Longest battery
Sony WF-C710N
- Up to 8.5 hours per charge
- Works with two devices at once
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Catch: Weaker on voices and clatter
About half the price
Cheaper alternatives to the Beats Studio Buds +
Three pairs for under half the price, each adding something the Beats lack.
Updated 5 November 2026
Charges on a pad
EarFun Air Pro 4
- Wireless charging case
- LDAC and aptX Adaptive
Clear design
Nothing Ear (a)
- Transparent stems and case
- Strong noise cancelling for the price
The original
Beats Studio Buds +
Worth it if: You use both an iPhone and an Android
- Pebble-shaped case that slips into a pocket
- Works equally well with iPhone and Android
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Not worth it if: You top up on a charging pad
Fairly priced
What are you actually paying extra for with the Studio Buds +?
What the extra money buys
- Pebble-shaped case that slips into a pocket
- Works equally well with iPhone and Android
- Proper buttons on each bud
- Natural-sounding transparency mode
Worth it if
- You use both an iPhone and an Android
- Touch controls annoy you
- You want the clear finish
Not worth it if
- You top up on a charging pad
- You want the best sound at this price
Good to know
Why each one made the list, and our final recommendation.
Sony WF-C710N
Sony's budget buds outlast the Studio Buds+ by more than two hours a charge and cost under half. Tom's Guide wore them comfortably for a full working day and rated the quiet highly for the price. What Hi-Fi praised the musical sound and calls, while higher sounds slip through.
EarFun Air Pro 4
The Air Pro 4 fixes the Studio Buds+'s two big gaps: its case charges on a pad, and Android phones get hi-res Bluetooth. Android Central liked the comfort and balanced sound. PC Gamer found it calm in wind and fan noise but tripped up by sudden sounds, with a tinny mic.
Nothing Ear (a)
Nothing made its name with see-through earbuds, and the Ear (a) costs under half the transparent Studio Buds+. TechRadar found its quiet a standout in its class and the sound wide and energetic. Expert Reviews thought the squeeze controls fiddly and the three-band EQ basic.
Final recommendation: Pick the Sony WF-C710N for the longest battery and multipoint. The EarFun Air Pro 4 is the one for wireless charging and hi-res Bluetooth. The Nothing Ear (a) gives you a see-through design for less. Keep the Studio Buds+ if you jump between iPhone and Android and want buttons you can feel.
Side by side
Specs from each maker. Price levels come from shop prices we checked recently; tap through for today's price.
| Model | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price level | Affordable | Budget | Budget | Budget |
| Battery per charge, noise cancelling on (claimed) | Up to 6 hours | Up to 8.5 hours | Up to 7.5 hours | Up to 5.5 hours |
| With the case, noise cancelling on (claimed) | Up to 24 hours | Up to 30 hours | Up to 35 hours | Up to 24.5 hours |
| Weight per bud | – | 5.2 g | – | 4.8 g |
| Fit | Sealed, silicone tips (4 sizes) | Sealed, silicone tips | Sealed, silicone tips | Sealed, silicone tips |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX5 | IP54 (buds), IPX2 (case) |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Shop | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Questions people ask
How long do the Beats Studio Buds+ last?
About 6 hours with noise cancelling on and 24 with the case, or 9 and 36 with it off. What Hi-Fi was never caught short during weeks of testing, but several cheaper pairs now last longer per charge.
Do the Studio Buds+ fit small ears?
Usually, yes. The buds are small and light, and Beats added an extra-small tip alongside small, medium and large. Reviewers advise trying each size, as the fitted tip may not give the best seal.
Are the Studio Buds+ worth it over AirPods?
They suit people who use Android as well as Apple, since the Beats app brings one-tap pairing to both. If you only use an iPhone, Apple's own buds integrate more deeply.
Related guides
How we reached this
We compared the Beats Studio Buds + with the alternatives most often recommended by independent reviewers, then checked each against the makers' own specs and current prices.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: Apple UK: Beats Studio Buds +, What Hi-Fi?: Beats Studio Buds + review, Tom's Guide: Beats Studio Buds+ review, Sony UK: WF-C710N specifications, What Hi-Fi?: Sony WF-C710N review, Tom's Guide: Sony WF-C710N review, EarFun: Air Pro 4, Android Central: EarFun Air Pro 4 review, PC Gamer: EarFun Air Pro 4 review, Nothing: Ear (a), TechRadar: Nothing Ear (a) review, Expert Reviews: Nothing Ear (a) review.