Beats Beats Flex vs Beats Studio Buds

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Beats Flex compared with Studio Buds

	BeatsBeats Flex	BeatsStudio Buds
Overview
Released
Released	October 2020	June 2021
Sound
Type
Type	In-ear	In-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	No	Yes
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	–	Yes
Spatial audio with head tracking
Spatial audio with head tracking	–	No
Driver size
Driver size	–	8.2 mm
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	SBC and AAC	SBC and AAC
Chip
Chip	Apple W1	–
Drivers
Drivers	Layered drivers with dual-chamber acoustics and pressure-relief microvents	Dual-element diaphragm driver and two-chamber acoustic design (Beats launch release reproduced by 9to5Mac)
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling detail	–	Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency mode
Audio features
Audio features	Apple Audio Sharing; magnetic auto-play and pause; no active noise cancellation (TechRadar)	Dolby Atmos playback in Apple Music; no head tracking; Bluetooth 5.2 and SBC/AAC codecs (SoundGuys)
Battery
Listening time (maker's claim)
Listening time (maker's claim)	Up to 12 hours	Up to 5 hours
With the case
With the case	–	Up to 15 hours
Wireless charging
Wireless charging	–	No
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Rechargeable lithium-ion battery; Apple's playback test used 256 Kbps AAC tracks at 50% volume	Up to 8 hours per charge and 24 hours including the case with noise cancelling off; up to 5 hours and 15 hours with it on
Charging case
Charging case	–	USB-C; no wireless charging (SoundGuys and TechRadar)
Fast charging
Fast charging	A 10-minute USB-C Fast Fuel charge gives up to 1.5 hours of playback	A 5-minute Fast Fuel charge gives up to 1 hour of playback (Beats launch release)
Design
Weight (each earbud)
Weight (each earbud)	–	5.1 g
Water and sweat resistance
Water and sweat resistance	–	IPX4
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	5.0	5.2
Two devices at once
Two devices at once	No	–
Controls
Controls	On-device playback, call, volume and voice-assistant controls	Multi-function button on each earbud for playback and calls; configurable press-and-hold controls; hands-free Siri on Apple devices
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in microphone with wind reduction	Two noise-cancelling microphones and one voice microphone per earbud
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Nitinol Flex-Form neckband cable; four ear-tip sizes; magnetic earbuds	Silicone ear tips in three sizes; no automatic ear detection (SoundGuys)
Dimensions
Dimensions	16 mm height; 18.6 g for the complete earphones and cable, rather than one earbud	–
Water resistance detail
Water resistance detail	No water or sweat resistance rating published	IPX4 for the earbuds; the case has no sweat or water resistance
Works with
Works with	Apple W1 and Class 1 Bluetooth; Apple Find My and Beats app for Android; Bluetooth 5.0, SBC and AAC codecs and no simultaneous Bluetooth multipoint (SoundGuys)	One-touch pairing with Apple devices and Google Fast Pair on Android; Beats Android app for controls and updates; either earbud can be used independently
Colours
Colours	Beats Black and Yuzu Yellow at launch; Smoke Gray and Flame Blue followed in early 2021	Black, White and Beats Red at launch (Beats release)
In the box
In the box	Earphones, four sizes of ear tips, USB-C charging cable, Quick Start Guide and warranty card	Earbuds, charging case, three sizes of silicone ear tips and USB-C cable (Beats launch release and SoundGuys); power adapter sold separately