Beats Studio Buds offer noise cancelling, Android support at a low price

You no longer have to splurge on devices like the AirPods Pro if you want Apple-made earbuds with active noise cancellation. Beats has unveiled Studio Buds true wireless earbuds that offer ANC and other perks for a relatively low price of $149.99.

Much like the higher end AirPods, the Beats Studio Buds use external microphones to not only shut out noise when you want to concentrate (including the wind), but to let it in. You can invoke a Transparency mode with the long-press of the “B” button that mixes ambient sounds with your music to give you situational awareness on the street. A pair of beam-forming mics cull external sounds during phone calls.

These are also some of the most Android-friendly earbuds you’ll get from Apple. While the Beats Studio Buds are clearly quick to set up on iPhones and iPads, they also support Android’s Fast Pair to reduce setup to a single tap. This is also the first Beats design to support both iOS’ Find My and Android’s Find My Device. You can grab firmware updates on-device, and the buds support your choice of voice of assistants on Google’s platform.

There are still some Apple-centric features, of course. The Beats Studio Buds promise hands-free voice control only with Siri, and you’ll want Apple Music if you’re going to listen to tracks using Dolby Atmos for spatial audio.

The earbuds last for up to five hours of playback with either ANC or Tranpsarency turned on, with a combined 15 hours if you include the battery case. Turn ANC off and Beats promises up to eight hours from the Studio Buds themselves, or 24 hours when including the case. You won’t use ANC during a full workday, then, although five minutes of charging is enough to provide an hour of listening time.

See also: The best true wireless earbuds

The design is workout-ready with IPX4 sweat and water resistance.

You can order the Beats Studio buds in black, red, and white colors today, although you’ll have to wait until their June 24 release date to get your pair.

The Studio Buds may be Beats’ most important models in a long while. The combination of relatively low-price ANC with improved Android support brings them to a wider audience. Moreover, they’re the first true wireless earbuds from Beats aimed at everyday listening. They’re not only less expensive than Powerbeats Pro or regular Powerbeats, they ditch the hooks that made those Powerbeats models less appealing outside of exercise.  These are the Beats buds that are equally at home during a Zoom call as they are during a run.