Beats Studio3 vs Solo3: The difference and which one to buy?

The premium headphone brand Beats offer Studio3 and Solo3 headphones with a hefty price difference, where the Solo3 is a more affordable choice.

So, what’s those extra $$$ getting you over Solo3?

Well, to begin with, it offers better comfort, ANC (Active Noise Cancelling), and overall better build quality.

So, should you pay the premium or save it by taking home the almost identical Solo3 headphone? We answer all the questions in this quick comparison guide.

In this article, we compare the Beats Studio3 with its younger sibling Solo3 to find the differences and help you buy the best of the two.

Beats Solo3 vs Studio3 – Which headphone should I buy?

Beats Solo3 and Studio3 both are excellent headphones from the company. However, there are some key features that set them apart and it can be substantial for some users.

In this article, we take a look at the build quality, battery life, and sound signature to find the best of the two.

Quick Overview

Beats Studio3

Pros

• Excellent battery life with ANC.
• Fast Fuel support for quick charging
• The over-ear design offers more comfort and better isolation

Cons

• Build-quality not the best for the price
• Micro USB charging port

⇒ Get Beats Studio3

Beats Solo3

Pros

• Excellent battery life up to 40 hours
• Fast Fuel charging support
• Better color options

Cons:

• Flat sound signature
• Sub-par build quality
• High clamp force

⇒ Get Beats Solo3

Build Quality

Studio3 definitely has an edge over Solo3 when it comes to the overall build quality of the device, even if it not the best in the segment. The headphone feels good in-hand and is made out of soft matte plastic.

Solo3 on the other hand features a hard-plastic shell which is also a fingerprint magnet depending on the color you opt for. While the plastic construction seems durable for the most part, you might want to be gentle with hinges and the headband flexibility.

The clamping force on both the headphones seems to be on equal footing with not so great headband comfort. Both headphones can also be easily folded when you travel.

Sound Quality

Studio3 is heavy on bass and is made for bass heads. However, it certainly does not perform very well when it has to differentiate between a main and secondary melody in some songs.

With an added advantage of Active Noise Cancelling, Studio3 seems to take an edge even in the sound quality department as well. This pair can offer a more balanced audio profile which is also helped by the fact it is an over-ear design that’s more comfortable.

Solo3 features an on-ear design which is not the best when it comes to isolation and comfort. The headset supports AAC for high-quality streaming on iOS devices.

On the audio front, Solo3 Wireless has a fewer emphatic bass response. However, this can be easily overshadowed by the fact that the dynamic driver struggles to differentiate between the different instrumental sounds. That said, if you are a hip-pop head, you will most certainly like the sound signature.

Connectivity

Both headphones feature Apple’s last-gen W1 chip with Bluetooth connectivity for wireless connectivity. The last-gen chip still offers up to 100 feet coverage while allowing to pair the headphone with a simple tap.

On the connectivity front, both the headphones feature identical technology yielding identical results.

Battery Life

Apple says both the headphones can last up to 48 hours depending on the use. However, the Studio3 can only last 22 hours with the ANC turned on.

In real life testing, Studio3 could keep the lights on for just over 10 hours with 100% volume and ANC turned on. So, you could easily push it over 18 hours with moderate usage.

The Solo3 on the other hand offers an incredible 40+ hours of battery life. However, it is important to consider the fact that Solo3 does not feature ANC (Active Noise Cancelling), hence lasts longer.

On the bright side, both the headphone features the fast fuel technology that gives up to 3 hours of playback time charge with 10 minutes of charging. So, battery life shouldn’t be a problem.

Which One Should I buy?

Both the headphones offer excellent battery life and connectivity features. However, Studio3 is arguably a better choice with its over-ear design for comfort, better sound signature, and ANC support.

If you are someone who takes calls on the go and listens to music while traveling, ANC will help a great deal by preventing the noises from creeping in.

If you are on a budget and can look over ANC and flat sound signature, Solo3 will make more sense due to its long battery life.

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