For the past few years, Beats has largely focused on its family of earbuds, mainly the Fit Pro, Studio Buds, and, most recently, Studio Buds+. The on-ear Solo 3 and over-ear Studio 3 headphones have stuck around, but that changes now as Beats’ long-rumored Studio Pro over-ear headphones are official.
I’ve spent a week with the new $350 headphones that keep the iconic design and upgrade the internal hardware. In typical Beats fashion, there is a new shade or two, but the real changes come from a custom driver, a new processor, and convenience features for Apple or Android devices.
There is a lot to like here, and while it took Beats several years to upgrade its flagship over-ear headphones, the Beats Studio Pro has all the components to succeed.
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A Classic Build With Plenty of Ports
Like Studio 3, Beats Studio Pro doesn’t stray from what is now an iconic design that’s been rocked by thousands. The result is a plastic build with plenty of memory padding along the top band and each ear cup.
Unlike AirPods Max, though, these have a killer feature--they collapse to a smaller size and fold in half. This makes them portable and takes up much less space in a bag or backpack. You also get an updated carrying pouch made from more eco-friendly materials, which sports a square build. It offers plenty of room for the Studio Pros and has an integrated pocket that can hold the USB-C or audio jack cables.
When unfolded and on your head, it’s a pretty cozy experience. I’ve found that padding around the earcups rests with some pressure around your ears--or on them depending on ear size--but it fades away after a few minutes. The top band is almost unnoticeable as there is ample padding. It’s an overall comfortable experience that I rocked for hours at a desk during the workday and some walks around town.
For controls, Beats opts for a two-button approach: one is the “B” for the Beats logo on the left earcup, and another is a smaller circular button on the right earcup facing downward. The latter is a long press to power these headphones on or off and a double press for switching between listening modes. The button built into the left ear cup is more functional as it controls playback (a single press to play or pause, double to skip, or triple to go back).
While it is plenty functional, it is a physical click, unlike the touch controls on other headphones. It’s a nitpick, but you can hear and feel the click, which can be annoying. The gold standard for overall controls on over-ear headphones would still go to the AirPods Max with the Digital Crown.
Beats offers plenty of ports on the Studio Pro and even includes two cables in the box. The left ear cup is home to a 3.5-millimeter audio jack, which lets you hardwire the listening experience. The right ear cup is home to a USB-C port for charging, and Beats promises up to 40 hours of battery life, the same metric as the Studio 3.
As a whole, the Beats Studio Pro offer a comfortable design that is plenty portable thanks to the ability to collapse smaller and offer plenty of I/O. Just as important as the hardware, Beats is also about fashion, and the Studio Pro will come in Black, Sandstone, Deep Brown, or Navy at launch.
Robust Sound With Improved Noise Canceling and Transparency Modes
Arguably the most important part of any headphones is how they sound, and Studio Pro deliver Beats' signature experience with noticeably more oomph on the lower end. Powering the sound for each ear is a new Beats-designed 40mm driver that features a two-layer diaphragm. This creates clarity across the spectrum, including high, mid, and low tones, while bringing more clarity for listening at higher volumes.
It’s all controlled by Beat’s second-generation custom chip, which also powers the experience on the Beats Studio Buds+. It combines for an excellent-sounding mix that delivers a wide soundstage and high clarity. With a packed track like “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen, you can clearly make out the elements building the wall of sound during the ramp-up.
Similarly, with “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo, the main vocals come through with plenty of resonance and clarity, while the instruments are crisp and vibrant. By default, it’s an energetic mix that doesn’t shy away from showing off all elements of a given track. Studio Pro also supports Spatial Audio with Head Tracking, and the performance is strong here, but it’s not as immersive as the AirPods Max. I assume those have additional sensors and a bit more processing power from the Apple-made chips.
If you’re still using Studio 3 from Beats, you’re in for a much better listening experience throughout. There are also big improvements in listening modes. While Studio 3 only features an active noise cancellation option, Studio Pro improves the noise-blocking functionality and adds a transparency mode.
The Active Noise Cancellation starts working with a simple command and shows its power swiftly. Studio Pro use multiple microphones along with software processing powered by the custom chip to block out environmental noise in real-time. It works quite well at blocking out louder sounds and ones on the lower-frequency end. This means it can easily quiet down HVAC units, construction, and other boomy tasks. I’ve noticed that some higher frequencies can make it through, though.
Transparency mode is finally part of the feature list, and it does an excellent job of immersing you in whatever you’re listening to and knowing what’s happening in your surroundings. For instance, while listening to Olivia Rodrigo while writing this, I heard a knock on my apartment door. I could also hear a slight rumble of the HVAC system or a water heater powering on. It doesn’t sound as natural as AirPods Max or AirPods Pro 2nd Gen, but it doesn’t sound robotic either.
Another advantage is that you can control the listening modes from the right earcup button, natively in iOS, or from the Beats app for Android devices. That feature parity across Android or iOS for using Studio Pro is another big win. You’re not tied into one ecosystem and can effectively use these headphones with either brand. You get fast pairing on iOS and Android and handy controls natively or via an app.
Seriously Long Playback
Let’s be real—you never want to put on a pair of headphones and discover that they’re out of juice, and Beats Studio Pro effectively solves that. Beats promises 40-hour playback on the Studio Pros without a listening mode and 24 hours with ANC or Transparency engaged. That’s plenty for a long-haul flight or for using them daily without recharging.
I’m still working on fully running them down in a rated test, but I can tell you that I easily got through about two days of work with a listening mode on and off. That’s pretty great, and if you get hit with a low-power warning, “Fast-Fuel” functionality lets you plug these in and get a few hours of playback after just 10 minutes.
I can’t underscore enough how nice it is that Beats opted for the universally-supported USB-C port for charging here. It’s also a bonus that they include a cable in the box.
Bottom Line: Is The Beats Studio Pro Worth It?
It's been a long time coming, but Beats Studio Pro is a truly excellent pair of headphones. For starters, the over-ear design is cozy and ultra-portable, with the keen ability to collapse in half with plenty of padding on the top and sides for comfort. True to Beats' design legacy, the Studio Pros don't change much on the outside, but on the inside, they're reaping the benefits we've seen from other earbuds from the brand.
The Beats-designed processor provides ample power for delivering an exhilarating listening experience and for two listening modes—active noise cancelation and transparency—while also being efficient enough for long battery life. And these are over-ear headphones with two excellent ports to boot.
At $350, Beats Studio Pro is a great offering in a very crowded space. Unlike any other, they achieve excellent interoperability between iOS and Android thanks to a nearly equal set of features.
If you're in the market of over-ear headphones and are on-board with Beats vibrant audio mix, along with one of the four colors, the $350 is very well spent.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
