Beats Studio 3 vs Studio Pro: Which is Better in 2024?
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase.
In this article, I'm going to share my HONEST experience with the Beats Studio 3 vs Studio Pro in detail, after personally owning both products. I have thoroughly tested each of these headphones for hundreds of hours, and aim to offer a critical opinion from the perspective of an audiophile and professional music producer.
I'll be comparing these two head to head on categories like price, comfort, features, battery life, noise cancelling, and sound quality.
Then at the end, I'll share which is the better overall value for the money, and my overall recommendation on which you should buy.
I've also conducted a Beats Solo 3 Wireless review, along with a related head-to-head comparison of the Beats Solo 3 vs Studio 3, for those who are interested in reading after.
Key Takeaways
Beats Studio Pro has features like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, and Transparency mode that the Beats Studio 3 doesn't have.
Beats Studio Pro has improved sound quality, noise cancelling, and battery life versus the Studio 3.
There is little change in exterior looks or comfort between the Studio Pro released in 2023, and the Studio 3 released in 2017.
Beats Studio 3 vs Studio Pro Price Compared
Overall, the older Beats Studio 3 is $20 cheaper than the Studio Pro at current market prices for brand new. This translates to the Studio 3 being 13% less expensive than the Studio Pro.
Beats Studio 3 Prices
Retail: $349.95
New: $159
Renewed: $139 (save up to $20)
Beats Studio Pro Prices
Retail: $349.99
New: $179.95
Renewed: $158 (save up to $21)
Order HERE for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE
(Do NOT pay retail):
Save up to $20 on Beats Studio 3 with Renewed below:
Save up to $21 on Beats Studio Pro with Renewed below:
Disclosure: These links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to run the website 🙂
Comfort
Let's start this head-to-head comparison with the comfort category.
The newer Beats Studio Pro is the 2023 successor to the Studio 3 Wireless originally released in 2017. At first glance, they look nearly identical to each other.
Weighing both headphones on my scale, they are nearly the same weight as well:
Beats Studio 3 weight: 261.8 grams
Beats Studio Pro weight: 268.6 grams
So the new Beats Studio Pro is only 6.8 grams heavier than the Studio 3, a negligible difference that won't be felt on the head.
These weights are impressive, considering the AirPods Max weighed in at a whopping 387.8 grams on my scale, 48% heavier than the comparable over-ear Studio 3.
Overall, I find both the Studio 3 and Studio Pro equally comfortable primarily due to their light weight for full-sized headphones.
They share an identical headband material, which I think could be more plush to reduce the slight top of head pressure.
But the earpad material and cushions are comfy enough, which is advertised to be slightly improved in the newer Studio Pro. I'll agree with that and would give the slightest edge to the Studio Pro if I had to, but they are tied for the most part.
The only knocks on comfort would be that the space inside the earcup is rather shallow, so your ears may press against the headphones, but this isn't as bothersome as on-ear headphones like the Solo 3 Wireless.
Also, being closed-back over-ear headphones, both of these will naturally generate some warmth over the course of 1-2 hours of wearing.
Is the Beats Studio 3 or Studio Pro better for working out in the gym?
Although they are nearly identical, I prefer the Beats Studio Pro over the Studio 3 for working out in the gym, due to superior noise cancelling performance and much better sound quality. From a comfort perspective, they are equal since the weight difference is less than 7 grams between them. Either choice is suitable and I have tested them thoroughly in various workout environments.
Beats Studio 3 Comfort: 4.0 out of 5
Beats Studio Pro Comfort: 4.0 out of 5
Winner: Tie
Features / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling
Features
The Beats Studio Pro is the 6-year successor to the Studio 3 Wireless, so it comes with newer features and improvements in technology during that span.
Both headphones have your typical Bluetooth wireless and active noise cancelling, but the Studio Pro has improved upon the Studio 3 in every way.
The Studio Pro features the latest Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support, whereas the Studio 3 does not.
In addition, the Studio Pro has better battery life and noise cancelling, which we'll get into detail below.
If you're an Apple ecosystem user, both the Beats Studio Pro and Studio 3 feature the seamless switching between Apple devices similar to the AirPods lineup.
I gotta say, I love the convenience of this compatibility with iPhone, iPad, and MacOS, but Beats products works just fine with Windows and Android as well.
Looks
I loved the aesthetic and design of the Beats Studio 3, and the Studio Pro improves upon that with some very subtle changes.
Pictured above is the top of the headbands, with the older Studio 3 showcasing the "beats" logo, while the Studio Pro headband omits this. I think most of us are happy to see less branding overall.
At a glance, these two headphones are identical, and they are both minimalistic and clean in these monochromatic colors of matte grey and matte black.
The matte black looks great but it is definitely a fingerprint and smudge magnet compared to the grey.
The Studio Pro introduces some really tasteful new colors like a deep brown that I would opt for next time around.
Beats Studio 3 vs Studio Pro Battery Life Comparison
The Beats Studio Pro advertises 18 hours longer battery life than the aging Studio 3:
Beats Studio 3 Battery Life: Up to 22 hours
Beats Studio Pro Battery Life: Up to 40 hours
With 6 years of technological advancements, it makes sense the Studio Pro would greatly improve upon the Studio 3, which actually had impressive battery life back in 2017.
Regardless, up to 40 hours of battery life in the Studio Pro is above average for its category, and in my testing I have found this to be true.
Beats Studio 3 vs Studio Pro Noise Cancelling: Which is Better?
The Beats Studio Pro has superior noise cancelling performance to the Studio 3, thanks to 6 years of improvement between their releases. Also, the Studio Pro has a Transparency mode that allows you to hear outside noise around you, which the Studio 3 lacks entirely.
Since Apple owns the Beats brand, I would guess that they shared some of their engineering prowess that powers the noise cancelling in the AirPods Max, released 3 years prior to the Studio Pro.
