Beats Fit Pro vs. Studio Buds

Let's be honest, Apple did the Beats Studio Buds a bit dirty when it only put an H1 chip in the newer Beats Fit Pro since the Fit Pro earbuds can offer a whole suite of Apple-centric features that are unavailable in the Studio Buds. That being said, the Studio Buds do have a much lower price point, which makes them a more attractive buy for anybody who's shopping on a budget. After all, they still have plenty of great sound and active noise cancelation to offer. If you're looking for new earbuds to pair with your iPhone 14 Pro or even your new MacBook Air, we're here to help advise. Let's run down the specs to begin with.

Beats Fit Pro vs. Beats Studio Buds: Key differences

When you compare them by technical specs, the two Beats earbuds offer many of the same features, including active noise cancelation (ANC), transparency mode, charging, and similar controls.

The main differences you'll see here are chipsets, battery life, color availability, and, of course, price. These differences make for two very different earbuds, however. From the design to the microphone, there are many things to set them apart from each other.

Beats Fit Pro vs. Beats Studio Buds: Security versus comfort

The Beats Fit Pro and the Beats Studio Buds look very different from the outside. The Beats Fit Pro have the innovative rubber wingtip that can adjust to different ear sizes for a more secure fit. This means that they will not fall out even during energetic exercise or strenuous activities. The Beats Studio Buds have a smaller shape that you just pop into your ear.

Since there are different sizes of ear tips available, the Studio Buds should fit reasonably well, but they can also fall out easier than any earbud that comes with a wing tip. This makes the Beats Fit Pro the ideal pick for strenuous exercise, while the Studio Buds might prove more comfortable for people with sensitive ears.

Color options also differ between the two, although they both offer black and white colorways. The Beats Fit Pro offer a fun Stone Purple colorway along with gray, while the Beats Studio Buds only have a bright Beats Red in addition to the black and white. Colorways are purely subjective to the preference of the buyer, but it's nice to have options.

Charging and controls, however, are identical between the two models. USB-C wired charging and push-button controls are standard for Beats earbuds, and that remains true for both sets of earbuds.t

Beats Fit Pro vs. Beats Studio Buds: Balance versus bass

For performance, the Beats Fit Pro earbuds really shine. It's all about that H1 chip. First of all, the Beats Fit Pro are equipped with adaptive EQ technology, meaning they use inward-facing microphones to listen to the sound you are receiving. The earbuds will then adapt the sound automatically for your ear size and shape so you receive the best sound quality possible. Other features that come with the H1 chip include automatic device switching, audio sharing, and dynamic head tracking for spatial audio. None of these benefits will be available in the Beats Studio Buds.

While the Beats Studio Buds are not as "smart" as the Beats Fit Pro, they do offer excellent sound quality. And since they come with a Beats chipset, they work great with Android devices. You can use the Beats app on Android to perform an ear tip fit test to make sure your earbuds are fitted and inserted properly, which functions the same way as the ear tip fit test offered by Apple. The Studio Buds also offer a deeper, punchier bass sound.

Speaking of sound quality, you're going to get a similar soundstage and range from both models of Beats earbuds. The Beats Fit Pro offer a crisper, more balanced sound, mostly because of the adaptive EQ technology. The Studio Buds offer more bass, however, and both earphones are equipped with ANC and transparency mode. If you enjoy listening to hip-hop or other bass-heavy music, the Studio Buds might sound better to your ears than the Beats Fit Pro, while those who appreciate a more balanced sound will like the Beats Fit Pro.

Finally, we can't ignore battery life. The Beats Studio Buds offer a full two hours more of listening time — eight hours versus six hours for the Beats Fit Pro. If you travel a lot or listen to your earbuds all the live long day, you may like the longer battery life on the Beats Studio Buds.

Beats Fit Pro vs. Beats Studio Buds: Studio Buds win on price

You can't beat the Beats Studio Buds in terms of price. Although they retail at $150, right now the Studio Buds are going for $130 in the Apple Store. That's a full $70 cheaper than the Beats Fit Pro. There's no denying that when you buy the Fit Pro, you're paying more for the H1 chip and a lot of added features, but this all depends on your budget. If you're a parent buying multiple earbuds for your kids, for example, that lower price point on the Studio Buds will make a very big difference. The Studio Buds win on price, but you get what you pay for.

Beats Fit Pro vs. Beats Studio Buds: Which should you buy?

It's pretty clear which are the best earbuds overall, especially if you're using them with the iOS ecosystem. The Beats Fit Pro will come with adaptive EQ, dynamic head tracking, audio sharing, and automatic device switching if you're using them with Apple devices. All of these features will bring a more personalized sound experience and more ease-of-use overall. Of course, these features will also cost up to $70 more for the Beats Fit Pro when compared to the Beats Studio Buds.

On the other hand, some of the features that come with the H1 chip in the Fit Pro are not available to Android users. These include dynamic head tracking, audio sharing, and automatic device switching. So if you have an Android phone, the extra expense for the Beats Fit Pro probably wouldn't be justified. In this case, the Beats Studio Buds provide excellent sound quality and ANC, comparable to the Beats Fit Pro.

In short, Android users and people who prefer a more distinct bass in their music should probably just go with the more affordable Beats Studio Buds. But for Apple users and those who like a more balanced soundstage, the Beats Fit Pro are some of the most advanced earbuds you can buy, and they come with all the bells and whistles. If you have the budget for it, go with the Beats Fit Pro.