Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Are they still worth buying?

Wireless headphones are popular accessories, and new ones come out every year. While it’s always fun to turn your attention to the next thing in audio tech, the fact is that you don’t need to buy the latest and greatest. Today, we’ll look at the Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4. Both are years-old active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones with some neat software features. Time to find out which headphones are worth your dollar.

Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: At a glance

Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Specs

The Beats Studio 3 and Sony WH-1000XM4 share a hinged design that lets listeners compact the headphones for travel. Only Sony’s headphones also allow you to rotate the ear cups so they may lay flat around your neck.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 offer the same experience across operating systems. The Headphones Connect app for iOS and Android is identical. It lets you personalize the 360 Reality Audio effect, Sony’s take on spatial audio, and customize the sound with a five-band equalizer. This is important because, as we’ll get to later, the WH-1000XM4 have a wonky default sound. Other features in Sony’s app let you favor connection stability or streaming quality, enable speak-to-chat, and more. There’s an integrated NFC chip. Pairing requires a tap of the headphones to your phone, and that’s it.

Sony’s user experience contrasts with the Beats Studio 3, which have some Apple-exclusive features. This makes sense: Apple owns Beats. With the integrated W1 chip, the Studio 3 have hands-free “Hey, Siri” for asking questions. You can also use automatic device switching across Apple hardware. Listeners can also hear Apple Spatial Audio through the Studio 3. Of course, like Sony’s take on reality audio, this requires compatible audio content. Beats provides Android users with a spartan app that lets you toggle ANC on or off and access firmware updates. Android and iPhone owners can all enjoy one-step pairing for the Beats Studio 3.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 use Bluetooth 5.0, a whole generation newer than the Studio 3 Wireless’ Bluetooth 4.0. Sony’s headphones also support more Bluetooth audio codecs for better audio quality on Android devices. With the WH-1000XM4, you get your pick of SBC, AAC, and LDAC. Meanwhile, the Studio 3 support just SBC and AAC.

Beats’ headphones may let you switch between Apple devices, but Sony’s support multipoint connectivity. With this, you can connect to two devices simultaneously, regardless of operating system. Multipoint lets you stream videos from your Windows laptop while keeping an ear on incoming calls from your Android phone. It’s a nifty feature for multitasking.

ANC and battery life are both better with Sony’s headphones compared to Beats’. Sony also has more modern hardware, using a USB-C charging port rather than the micro-USB port on the Studio 3.

Apple’s website displays seven colorways for the Beats Studio 3 Wireless: Blue, White, Matte Black, Black & Red, Red, Midnight Black, and Shadow Grey. Over the years, Beats has collaborated with sports teams and musicians to release limited drops with different colors. The Sony WH-1000XM4 come in Black, Midnight Blue, and Silver.

Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Noise canceling

Sony reigns king of active noise canceling (ANC), and the WH-1000XM4 are the better headphones for traveling. Low-pitched noises are significantly quieter with the Sony WH-1000XM4 than with the Studio 3. When wearing my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, bus engines are much quieter than without the headphones.

Considering their 2017 release date, the Beats Studio 3 still have good ANC. It’s just not as good as the WH-1000XM4. That said, the Studio 3 Wireless block out plenty of high-pitched sounds. Nearby chit-chat or your roommate cleaning dishes will sound quieter with the Studio 3 than with the WH-1000XM4. This is largely due to Beats’ greater clamping force and denser memory foam padding.

Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Sound quality

Most people will find the Beats Studio 3 Wireless sound better than the Sony WH-1000XM4 out of the box. The Studio 3 follow a standard bass and treble-boosted frequency response that bodes well for most music genres. The sound might be a tinge bass-heavy for things like classical music, but contemporary music will sound quite good.