I still find the Studio Pro to be just a step below the leaders in noise cancelling which would be Bose and Sony.
Beats Studio 3 Features / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling: 4.0 out of 5
Beats Studio Pro Features / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling: 4.5 out of 5
Winner: Beats Studio Pro
Beats Studio 3 vs Studio Pro Sound Quality Comparison
When I first began testing the Beats Studio Pro, my ears were quite happy to hear significant improvements in the exact areas which I critiqued in my individual Beats Studio 3 review:
Poor sub-bass response
"Boring" sound signature
Weak dynamics
Distortion at higher volumes
I can confidently say the Studio Pro improved upon each of these critiques and has superior overall sound quality, without a doubt.
Apple claims an improvement of up to 80% less distortion in the Studio Pro vs the Studio 3, which is a remarkable difference and much-needed.
The Studio 3 is actually not a bad sounding headphone in its own right, but it doesn't stay true to the Beats brand.
It actually has a more neutral/balanced sound signature than most would have expected from a Beats headphone, but couple that with poor dynamics and you have quite a boring listening experience.
On the other hand, the Studio Pro is much more engaging and exciting to listen to, with the improved sub-bass response filling out the low end of the spectrum.
Unlike the balanced sound of the Studio 3, the Studio Pro clearly follows a consumer frequency response, with the bass and treble being emphasized, and mids recessed.
This results in a clearer and very treble-forward presentation, albeit a little thin-sounding with the mids not having as much detail.
For modern music and female vocals especially, the Studio Pro brings out a ton of detail in a slightly artificial way that compliments the music, but lacks the natural timbre needed for acoustic music and instruments in general.
From an audiophile perspective, the soundstage is quite intimate with a very "in your face" presentation. The layering is actually quite good in the treble region, but could improve in dynamics and spacing. Overall, I would prefer a more natural presentation.
Beats Studio 3 Sound Quality: 7.0 out of 10
Beats Studio Pro Sound Quality: 7.8 out of 10
Winner: Beats Studio Pro
Value
Depending on current sale prices, the Beats Studio 3 is anywhere from $20 to $90 cheaper than the newer Studio Pro.
As we speak, the Studio Pro is actually on sale for just under $180, while the Studio 3 is available for $159.
When not on sale, I typically have seen the Studio Pro go for around $249, which makes it about $90 more expensive than the Studio 3.
I think all of the improvements that the Studio Pro has made over the 6 years justifies the full $90 premium to upgrade.
Although it is more expensive, I do believe the Studio Pro is the better overall value as it has all of the latest features comparable to a $500+ Apple AirPods Max, while the Studio 3 is now dated.
Beats Studio 3 Value: 3.0 out of 5
Beats Studio Pro Value: 4.0 out of 5
Winner: Beats Studio Pro
Beats Studio 3 Overall Rating: 7.2 / 10
Sound Quality: 7.0 / 10
Comfort: 4.0 / 5
Features / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling: 4.0 / 5
Value: 3.0 / 5
Total: 18.0 / 25
Beats Studio Pro Overall Rating: 8.1 / 10
Sound Quality: 7.8 / 10
Comfort: 4.0 / 5
Features / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling: 4.5 / 5
Value: 4.0 / 5
Total: 20.3 / 25
Overall Winner: Beats Studio Pro
The Beats Studio Pro is our winner today and has improved upon the Beats Studio 3 in every single category.
At first glance, the two headphones are nearly identical, but it's the improvements to the technology beneath the surface that make the Studio Pro an impressive contender today.
Despite carrying a $90 premium over the Studio 3, I would choose the Studio Pro every time without question.
To put things into perspective, the Studio Pro is half the cost of the AirPods Max and boasts pretty much all the same features and works just as flawlessly with Apple devices.
At the $249 and under price point, the closest contenders to the Beats Studio Pro would be the Apple AirPods Pro 2 or Sony WH-1000XM4, both of which I've reviewed quite favorably.
I recommend you check those individual reviews out if you're shopping for new headphones.
Order HERE for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE
(Do NOT pay retail):
Save up to $30 with Renewed below:
Save up to $21 with Renewed below:
Disclosure: These links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to run the website 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Beats Studio Pro vs Studio 3?
The Beats Studio Pro (released in 2023) is the newer successor to the Studio 3 Wireless, originally released in 2017. The Studio Pro has improved sound quality, noise cancelling, battery life, and features like Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.
What is the best version of Beats headphones?
Currently, the Beats Studio Pro (2023 model) is the latest flagship model in the Beats lineup, and boasts the most expensive price tag as well.
Is Beats Studio or Solo better than Pro?
No, the Beats Studio Pro is the top model in the active lineup, and I personally find it to be the best headphone that Beats has released to date. It is superior to the Studio 3 and Solo 3 in virtually every category outside of price.
How We Tested and Our Methodology
RecordingNOW.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 10 years of experience testing and reviewing consumer electronics and headphones.
We currently purchase the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
After purchasing the product, we conduct up to hundreds of hours of detailed hands-on testing in a controlled, acoustically-treated environment.
ODi Productions is our resident expert and author of this article, with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, tech journalist, and audiophile.
Read Next
Beats Studio Pro vs AirPods Max: Which is Better in 2024?
Beats Studio Pro Review: WORTH IT in 2024?
Beats Studio 3 Wireless Review: WORTH IT in 2024?
Beats Solo 3 Wireless Review: WORTH IT in 2024?
Beats Solo 3 vs Studio 3: Which is Better in 2024?
Apple AirPods Max Review: Still Worth it in 2024?
Apple AirPods Pro 2 Review: WORTH IT in 2024?
Sony WH 1000XM4 Review: WORTH IT in 2024?
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase.