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Those in the market for a solid set of headphones at a good price could consider the Beats Studio Buds, which are for sale on Amazon. The moon gray version of the headphones, which typically retail for $150, have dropped by 40 percent to $90. At $89.99, that’s four cents more than the actual all-time low we’ve seen for this model, but we’re splitting hairs. There are other colors for sale, too, but they’ll cost you a little more at $100 (a third of the usual price).
We gave the Beats Studio Buds a score of 84 in our 2021 review, and they should suit most people’s everyday needs. Engadget audio expert Billy Steele found the headphones comfortable and capable of delivering solid, balanced sound despite their small size.
As they are Apple products, the Beats Studio Buds have the company’s H1 chipset. As such, pairing them with Apple devices is a piece of cake, though the earphones also support Fast Pair and Find My Device on Android. So they’re generally a good option no matter what phone you’re using. On the downside, call quality could be better (we found the microphones picked up background noise) and there’s no wireless charging support or built-in volume controls.
Hands-free Siri, some built-in controls, and resistance to sweat and water make the Beats Studio Buds viable for use at the gym. But if you’re really looking for headphones you can wear while working out, and you’ve got some extra cash, it may be worth considering the Beats Fit Pro, which are currently 20 percent off at a record low of $160.
They look similar to the Studio Buds and match that model’s IPX4 sweat and water resistance. But they do have secure-fit wingtips to keep them in your ears as you move, and integrated volume controls (albeit with an offset). We found the Fit Pro to offer better audio quality than the Studio Buds and there’s spatial audio support too.