By Beats has a new flagship over-ear. The Beats 360 are official, and they are not just another Studio refresh. After almost two decades of Studio headphones, Beats is positioning the 360 as a separate family — lighter, more customizable and built to survive workouts as well as commutes.
Priced at $349.99 in the US and £299.95 in the UK, with preorders open since September 22 and retail availability from September 24 in more than 100 countries, the Beats 360 introduce interchangeable ear cushions and headband cushions, an IPX4 sweat and water resistance rating, and what Beats calls its most advanced acoustic platform yet.
What are the Beats 360?
The Beats 360 are wireless over-ear headphones that sit above the Beats Studio Pro in the lineup. Beats has kept the Studio Pro but cut its price to $299.99, making the 360 the new top model.
On paper the pitch is simple: over-ear comfort and long battery life, with fitness-friendly touches usually reserved for earbuds. That means IPX4, a lighter build at 294.5g / 10.39oz, breathable cushion options, and no wired audio port. Charging is USB-C only with Fast Fuel, and Beats says the headphones can run up to 32 hours with Active Noise Cancellation and Personalized Spatial Audio enabled.
They come in four launch finishes — Black, Cloud, Pink and Sky — but the real color comes from the cushion kits. According to official Beats 360 specifications shared via Digital Trends, the headphones use Bluetooth 5.3, a custom Beats chip, and nine digital MEMS microphones.
A completely different Beats design
If you were expecting a Studio Pro with new paint, this is not it. The 360 have a slimmer profile, a softer-curved headband and smaller, more oval earcups that fold flat but do not fold inward.
Width is 165.5mm, depth 87.1mm and height 191.3mm. The headband uses a continuous curve with less clamping force than previous Studios, and the yoke is integrated rather than exposed. Controls are physical — a Beats b button on each side for playback, a volume rocker and a system button for power, pairing and ANC/Transparency switching.
Materials are focused on weight and sweat. The chassis is largely recycled plastic and aluminum, and the included carrying case is made from woven ripstop fabric. At 294.5g, the 360 are noticeably lighter than AirPods Max at 384-386g, which matters if you actually want to wear over-ears at the gym.
One change that will divide people: there is no 3.5mm or USB-C audio input for wired listening. Beats ships the headphones with a case and Performance Knit cushions pre-installed, but you will need to supply your own USB-C cable and power adapter.
Swappable cushions are the standout idea
The modular cushion system is the most interesting part of the 360 story, and it is more than cosmetic.
Both the ear cup cushions and the headband cushion are removable via a twist-and-pull mount. Beats ships two types in the box: Performance Knit and UltraPlush. Performance Knit is a breathable, sport-mesh fabric that wicks moisture and stays cooler during workouts. UltraPlush is a soft engineered leather with more memory foam that seals better for commute and office use.
Sensors in the earcups detect which material is attached and automatically adjust acoustic tuning and ANC filtering. That means the same headphones are tuned slightly differently for the more porous knit versus the more isolating UltraPlush.
Beats says you can create over 250 combinations. Extra kits come in six Performance Knit colors — Black, Cloud, Pink, Sky, Navy and Volt — and two UltraPlush colors — Black and Cloud. Kits normally cost $49.99, but Beats is selling them for a $9.99 introductory price through October 31 in select markets including the US, UK and Canada, according to the official Beats 360 product information.
Practically, the system solves two real problems. First, hygiene. Over-ear gym headphones get sweaty fast, and being able to remove and wipe down or swap cushions is a big deal. Second, fit. Some people overheat in leatherette after 30 minutes; others find knit less isolating on a plane. Now you can keep one set for training and one for travel.
Built with workouts in mind
The Beats 360 are the first over-ear Beats with an official sweat and water resistance rating: IPX4.
IPX4 does not mean waterproof. It means the headphones have been tested to resist water splashes from any direction. In practice, that covers sweat, light rain and the occasional splash at a water fountain. You cannot submerge them, rinse them under a tap or wear them in heavy rain and expect coverage.
For over-ears, IPX4 is rare. Most premium ANC headphones from Sony, Bose and Apple do not carry any IP rating at all. Beats is clearly chasing people who like over-ears for sound and ANC but usually switch to earbuds for workouts because other over-ears trap heat and cannot handle moisture.
Early hands-on time supports that focus. TechRadar, which has been testing the 360 for weeks, noted the lighter clamp, cooler knit option and more secure feel during movement compared with Studio Pro. 9to5Mac, in its early hands-on with Beats 360, called them the closest Apple headphones to AirPods Max in terms of ecosystem integration, while highlighting the lack of wired connectivity as the main compromise.
How do the Beats 360 sound?
Beats describes the 360 as having its most advanced acoustic platform ever. The hardware is custom: a dual-magnet dynamic driver with a three-layer diaphragm and dual neodymium ring magnets, paired with a custom high dynamic range amplifier.
The three-layer diaphragm is designed to balance stiffness and damping — stiffer center for clarity, softer edges for bass excursion. Dual magnets increase motor force, which Beats says adds up to a 12dB output boost over previous generation and improves dynamic headroom.
On the software side you get Adaptive EQ, which measures how the cushions sit on your ears and adjusts low and mid frequencies in real time, plus Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking and Dolby Atmos support for compatible content.
