Beats’ new Studio Pros are its first flagship headphones since 2017

For the first time since 2017, Beats is announcing a brand-new pair of flagship headphones. Today, the Apple-owned company is introducing the $349.95 Beats Studio Pros. They’re available to order beginning today and will be in Apple retail locations (and other stores) on July 20th.

As recent leaks have given away, the external design is largely a carryover from the prior Studio 3 headphones. But looks can be deceiving, and Beats has made a number of upgrades to the Studio Pros focusing on sound, noise cancellation, comfort, and more. Technically, these are the first Apple headphones to support lossless USB-C audio playback. And they continue Beats’ efforts to appeal to both iPhone and Android users by including support for native software features on either operating system.

Beats has completely reworked the acoustic architecture of the Studio Pros, fitting them with new 40mm drivers “engineered for optimal clarity, with near-zero distortion even at high volume.” The active noise cancellation system has also been upgraded with a better microphone array — and the Studio Pros add transparency mode, which the Studio 3s lacked altogether. The outer ear pads have been redesigned and now combine memory foam with a top layer of seamless leather.

The new headphones support wired playback via the included 3.5mm headphone cable, and for the first time in an Apple headphone, they also support lossless audio over USB-C. When listening through a wired USB-C connection, Beats includes sound profiles for different use cases like music, movies, and voice calls / podcasts.

The Studio Pros also try to toe the line between picking a side in the ecosystem wars. Beats includes support for a handful of native features on both iOS and Android. For either OS, you get one-tap setup, syncing across devices signed in to your account, and the ability to find your misplaced headphones. And despite using its own proprietary chip and not Apple-branded silicon, the Studio Pros are offering support for dynamic head tracking and personalized spatial audio; both of these were previously exclusive to the AirPods lineup.

I’ve been testing the Studio Pros for several days now, and they’ve proven to be a fascinating product — even if they won’t be for everyone. You can read my full review before deciding if you want to give Beats’ new flagship headphones a go.