Apple’s Beats Studio Pro could make the AirPods Max look old and overpriced

New information about the not yet launched Beats Studio Pro has surfaced online that suggests the premium wireless headphones will be much more expensive than Apple’s top of the line alternative.    

According to a new leak from Dealabs Magazine, the European price for the Beats Studio Pro will be €399.99. This could work out to be $349 / £340, so while the Beats Studio Pro will initially be pricier than the Sony WH-1000XM5 (it’s usually £349 but we’re already seeing deals), they’re more than £200 cheaper than the £549 AirPods Max.

So, if you’re thinking of buying AirPods Max, it might be worth holding out. As much as I love Apple’s high-end headphones – I bought a pair with my own money ages ago and use them almost every day – the forthcoming Beats Studio Pro seem likely to make them seem awfully old-fashioned and very overpriced.

After all, the price may be a lot less, but the specifications are right up there with Apple’s best AirPods. If the rumors end up being true, it could be that the new Beats Studio Pro will be one of the best headphones of the year when they launch.  

What to expect from the Beats Studio Pro

According to multiple reports, the Beats Studio Pro will come in four colours – beige, black, dark brown and navy – and will have a USB-C connector rather than the Lightning port you’ll find in the AirPods Max.

Specs-wise, there’s Active Noise Cancellation with Transparency Mode, personalized Spatial Audio and full compatibility with Android phones, because Beats has long been a big deal in Android. The H2 chip from the AirPods Pro 2 or a Beats-flavored equivalent is likely.

The one thing we don’t know about is the sound quality. My AirPods Max are absolutely stunning, but the Beats Studio 3 that the new Pro headphones will replace aren’t in the same league. They don’t have the ridiculous low end many Beats fans preferred, and we found the mid-range to be rather muddy. 

However, a lot has changed in headphone tech since the Studio 3 debuted in 2017, and hopefully that means the Beats Studio Pro will deliver vastly improved sound too. If you’re in the market for one of the best wireless headphones, it might be wise to wait until the Beats Studio Pro launch before deciding what to buy.