In early listening, TechRadar’s reviewer found the 360 more balanced than classic Beats, with tighter mid-bass rather than boomy bass, clearer vocals and a wider soundstage than Studio Pro. Engadget and Gizmodo comparisons noted Sony’s WH-1000XM6 still offers slightly richer detail and LDAC support, but the Beats hold their own for mainstream pop, hip-hop and video.
Bluetooth codec support is SBC and AAC — no LDAC, aptX or LC3 at launch. That is standard for Beats and Apple, but worth knowing if you are an Android user looking for high-bitrate wireless.
Noise cancellation and transparency mode
Beats claims the 360 deliver up to 1.75 times more Active Noise Cancellation than Beats Studio Pro. The system uses eight of the nine microphones for ANC, with an accelerometer and gyroscope in the left earcup to help with leak detection and spatial audio head tracking.
In practice, reviewers describe strong low-frequency reduction for gym hum and commute rumble, with better handling of voices than previous Beats, though still a step behind Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones in absolute quiet. Transparency mode is notably natural, useful when you need to hear announcements or keep an ear on traffic between sets.
Because the cushion material affects isolation, ANC tuning changes when you swap from Performance Knit to UltraPlush, which Beats says helps maintain consistent cancellation despite the more breathable knit.
Battery life and charging
Battery life is rated at up to 32 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation and Personalized Spatial Audio enabled. That is not class-leading, but it is competitive and covers a full work week of commuting and gym sessions.
Fast Fuel charging via USB-C gives you up to one hour of playback from a five-minute charge. There is no wireless charging and, as mentioned, no wired audio mode over USB-C. If your battery dies, you cannot plug in for passive audio.
iPhone and Android features
The 360 run on a fourth-generation Beats proprietary chip with Class 1 Bluetooth 5.3.
For iPhone users: one-touch pairing, automatic switching across iCloud devices, Audio Sharing, Find My network support, hands-free Siri via press-and-hold, Personalized Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos head tracking in Apple Music. No H2 chip like AirPods Max 2, but most Apple ecosystem conveniences are there.
For Android users: Google Fast Pair, Find My Device support, Audio Switch for compatible Android devices, and full control via the Beats app for Android — including ANC modes, Spatial Audio toggle, firmware updates and cushion calibration. Voice assistant access works with a long press.
Multipoint as such is not advertised as simultaneous two-device connection, but automatic switching on both Apple and Android sides covers much of the same use.
Price and availability
Official pricing at time of writing:
- US: $349.99 — preorder from September 22, in-store September 24
- UK: £299.95 — same dates, via Apple and Beats
- India: ₹42,900
- EU: around €349.95 in most markets
Cushion kits: $49.99 / £49.95 normally, $9.99 / £9.99 introductory through October 31, 2026 in select countries. The Beats Studio Pro has been permanently reduced to $299.99 / £249.95 alongside the launch.
All pricing should be checked at checkout, as retailers sometimes bundle cushion kits at launch.
Beats 360 vs the competition
| Model | Price | Weight | ANC Claim | Water Resistance | Battery (ANC on) | Key Differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beats 360 | $349.99 | 294.5g | 1.75x Studio Pro | IPX4 | 32h | Swappable Performance Knit / UltraPlush cushions, workout-friendly design |
| Beats Studio Pro | $299.99 | 260g | Standard Beats ANC | None | Up to 40h | Lighter, cheaper, includes wired USB-C audio |
| AirPods Max 2 | $549 | 386g | Apple H2 ANC | None | 20h | Aluminum build, deeper Apple integration, no IP rating |
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | $459.99 | ~254g | Industry-leading HD ANC | None | 30h | LDAC, best ANC, more compact fold |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones | $429 | 250g | CustomTune + Immersive Audio | None | 24h | Super comfortable, strong spatial audio |
The table shows where Beats is trying to carve out space. If you want the best ANC or highest-resolution codec, Sony still leads. Or If you want premium materials and seamless Apple integration at any cost, AirPods Max 2 remain the luxury pick. If you want over-ears you can actually wear for a sweaty hour without worrying about soaking the cushions or adding weight, the 360 make more sense than any of them.
Who are the Beats 360 for?
The 360 make the most sense for three groups: people who love over-ear sound but train in them, commuters who want one pair for gym and travel, and anyone who sweats through or wears out ear cushions quickly.
They are less ideal if you need wired listening for flights, studio work or low-latency gaming, or if you rely on LDAC/aptX for hi-res wireless on Android. In those cases Studio Pro, Sony or Bose may be more practical.
What Beats has done here is arguably overdue. Swappable cushions should have existed years ago, especially on gym-oriented headphones. Add IPX4, 32-hour battery, genuinely improved ANC and a design that finally moves away from the old Studio silhouette, and the 360 feel like the first over-ear Beats designed from the ground up for all-day, active use rather than just style.
If you are already in the Apple ecosystem, want a lighter alternative to AirPods Max with some sweat protection and like the idea of changing the look without buying new headphones, they are worth a demo. Just factor in the cushion kit promo — at $9.99 it is an easy add, at $49.99 it becomes a more considered extra.
Jalees Ur Rehman is an SEO professional with 13+ years of experience in SEO and Digital Marketing. He helps businesses grow organic traffic and conversions through data-driven digital marketing strategies and practical execution.