Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Professionals
- Very inexpensive
- 18-hour battery life
- Surprisingly good sound for the value
Cons
- No energetic noise cancelling
- No automated gadget switching or multi-point Bluetooth
- No in-ear detection
- No customized spatial audio
- Charging case has no battery
Our Verdict
Plenty of premium options needed to be minimize to achieve this worth level, however you do get epic battery life, a snug and enticing design, and audio high quality that beats each 2nd-gen and Third-gen AirPods (however not AirPods Professional).
Worth When Reviewed
$79.99
Greatest Costs Immediately: Beats Solo Buds
$79.95
$79.95
![B&H](https://idg-live.getsquirrel.co/assets/images/retailers/bandh1.png)
$79.95
![Best Buy](https://www.macworld.com/wp-content/themes/idg-base-theme/dist/static/img/best-buy-logo.png)
$79.99
AirPods are…fantastic. We’re massive followers of the 2nd-generation AirPods Pro, that are a fantastic choose on the retail worth of $249 however are nearly at all times on sale for $200 or much less.
Even that’s a lot too steep for some customers, although. Should you’re not a giant headphone person or are simply minding your finances, you can be trying within the sub-$100 worth vary. That leaves you with the choice of shopping for common non-Professional AirPods–and never the most recent improved Third-generation mannequin, however the growing older 2nd-gen AirPods first launched 5 years in the past.
These $129 earbuds are nearly at all times on sale for below $100, however for about the identical worth you will get a pair of brand-new Beats Solo Buds, that are higher in nearly each manner.
Beats Solo Buds: Design
You’ve possible seen earbuds like this loads of instances. They’re little stemless buds that match snugly in your ear and relaxation in a charging case when not in use. Nothing concerning the Beats Solo Buds design is in any manner groundbreaking. On every earbud is a bodily button that’s simple to press when that you must, which isn’t one thing I can say for controlling AirPods.
Beats Solo Buds are undoubtedly a greater purchase than 2nd-gen AirPods…
Oh, and so they are available 4 colours as an alternative of simply white: matte black, storm gray, arctic purple, and clear purple (the earbuds aren’t clear, solely the case).
The charging case is sort of small and matches comfortably in any pocket, but it surely doesn’t have a battery of its personal. Dropping the earbuds within the case does not cost them till you plug within the case through USB-C. (In case you have an iPhone 15 with USB-C, your iPhone can cost the earbuds.)
That’s much less of a problem than you would possibly anticipate, because the earbuds’ batteries are rated to final a formidable 18 hours. I didn’t use them for 18 hours straight, however they weren’t even half drained after a slightly full day of listening.
Beats Solo Buds: Match
The stems on AirPods are distinctive, however there’s a motive Apple made them shorter on the AirPods Professional and Third-gen AirPods–they have an inclination to get in the way in which.
Beats Solo Buds are simply little buds, with out stems, in order that they match extra snugly within the ear. In contrast to the plastic AirPods, they’ve rubberized ear suggestions (in 4 sizes), which not solely makes for a safer match however improves bass response.
![beats solo buds bud](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/beats-solo-buds-bud.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Foundry
I can’t recall a single time I used to be capable of full a exercise in 2nd-gen AirPods with out one falling out or fixed fiddling to maintain them in my ears. Beats Solo Professional stayed put simply fantastic.
Beats Solo Buds: Sound
I’m pleasantly shocked by the sound high quality of those earbuds, given their worth. For a pair of earbuds that retail for $80 and can certainly value even much less on sale by this vacation season, the sound is fairly clear and punchy.
Naturally, they don’t maintain as much as the readability and kick of earbuds that value twice as a lot, nor would I anticipate them to, however they sound a lot higher than customary AirPods. Even 3rd-gen AirPods can’t fairly sustain, in all probability as a result of they don’t have rubber ear tricks to create a seal in your ears which actually helps give the low finish a bit extra kick.
![beats solo buds charging](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/beats-solo-buds-charging.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Foundry
Name high quality is okay, however the voice isolation solely goes up to now–dearer buds do a greater job of canceling out background noise so the particular person you’re calling can hear you higher. Should you make quite a lot of calls whereas strolling down a busy road, you would possibly wish to put money into dearer earbuds.
As you’d anticipate at this worth, there’s no energetic noise cancelation. Once more, rubberized ear suggestions present a bonus vs. the non-Professional AirPods, as they assist block extra exterior sound.
Do you have to purchase the Beats Solo Buds?
These are finances earbuds and as such are lacking quite a lot of the extra superior options you get when you’re keen to spend extra. They assist Discover My (and Discover My Gadget on Android) and fast pairing, however don’t assist automated switching between gadgets for Apple customers or multi-point Bluetooth for Android.
Nor do they assist customized Spatial Audio or dynamic head monitoring. They don’t have in-ear detection (they flip off when positioned again within the case). As talked about, there’s no energetic noise cancelation. The case doesn’t even have an LED on it to point charging, there’s just a bit audio chime if you plug it in (and you may see your cost stage in your iPhone).
In fact, these options are good, however in a classy and cozy pair of $79 earbuds I don’t essentially anticipate them. With sound high quality that punches about its weight and actually epic battery life, the Beats Solo Buds are undoubtedly a greater purchase than 2nd-gen AirPods, and I actually desire them to Third-gen AirPods, too. Once you see these on sale beneath retail worth, they’ll be a steal.