANC toggle in the Control Center often bugs out for me, which then limits me to switching between ANC modes using the physical button. That’s an issue I’ve never encountered with the AirPods Max.
Otherwise, the Beats Studio Pro feel a bit old-fashioned compared to the AirPods Max. For example, taking them off doesn’t automatically pause the music. You similarly have to manually turn them on and off with each listening session using the physical button. Meanwhile, the AirPods Max automatically wake up when you take them out of their questionable case and eventually go to sleep after staying idle for a while.
The lack of a power button on the AirPods Max drain their battery faster, though, as they’re often left unnecessarily powered on. Besides, the Beats Studio Pro offer a longer battery life by default, reaching up to 24 hours of playback with ANC on (or 40 hours with ANC off). The AirPods Max, on the other hand, last up to 20 hours with ANC enabled—according to Apple’s own tests.
Nothing beats a pair of cheap AirPods
Taking all of the above into consideration, the Beats Studio Pro are essentially a cheaper AirPods Max replica. For a fraction of the latter’s price, you can get a very similar listening experience and seamless ecosystem integration while arguably not sacrificing any notable perks. Sure, the Beats Studio Pro look cheaper and pack some annoyances, but they also get many things right—like lossless playback, Bluetooth 5.3 (Class 1), lighter design, longer battery life, etc.
And while this doesn’t apply to me personally, the Beats Studio Pro also exclusively offer similar integrations with Android, which makes them the perfect pick for those relying on multiple platforms.
Foundry
Until the AirPods Max live up to their name and support all the essential features present on the Pro 2 variant and some of Beats’ products, I would stay away from them. It makes absolutely no sense to pay multiple folds more for a superficial pair of headphones that lacks technology offered by cheaper iterations sold by the exact same company.
Author: Mahmoud Itani, Contributor, Macworld
For a decade, Mahmoud has rigorously evaluated Apple hardware and software. His current technological arsenal features an iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9, MacBook Air M2, iPad Air M1, AirPods Pro 2, AirTag, Apple TV 4K 3, and HomePod Mini stereo pair. Outside of work, you’ll likely find him jogging at a park, swimming in open water, brainstorming at a coffeehouse, composing poetry on a rooftop, or merely lost in nature.