Electronics › Headphones
Studio Buds +
Wireless noise-cancelling in-ear earbuds
Budget · bottom third of headphones
Should you buy it??
Check closely
based on 3 of 5 signals
Quick take
In short: what each side says
AI · critics · buyers · brand claims — each opened up in full further down ↓
perplexity ranks this product at #17.0 on average
Owners praise comfort, sound quality, and build, but fit stability and connectivity issues divide them—some find them secure while others report constant slipping and audio dropouts.
The juries are split — worth a closer look before you commit.
The verdict
What the panel makes of it.
Beats Studio Buds Plus are wireless earbuds made by Apple. Released in 2023. They feature active noise cancellation with transparency mode. Musicians and commuters buy them to block sound and hear calls. AI assistants rank them twelfth among AirPods alternatives. The buds weigh 6.2 grams each. They deliver up to eight hours of battery life. The case holds an additional sixteen hours. They cost one hundred seventy dollars at launch. The stem design sets them apart from competitors. They work across Apple devices through continuity features.
Act one
What the machines think.
Several AI models read the category and place this product — model by model, list by list, over time.
Model by model?
How each AI sees it.
perplexity ranks this product at #17.0 on average Averaging across the AI panel, Studio Buds + sits around #17.0 this snapshot.
Gemini
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Didn’t rank Studio Buds + this snapshot.
GPT
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Didn’t rank Studio Buds + this snapshot.
Claude
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Didn’t rank Studio Buds + this snapshot.
Act two · ★ new
What the people say.
The same product, judged by the owners who bought and filmed it — what they praise, what they knock, who it's for.
Critics digest
What the critics keep repeating.
Sound Quality (Bass, Driver)· 75% positive
“While they have a fairly neutral sound profile, the underemphasized bass means mixes lack thump, rumble, and boom.”— RTINGS.com
Connectivity (Bluetooth, Type)· 50% positive
“You can use them with a Bluetooth-enabled PC, but their latency is too high for gaming, so your audio and visuals won't be in”— RTINGS.com
Noise Cancellation· 100% positive
“the same technology seen in the AirPods Pro, and it shows: the latter does a more comprehensive job of muting external noises”— Ars Technica
Other highlights· 100% positive
“I really like the Studio Buds' fit which slips in and doesn't present much ear fatigue after extended listening times.”— Newsweek
From 6 published reviews · written + video
What buyers say?
What Google knows about it.
Beyond the video critics, Google pools 9,068 buyer ratings of the Studio Buds + from across retailers — a far wider, if blunter, jury. Here’s the shape of that opinion.
9,068 ratings · 7 written
across 3 retailers
What owners single out
Fit instability emerges as the weakest aspect among buyers, directly echoing concerns about earbuds falling out during movement and exercise.
In their words
“Let me start by saying these are extremely comfortable and fit well. I find it difficult to find ear buds Im not constantly readjusting to fit well in my ear. The sound quality is 5/5. It’s more balanced than you would expect for beats since they are known for their heavy bass. Don’t get me wrong though the bass is still there! The passive noise mode works great I dont even need to take them out t”
Chase · verified purchase · walmart.com
“My Beats Studio buds may be the worst pair of headphones I’ve ever purchased. They are retailed at $150, but I got them on sale for $100 and at that price, you’d expect some decent quality, but no, these are far from it. When I first got them, they would chop out constantly almost every time I tried to listen to music. This made it extremely difficult to listen to music and made it to where I deci”
Dylan · verified purchase · Target
as of June 24 · 9068 buyer ratings?
Frequent rivals?
What it competes against.
- Studio Buds PlusBeats by DreBeats leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Galaxy Buds FESamsungBeats leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- PerL ProDenonBeats leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Fit ProBeatsStudio Buds + leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Melomania M100Cambridge AudioBeats leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- QuietComfort Earbuds IIBoseBeats leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Between 3ANCStatus AudioBeats leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
Alternatives by price · Same field?
Same money, different answer.
The recap
Where it stands today.
- PositionBest rank #17 across 1 intent tracked (slipped 8 this week).
- FootprintStrongest in Best AirPods Alternatives (#17).
- TraitsMost often described as “bass[3]”.
- Closest rivalStudio Buds Plus (1–0 across 1 shared intent).
- MakerBy Beats — see how it ranks across other intents on its brand profile.
browse Studio Buds + in these categories