Head to head
Beats Studio Pro vs AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
They split the 4 rankable specs evenly, so cost decides it: AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $170 less.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
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Compare a different headphone
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds$299Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 2 to 2
Tied overall. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper.
- The 4 rankable overall specs split 2 to 2.
- Saves $170 at list price.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Clear:Beats Studio Pro · Yes (folds into compact carrying case)Trips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · No (pocket-sized charging case)
- Trips:Beats Studio Pro · AAC, SBC, Lossless audio via USB-CTrips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · AAC, SBC
- Clear:Beats Studio Pro · 24 hoursTrips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · 4 hours listening time on single charge…
- Trips:Beats Studio Pro · No official IP ratingClear:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
Beats
260 g (9.17 oz)
Apple
8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case
Active Noise Cancelling≠
Beats
Yes (Fully adaptive Active Noise Cancelling)
Apple
Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode)
Battery life
Beats
24 hours (ANC/Transparency on) / 40 hours (ANC off)
Apple
4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on)
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Beats: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Apple: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Design
5 differences| Type | Over-ear, closed-back | Open-ear true wireless earbuds |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 260 g (9.17 oz) | 8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case (wins this row: lower) |
| Foldable | Yes (folds into compact carrying case) (wins this row: has it) | No (pocket-sized charging case) |
| Carrying case | Woven fabric zippered carrying case with cable storage | Wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C port |
| IP rating | No official IP rating | IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant (earbuds and case) |
Audio
5 differences| Driver | 40 mm custom active drivers (ultra-low distortion) | Custom high-excursion Apple driver with custom high dynamic range amplifier |
|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes (Fully adaptive Active Noise Cancelling) | Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode) |
| Transparency mode | Yes (Transparency mode) | Yes (Transparency Mode & Conversation Awareness) |
| Supported codecs | AAC, SBC, Lossless audio via USB-C (up to 24-bit/48kHz) | AAC, SBC |
| Microphones | Upgraded voice-targeting beamforming microphones | Dual beamforming microphones + inward-facing microphone with Voice Isolation |
Connectivity & Battery
3 differences| Multipoint Bluetooth | No (Google Fast Pair multipoint on Android; one-touch Apple iCloud switching) | Yes (automatic seamless device switching across Apple devices) (wins this row: has it) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 24 hours (ANC/Transparency on) / 40 hours (ANC off) (wins this row: higher) | 4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on) |
| Charging time | 2 hours full charge (Fast Fuel: 10 min charge gives 4 hours) | 5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time; USB-C, Apple Watch charger, or Qi wireless charging |
Ownership
0 differences| Warranty | 1 year manufacturer warranty | 1 year manufacturer warranty |
|---|
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Beats Studio Pro
Over-ear wireless ANC headphones with custom 40mm drivers, lossless USB-C audio, and cross-platform native pairing for iOS and Android.
- Lossless 24-bit/48kHz audio playback via USB-C cable
- Strong battery life (up to 40 hours with ANC off / 24 hours with ANC on)
- Dual Apple and Android one-touch native pairing ecosystems
What you give up
- Plastic build feel compared to aluminum rivals
- No automatic wear-detection auto-pause
Pick this one if
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Open-ear wireless earbuds with H2 headphone chip, Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, and wireless charging case with speaker.
- Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Audio in an open-ear, tip-less fit
- Apple H2 chip with Personalized Spatial Audio and head tracking
- Smallest wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C
What you give up
- Open-ear ANC is naturally less isolating than in-ear silicone tip earbuds like AirPods Pro
- Battery life drops to 4 hours per charge with ANC enabled (20 hours total with case)
Best for each use
Flights & commutes
For flights & commutes, buy the Beats Studio Pro.
Calls & work
Tied on calls & work. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper.
Sound quality
Too close to call on sound quality from the spec sheets. Only weight is rankable here.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: Beats Studio Pro ↗ · AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Beats Studio Pro or the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $170 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Beats Studio Pro or AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation has this deal-breaker: does not fold. Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.
Which is better for flights & commutes, the Beats Studio Pro or the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
For flights & commutes, buy the Beats Studio Pro. Leads 2 of 3 rankable flights & commutes specs; AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation takes 1. Battery life: 24 hours vs 4 hours listening time on single charge with…
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 14 specs tracked here, 10 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.