It’s about time an update to Beats’ flagship noise-cancelling over-ear headphones has come around. Apple (who owns the company) has taken the time to incorporate some of its lofty technological expertise to advance the brand, which in our opinion was much needed to make Beats a more serious competitor in a vast field topped with masterly brands like Sennheiser, Bose, and Sony. These newest wireless Studio over-ears sport more advanced noise-cancellation technology, much longer battery life, and connection supported by Apple’s W1 chip.
The Studio3 Wireless is an update to Beats’ flagship Bluetooth, noise-canceling over-ear headphone line. That is, if you were to know it. It is clear that Beats isn’t keen on touching the company’s identifiable design. And we can understand that. The simple but effective circular form and round ear cups that highlight that iconic “b” symbol just work. It’s somewhat of a fashion statement, but a subtle one.
Our stealthy Matte Black version of the headphone speaks of a matured sophistication for the brand, with its dominate smooth finish, brushed metal extender frame, and premium leather ear pads. That said, we can’t help feel like Beats is playing it a bit too safe here.
All in all, this third iteration feels much like the Beats by Dre Remastered Studio that we reviewed. That’d be fine if we felt that the design is perfect, but we don’t. Its premium impression becomes a letdown in hand, where it’s immediately realized that the makeup is majorly a sub-par-feeling plastic. Competitors at this price-point use plastic too, but they attempt to enhance the feel with unique finishes, accents, or leather.
Additionally, we wish that Beats had improved the top headband support. In our previous Studio Wireless review, we had a pickle with its mediocre feel and lack of cushioning (like the original, the Studio3 weighs a hunky 260 grams). It doesn’t look like Beats did anything here. Maybe something’s changed on the Beats by Dre Mixr on-ear headphones.
These are indeed minor complaints, though. The Studio3 Wireless are nearly flawless in real-world use. They hug the head effectively and comfortably, and the earpads have a nearly perfect press and cushioning. We also loved the packaging. The case is cohesively premium with a smooth matte finish and solidly constructed zipper. The headphones efficiently collapse into the capsule, and there’s a red “b” symbol to make sure you’re adequately representing while traveling.
The Studio3 Wireless functions like its predecessors. On the bottom of the ear cups you’ll find a microUSB charging port (not sure why microUSB is still being used in the current world of USB Type-C or Lightning) and an aux jack for wired use. Of course, the wire is a secondary option, which we always appreciate. The main course with this headphone is not only wireless capability but noise-cancellation.
