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I Wear My Beats Studio Pro Headphones at Least 4 Hours a Day — and They’re Finally on Sale

Most colors are on sale for under $200, bringing these earphones to 43% off post-Memorial Day.

It all started when my beloved Apple AirPods just stopped working one day. No matter what I did, attempting to charge and revive them, they simply would not turn on, and I had to finally accept that they had a good run and it was time to put them to rest. RIP. 

That put me in a tricky predicament, though. I use headphones at least four to five hours a day, and I desperately needed new ones immediately. I knew I was due for an upgrade, but the AirPods weren’t on sale at the time. But coincidentally, the Beats Studio Pro were. 

I didn’t expect to fall in love with a pair of headphones so quickly, especially because I loved my Apple buds so much. I was just hoping for solid noise cancellation and good sound quality, but the Beats delivered so much more — and now they’re an essential part of my daily routine, practically an extension of my ears. Like I said, I get a lot of mileage out of them every single day. Whether I’m writing, commuting, doing chores or taking my precious pup out for a walk, the Beats Studio Pro are there with me. And now, most colors are a solid 43% off right now on Amazon in this holdover Memorial Day deal.

If you’ve been eyeing a pair or looking for a thoughtful gift, now’s the time to grab them. Let me explain why.

For more Memorial Day deals that are still live, explore our roundup of all the current sales and these top Memorial Day mattress deals. 

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Here’s how the Beats Studio Pro work

Let’s start with the specs. The Beats Studio Pro are premium over-ear headphones that bring serious upgrades to the iconic Beats design. Think of these as the grown-up, more refined cousin of the Beats Solo series. They’re still stylish, still punchy, but with significantly better sound quality and comfort. Here are some key features of the Beats Studio Pro:

  • Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode: Two core features that let you tune out the world or stay aware, depending on your mood. The ANC is excellent, especially for this price, and it’s great for navigating travel, open offices or city streets.
  • USB-C Lossless Audio: A game-changer for audiophiles. With USB-C, you can listen to lossless audio directly from your device — no compression, just crystal-clear sound.
  • Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking: This creates an immersive, surround-sound-like experience.
  • Custom 40mm drivers: Deliver balanced sound, with punchy bass, crisp mids and smooth highs.
  • Battery: Up to 40 hours with ANC off or 24 hours with it turned on. That’s more than enough to get you through several workdays or even a full international flight without scrambling for a charger.
  • Built-in microphones and voice-targeting beamforming tech: Translation: your voice will sound clear on calls, even in a noisy space.

They also pair effortlessly with both Apple and Android devices, thanks to support for Find My, Google Fast Pair and one-touch pairing.

CNET audio expert David Carnoy closely reviewed these earphones and found both the sound quality and voice-calling performance impressive.

«The noise canceling is quite effective,» Carnoy wrote in his review. «It’s the adaptive variety, so it’s not a fixed setting, and occasionally I’d hear it shift in strength as it adjusted to the ambient noise around me, whether I was on the subway or walking the streets of New York.»

Why I’m obsessed with my Beats

There are plenty of great headphones out there. So what sets these apart for me?

First and foremost, I love the comfort. I’ve worn lots of over-ear headphones that start to ache or feel heavy after an hour or so. I also have several ear piercings — five in my left ear and three in my right — and that means many over-ear headphones push the earring into my skin, digging in until it’s quite painful. 

Not these. The earcups are plush, the clamping force is just right, and the memory foam actually makes a difference. I can wear them for hours without fatigue, which is saying something when you log four to five hours a day in them.

The sound quality is also great. Beats used to have a reputation for overly bass-heavy tuning, but the Studio Pro strikes a beautiful balance. There’s still that satisfying low-end thump when I’m listening to pop, hip hop or K-pop, but it doesn’t overpower the vocals or mids. Whether I’m streaming Hozier for the umpteenth hour, catching up on podcasts or listening to a new audiobook, everything sounds great.

