Beats recently unveiled its latest pair of headphones, the Beats 360, but how does it measure up to Apple’s AirPods Max 2?
Beats is part of Apple and has since been acquired by the company in 2014, which means choosing between the two when it comes to headphones can seem like a difficult task. This is where we come in.
While we haven’t reviewed the Beats 360 yet, we have reviewed the AirPods Max 2 and noted the key differences between the two headphones below.
Read on to find out what makes the Beats 360 different and for a chance to make it into our best headphones guide. Or, if you’re interested in learning more about Beats’ latest launch, Beats 360 vs Beats Studio Pro explains what’s new in Beats’ flagship, while also giving my early thoughts on the headphones.
Price and availability
Beats 360 is available to order now, priced at £299.95. The headphones come in four colors – Sky, Cloud, Pink and Black – and feature color-coordinated earcups and headband cushions.
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You can also purchase ear cups and headband cushions in different colors separately with the cushion sets. At the time of writing, you can buy a set of pads direct from Apple for just £9.95, £40 less than usual.
The AirPods Max 2 are considerably more expensive in comparison, with an RRP of £499.
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Beats 360 has interchangeable ear cups and headband cushions
One of the biggest design differences between the Beats 360 and the AirPods Max 2 is that the 360 has interchangeable ear cups and headband cushions. This means that in addition to the color-matched cushions in the 360 box, you can purchase additional knitted cushions in six colors – black, cloud, pink, sky, navy and volt (this is bright yellow), or UltraPlush options in black and cloud. The latter is the same leatherette as the Studio Pro.
By comparison, while the AirPods Max 2 come in five colors — blue, purple, starlight, orange, and midnight — the earbuds or headband aren’t interchangeable.
Both can be paired with an Android or iPhone device, but the Beats 360 also offers Android features
Contrary to popular belief, you can pair AirPods Max 2 with an Android phone, but you’ll lose access to Apple features like Siri, Find My, and easier pairing.
Otherwise, thanks to the unique Beats chip, the Beats 360 promises seamless integration between both the Apple and Android ecosystems. For example, if you pair Beats 360 with an iPhone, you’ll benefit from one-touch pairing, Siri, voice sharing, personalized surround sound with dynamic head tracking, and Find My integration. However, pair the Beats 360 with Android and you’ll also see Google Fast Pair, Find Hub and the volume rocker.
Basically, if you’re an Android user and you’re torn between the Beats 360 and the AirPods Max 2, the decision is easy, as the Beats 360 offers more features specifically for your Android ecosystem.
Both are equipped with ANC and nine microphones
Both Beats and Apple make big claims about the ANC performance of their respective headphones. While Apple stated that the AirPods Max 2 saw 1.5 times better ANC than the original AirPods Max, Beats promises that the 360 is the brand’s best ANC ever, 1.75 times stronger than the Studio Pro.
As we are still awaiting a review of the Beats 360, we cannot verify this claim at this time. That said, in my short time with the headphones, I was immediately impressed by how well the headphones mute noisy events—even without playing audio. With that in mind, we have high hopes for the 360.
During our time with the AirPods Max 2, we found that the headphones did a great job of canceling out traffic noise and general chatter. Although some sounds did creep through, mainly traffic and cars, we were generally impressed with the ANC and found it comparable to one of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market.
The Beats 360 has a power button and no Digital Crown
One of our biggest gripes with the AirPods Max 2 is the lack of a dedicated power button. Instead, you either simply have to leave the AirPods Max 2 untouched for longer periods of time, or put the headphones in the so-called Smart Case to turn them off. It’s a very strange decision and seems like we’re potentially wasting battery.
Fortunately, Beats didn’t make the same mistake as Apple, with the 360 equipped with easy-to-use controls on the back of each earcup. These controls include a volume rocker and a play/pause button on the right, and a listening mode and power button on the right. What the Beats 360 doesn’t include is the Digital Crown.
The Digital Crown on the AirPods Max 2 can be used for a variety of functions, from controlling the volume and playing or pausing media, to answering calls, using the camera’s remote control function, accessing Siri, and more. It’s useful, but it’s still annoying that you can’t use it turn off the headphones.
Beats 360 promises a longer battery life
During our time with the AirPods Max 2, we found the headphones to live up to Apple’s claim of 20 hours of battery life between charges. It’s decent, but falls far short of many other earphones – including the Beats 360.
In fact, the Beats 360 promises up to 32 hours of battery life between charges, with a five-minute charge giving you another hour of playback. Considering that the Studio Pro really exceeded Beats’ battery promise, we have high hopes for the Beats 360.
Early judgment
Judging by its specs alone (since we haven’t reviewed them yet), the Beats 360 looks like a seriously promising set of headphones. With the promise of Beats’ best ANC ever, a customizable design and longer battery life, the Beats 360 will appeal to both iPhone and Android users – especially since it’s also more affordable.
That’s not to say the AirPods Max 2 aren’t a good choice—in fact, we’ve come to the conclusion that the headphones are Apple’s best-sounding solution. With a price tag of just £499, a rather pointless case and below-average battery life, the AirPods Max 2 aren’t the most attractive option on the market unless you’re a die-hard Apple fan.
