Normally, I'd say it's unfair for Apple to puts its newest AirPods out within two weeks of a pair of Beats-branded (and Apple-owned) wireless earbuds that are comically better in every way. But Tim Cook gets paid either way, I suppose.
Even so, it's a little stunning just how great the new Beats Fit Pro earbuds are compared to the third-generation AirPods. At $200, they're a mere $20 bump up from their better-known cousin and offer excellent active noise cancelation, magnificent audio output, elite comfort, and a long-lasting battery.
The crazy thing is these aren't just better than the underwhelming new AirPods... they're the best earbuds in Apple's portfolio, period.
A natural fit
While I'm sure your expectations for Beats Fit Pro are already lofty based on the praise I've already heaped onto them, their physical make is pretty typical and understated. They look similar to this summer's Beats Studio Buds, with a pill-shaped touch panel on the lowercase "b" logo giving way to an earbud with silicone ear tips on each side. There are three ear tip sizes in the box so you can mix and match for maximum comfort. And you can get them in black, white, grey, or light purple.
Speaking of comfort, the one major change here is a small, flexible wingtip that extends out of the top of the aforementioned "pill" into a natural curve. I'm generally a little wary of wingtips with earbuds because I value being able to quickly insert and remove earbuds with minimal adjustment, but that's not an issue here whatsoever. Simply place the Beats Fit Pro into your ears, twist them backwards slightly, and they intuitively snap into place with the wingtip fitting comfortably into the folds of the ear.
The end result is a pair of earbuds that never feel like they're going to fall out and, more importantly, never intrude on your comfort. I've worn these bad boys for six straight hours without any problems. It's hard to ask for more than that.
As has become standard for wireless earbuds, there are some basic touch controls you activate by pressing down on the lowercase "b" on either earbud: One tap to pause and play, two to skip ahead, and three to skip backward. Holding down on either bud's end switches between noise canceling modes by default. That last command can be changed in the settings menu if you'd rather use it to activate Siri or change volume.
I appreciate that these controls rely on an actual button with real tactile feedback as opposed to a finicky touch panel. That said, I did find it a little too easy on occasion to accidentally press the button and pause what I was listening to in the rare moments when I felt the need to adjust the earbuds. It's not ruinous by any means, but credit where it's due: The force sensor on Apple's recent AirPods eliminates that possibility.
If you have an iPhone, setup is as easy as it is with AirPods. Turn on Bluetooth, open the Beats' square charging case (with the earbuds inside) next to the phone, and tap the onscreen prompt to instantly connect them. All settings, including a quick ear fit test, can be found in the iPhone's Bluetooth menu.
Android users will have to jump through the extra hoop of downloading a Beats Android app for setup and customization, but will otherwise have access to most of the Beats Fit Pro's features.
"Most" is the key word there because, naturally, Apple withheld some bonuses from Android owners. These include audio sharing, automatic device switching, spatial audio with head tracking, hands-free Siri access, and Find My support. One of the worst problems plaguing the wireless earbud game right now is device exclusivity like this, but I'd argue you can live without all of those features.
One last major advantage these Beats have over AirPods is that the square-shaped charging case has a USB-C port instead of relying on Lightning. However, that's met with a disadvantage in a total lack of wireless charging support. It'd be a nice thing to have, especially since there are plenty of sub-$200 earbuds like the AirPods that can charge wirelessly, but I'm not personally inconvenienced by its absence.
But enough about looks and feel. What happens once you actually put Beats Fit Pro into your ears is the best part of all.
Big battery and bigger bass
Before I lavish the audio quality with praise, I'd like to note that Beats Fit Pro are rated for six hours of battery life on a full charge and that's almost exactly what I got, with active noise cancelation turned on. That's a big bump up from the four and a half hours you get on the $250 AirPods Pro. Simply put, that's as good as you'll find out of earbuds in this price range. No complaints here.
The ANC itself is also pretty much exactly what I want. While using the third-gen AirPods, I constantly found myself yearning for some way to block out external noise. That omnipresent city noise is a part of my everyday life, and while it's part of what I love about Brooklyn, I don't love it 24/7. Thanks to a combo of silicone seals and ANC, I never had that problem with Beats Fit Pro. I was able to jaunt around the city, going through crowded streets and underneath above-ground trains without being deprived of my precious music.
And boy, does music sound fantastic in these earbuds. Every song is allowed to be its authentic self, with a wide range between high and low elements making sure no instrument is flushed out of the mix. On top of that, you get some truly bumping bass that blows the new AirPods out of the water. It's the closest a pair of earbuds can come to making you feel like you're surrounded by subwoofers.
The way all of these qualities mesh together manifests in a way that produces some incredible vibes under the right circumstances. I walked through midtown Manhattan on a chilly, slightly rainy fall night, surrounded by neon lights and rare (but palpable) optimism about the Knicks while blasting Daft Punk's breathtaking Alive 2007 live album. The bassy electronic beats really brought the moment to life for me, especially as next to no outside noise was bleeding in.
So, with great battery life, better audio quality, and tremendous comfort, is there any reason to get another pair of earbuds?
No contest, if you have an iPhone
If you have $200 to spend, I'd be hard-pressed to recommend anything else over Beats Fit Pro. The argument becomes even more ironclad if you're an iPhone owner because these earbuds work just as seamlessly with Apple's smartphone line as AirPods do, while providing a better listening experience.
Not only are they superior to the new entry-level AirPods, but I'd say they're definitively superior to the AirPods Pro, as well. A $50 discount compared to the Pro paired with better battery life is a tough combo to beat.
Android owners will still probably have a great time with Beats Fit Pro thanks to an app that provides all the necessary features while leaving out some nice bonuses. That said, if you're understandably iffy about trying to fit a square Apple peg into a round Android hole, you can save money by getting the $150 Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 or the $100 Nothing Ear (1) earbuds. Both offer ANC and acceptable sound quality for much cheaper than the Beats.
Still, the listening experience with Beats Fit Pro is so strong that I'd personally sacrifice things like spatial audio and Find My if I were an Android owner. These earbuds fit really nicely into a space where they're both reasonably affordable (though on the high end of that spectrum) and fully worth the price. The combination of top notch audio, beefy batteries, and all-day comfort make these ideal as both work and workout companions.
Now the ball is in AirPods' court to catch up.
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