Apple on Tuesday launched the new family of Beats Solo wireless headphones. While the Beats Solo 4 are available for pre-order from today, the company also announced new Beats Solo Buds wireless earbuds. With a price range of $79 and 18 hours of battery life, Beats Solo Buds already sound like a better deal than the old AirPods 2.
Beats Solo Buds are better than AirPods 2
The new Beats Solo Buds come as a more affordable option for those looking for good wireless earbuds. Despite the lack of some more advanced features like Active Noise Cancellation, ear detection for automatic play/pause, and Transparency Mode, they certainly stand out against some other options that are even more expensive.
For instance, Apple still sells AirPods 2 for $129 – they’re the cheapest AirPods you can buy today. But considering the whole package, it’s easy to say that the Beats Solo Buds earbuds are a better option than the entry-level AirPods.
AirPods 2 also lack ANC. However, due to their more conventional design without a silicone tip, Apple’s cheapest wireless earphones are not a good option for those who want to use them in noisy environments. The Beats Solo Buds, on the other hand, come with four sizes of silicone tips (just like the AirPods Pro) and provide passive noise isolation.
People looking for more discreet earbuds might also prefer Beats Solo Buds over the AirPods 2, which still have that long stem. The new Beats earbuds are super small, while the case is also very compact.
When it comes to battery life, there’s also a huge difference between Beats Solo Buds and AirPods. According to Apple, Solo Buds can be used for up to 18 hours with their built-in battery. AirPods 2, on the other hand, last up to 5 hours on a single charge. But there’s a catch.
AirPods 2 has a charging case with its own battery. This means that when your AirPods run out of battery, you can use the case to recharge them four more times. The Beats Solo Buds case has no battery, so you won’t be able to use the earbuds without plugging them into a charger after 18 hours of use.
For some people, having the freedom to wear the earbuds for 18 continuous hours is certainly a huge plus. Despite that, Beats Solo Buds can be recharged using a USB-C cable, while AirPods 2 still rely on Lightning.
Another advantage of Beats Solo Buds over AirPods 2 is the fact that they support some more modern features, such as full integration with Apple’s Find My network. It also works with Google’s Find My Device on Android.
AirPods 2 still have an advantage over the new Beats
Of course, there are some aspects in which the AirPods 2 still do better. Thanks to Apple’s H1 chip, AirPods have features such as fast switching between devices and ear detection.
The Solo Buds have fast pairing, but you need to manually select them as the audio source on another device. And if you take the earbuds out of your ear, they’ll keep playing unless you put them back in the case.
So overall, here are the biggest advantages of the new Beats Solo Buds compared to the AirPods 2:
- Price ($79 vs $129)
- Passive noise isolation with silicone tips
- More compact design
- 18 hours of battery life (vs 5 hours)
- USB-C to recharge (vs Lightning)
- Find My support
- Color options
Rumors suggest that Apple will update its entry-level AirPods later this year. But until that happens, the Solo Buds are a better option for customers looking for affordable wireless earbuds.
The new Solo Buds will be available in the United States in June. You can pick from four different colors, Matte Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, and Transparent Red. If you’re looking for AirPods, check out some great deals on Amazon.
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