Sony’s headphones have an interesting default sound. Like Beats, Sony’s headphones boost the bass, but they crank the treble too. This can lead to an unpleasant sound that may even irritate listeners with sensitive hearing. Fortunately, you can decrease the treble in the Headphones Connect app as a quick fix. With the Studio 3 Wireless, you get what you get, and these could use a little EQ love too.

Let’s look closer and compare the Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4 frequency responses. In the chart above, the cyan line represents the Studio 3, and the yellow dotted line represents the WH-1000XM4. The pink line represents the SoundGuys Target Curve. (SoundGuys is our sister site specializing in consumer audio.) The closer the Beats or Sony line hews to the Target Curve, the more likely someone will like how those headphones sound.

Despite Beats’ reputation for loud bass, the Studio 3 sub-bass is quieter than the WH-1000XM4. You get a strange boost from 250-450Hz, which helps vocals stand out from the rest of the music. As you can see, Beats sticks closer to SoundGuys‘ Curve from 2,000Hz and higher. This means cymbals and hi-hats come through with an expected degree of loudness.

Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Microphone quality

If you’re speaking from a quiet environment, the Sony WH-1000XM4 will have better mic quality than the Studio 3. Beats’ microphones make speakers’ voices sound a bit distant compared to Sony’s microphones. That said, the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Beats Studio 3 Wireless are both fine for indoor Zoom and phone calls.

Beats Studio 3 Wireless microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Sony WH-1000XM4 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Microphone quality degrades when you introduce background noise. Even in loud spaces, the Sony WH-1000XM4 relays voices louder than the Studio 3 Wireless. Both relay a bit of wind noise, but this background noise is also a bit louder with the WH-1000XM4.

Beats Studio 3 Wireless microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Sony WH-1000XM4 microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Battery and charging

Officially, the Beats Studio 3 Wireless last 22 hours with ANC. This is shorter than the Sony WH-1000XM4 battery life of 30 hours with ANC. Turning ANC off with the WH-1000XM4 extends the battery life up to 38 hours. Interestingly, turning ANC off with the Studio 3 slingshots its battery life ahead of the WH-1000XM4, all the way to 40 hours.

Both sets of headphones support fast charging. Plugging the WH-1000XM4 in for 10 minutes supplies five hours of listening time. Charging the Studio 3 for 10 minutes provides three hours of listening time. Both are impressive, but Sony’s fast charging is much more efficient than Beats’. Again, the WH-1000XM4 use the more modern USB-C connector, and the Studio 3 use micro-USB.

Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Price

The Beats Studio 3 Wireless debuted in September 2017, and have maintained the same $349 price. While Apple doesn’t usually budge on its pricing, you can often find these headphones on promotion from other vendors like Best Buy or Amazon. We’ve seen the Studio 3 go on sale for as low as $169, making them a much more reasonable buy.

Likewise, the Sony WH-1000XM4 debuted at $349 in August 2020, and have maintained that price. You don’t have to dig much to find these headphones on promotion from similar vendors as the Studio 3 Wireless. We’ve seen the WH-1000XM4 dip as low as $229, and at this price, they’re a major steal.

You can find either set of headphones renewed for much less than their original retail price. If you go the renewed/refurbished route, ensure your headphones are from an authorized dealer and program.

Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Which headphones should you buy?

Both pairs of headphones are good, even by today’s standards, but Sony’s have more modern hardware and a more expansive feature set. With Sony, you get USB-C charging, a custom EQ, and personalized spatial audio. These headphones have less clamping force than Beats, making them a bit more comfortable too.

There are still a few good reasons to consider the Studio 3 Wireless. If you have an iPhone, these headphones support many Apple-integrated features like auto device switching and “Hey, Siri.” Moreover, the Studio 3 default sound profile is more pleasing than the WH-1000XM4. Granted, you’re stuck with that default sound, unless you download a third-party app.

Ultimately, if you want a more future-proofed purchase, get the Sony WH-1000XM4. You have fewer color options with Sony’s headphones but a much better user experience if you hop between operating systems.

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