Beats has just unveiled its latest pair of headphones with the Beats 360, but how does it measure up to Apple’s AirPods Max 2?
Beats is part of Apple, and has been since being bought by the company back in 2014, which means choosing between the two for headphones can feel like a difficult task. That’s where we come in.
Although we haven’t reviewed the Beats 360 yet, we have reviewed the AirPods Max 2 and have noted the key differences between the two headphones below.
Read on to see what’s different with the Beats 360 and whether it stands a chance at making it into our best headphones guide. Or for more on the recent Beats launch, our Beats 360 vs Beats Studio Pro explains what’s new with Beats’ flagship, while I’ve offered my early thoughts on the headphones too.
Price and Availability
The Beats 360 is available to order now and has an RRP of £299.95. The headphones come in a choice of four colours – Sky, Cloud, Pink and Black – and will include colour-coordinated earcup and headband cushions.
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You can also purchase different coloured earcups and headband cushions separately with Cushion Kits. At the time of writing, you can buy Cushion Kits for just £9.95 directly from Apple, which is £40 less than they’ll usually be.
The AirPods Max 2 is considerably more expensive in comparison, with an RRP of an eye-watering £499.
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Beats 360 has interchangeable earcup and headband cushions
One of the biggest design differences between the Beats 360 and AirPods Max 2 is that the 360 has interchangeable earcup and headband cushions. That means alongside the colour-matched cushions that come in the 360’s box, you can buy additional knit cushions in six colours – Black, Cloud, Pink, Sky, Navy and Volt (which is a vibrant yellow), or UltraPlush options in either Black and Cloud. The latter is the same engineered leather that’s found on the Studio Pro.
In comparison, although the AirPods Max 2 comes in a choice between five colours – Blue, Purple, Starlight, Orange and Midnight – you can’t change the earcups or headband.
Both can be paired with either an Android or iPhone, but the Beats 360 offer Android features
Contrary to popular belief, you can pair the AirPods Max 2 with an Android phone, however you will lose access to Apple features like Siri, Find My and easier pairing.
Otherwise, thanks to its custom Beats chip, the Beats 360 promises seamless integration across both Apple and Android ecosystems. For example, if you pair the Beats 360 with an iPhone then you’ll benefit from one-touch pairing, Siri, audio sharing, personalised spatial audio with dynamic head tracking and Find My integration. However, pair the Beats 360 with an Android and you’ll see Google Fast Pair, access to Find Hub and audio switch too.
Essentially, if you’re an Android user and are torn between the Beats 360 and AirPods Max 2, then the decision is easy, as the Beats 360 offer more features specifically for your Android ecosystem.
Both are fitted with ANC and nine microphones
Both Beats and Apple make pretty hefty claims with regards to their respective flagship headphone’s ANC prowess. While Apple stated that the AirPods Max 2 saw 1.5x better ANC than the original AirPods Max, Beats promise the 360 has the brand’s best ever ANC that’s 1.75x more powerful than the Studio Pro.
As we’re yet to review the Beats 360, we can’t currently verify this claim. Having said that, in my brief time with the headphones, I was instantly impressed with how well the headphones muted a noisy event – even without playing an audio. With that in mind, we have high hopes for the 360.
During our time with the AirPods Max 2, we found the headphones did a great job at cancelling noise from public transport and general chatter. While some sounds did creep through, mainly traffic and cars, generally we were impressed with its ANC and found it comparable to some of the best noise cancelling headphones on the market.
Beats 360 has a Power button and no Digital Crown
One of our biggest annoyances with the AirPods Max 2 is the fact it doesn’t have a dedicated Power button. Instead, you either need to simply leave the AirPods Max 2 untouched for an extended period, or place the headphones into the so-called Smart Case to power them down. It’s such a strange decision, and feels like we’re potentially wasting battery.
Fortunately Beats hasn’t made the same mistake as Apple, with the 360 fitted 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 a power button on the right. What isn’t included on the Beats 360 is a Digital Crown.
Found on the AirPods Max 2, the Digital Crown can be used for multiple features, from volume control and playing or pausing media, to answering calls, using the camera remote feature, accessing Siri and more. It’s useful, but still frustrating that you can’t use it to turn the headphones off.
Beats 360 promises longer battery
During our time with the AirPods Max 2, we found the headphones matched Apple’s claim of 20 hours of battery between charges. It’s decent, but falls far behind many other over-ear headphones – including the Beats 360.
In fact, the Beats 360 promises to deliver up to 32 hours of battery life between charges while a five minute charge results in an additional hour of playback too. Considering we found the Studio Pro actually surpassed Beats’ battery promise, we have high hopes for the Beats 360.
Early Verdict
Judging by its specs alone (as we haven’t reviewed it yet), the Beats 360 looks like a seriously promising set of headphones. With the promise of Beats’ best ever ANC, a customisable design and longer battery life, the Beats 360 will suit both iPhone and Android users – especially as it has a more affordable price tag too.
That doesn’t mean the AirPods Max 2 isn’t a great choice – in fact, we concluded the headphones to be Apple’s best sounding option. It’s just with a £499 price tag, a fairly pointless case and a below-average battery life, unless you’re a diehard Apple fan, the AirPods Max 2 isn’t the most appealing option on the market.