Finally, the ANC and Transparency Mode are shockingly good. I’ve used my Beats in loud coffeeshops, on airplanes and while vacuuming, and they efficiently block out noise like a champ. But when I need to hear what’s going on (like when I run into one of my neighbors while I’m walking my dog), a quick button press switches me into Transparency Mode, and I can hear them clearly. It’s seamless.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention their style. Frankly, they just look cool. I know that’s not the most important thing, but the sleek matte finish, the minimalist design and the range of colors make these headphones feel like a fashion accessory as much as a tech device. I have the «Earth» color headphones, and they look so gorgeous with any outfit. My one request, though, (Beats execs, I’m sure you’re reading this!) would be to make these in a sage green color. Pretty please?  

They’d make a great gift for any audiophile

Buying tech for someone else can be tricky, but I think the Beats Studio Pro are a pretty safe bet for anyone for a few reasons.

For one, they work across platforms, so it doesn’t matter if your gift recipient is team iPhone or Android. The intuitive pairing process, native device integration and wide compatibility make these user-friendly for just about anyone.

They’re also great for all types of use cases. Daily commuters? Check. Frequent flyers? Definitely. College students pulling all-nighters, or music lovers who want to hear every nuance of a track? Absolutely. These can suit really any type of person, day in and day out.

The Beats just feel premium, too. This is the kind of gift someone might not splurge on for themselves, but they would certainly be grateful to open up these Beats, no matter the occasion. If you’re shopping for graduation season, Father’s Day or a summer birthday, these are a hit waiting to happen.

Why this Beats deal matters

Let’s get down to numbers. The Beats Studio Pro normally retail for $350 or $450, depending on the color you select. That’s pretty pricey. But right now, most colors are 43% off, bringing the price down to about $199. (The matte white ones are even down to $170.)

That’s some of the lowest prices I’ve seen, and I keep a pretty close eye on tech deals. Sales like this don’t come around often, especially on newer, high-demand models, so when they do, it’s worth jumping on. Considering the quality, durability and features packed into these headphones, $199 is honestly a steal. You’re getting flagship-level ANC, excellent sound and cross-platform support for less than the cost of most premium earbuds.

My final thoughts on my Beats Studio Pro headphones

In a world full of flashy gadgets and fleeting trends, the Beats Studio Pro are the real deal. They’ve become an essential part of my everyday life, not because they’re trendy or hyped, but because they work. They’re reliable, comfortable and sound fantastic. And now that they’re seeing a deep discount, it’s a great time to pull the trigger and buy them.

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Microsoft Is Eliminating Passwords in August: Here’s What You Need to Do to Prepare

Microsoft Authenticator has already stopped autofilling passwords, but the biggest change comes next month.

In June, Microsoft Authenticator stopped letting users create new passwords. In July, it turned off the autofill password function. And in August, the login app will stop supporting passwords entirely, moving to more secure passkeys, such as a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition.

Attila Tomaschek, CNET’s software senior writer and digital security expert, says that passkeys are a safer alternative to the risky password habits practiced by 49% of US adults, according to a recent survey by CNET.

«Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks,» Tomaschek said.

Using the same password for several accounts or adding personal hints can be a convenient way to remember your login. But that puts you at a big risk for scammers, identity theft and fraud. Here’s more on Microsoft’s plan for eliminating passwords and how to make the switch to passkeys before August.

When will Microsoft Authenticator stop supporting passwords?

Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition like Windows Hello, or other biometric data like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you’re logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your accounts. In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator, but here’s a timeline of other changes you can expect from Microsoft.

  • July 2025: You won’t be able to use the autofill password function.
  • August 2025: You’ll no longer be able to use saved passwords.

If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. «Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts,» Tomaschek said.

Why are passkeys a better alternative to passwords?

So what exactly is a passkey? It’s a credential created by the Fast Identity Online Alliance that uses biometric data or a PIN to verify your identity and access your account. Think about using your fingerprint or Face ID to log into your account. That’s generally safer than using a password that is easy to guess or susceptible to a phishing attack.

Passkeys aren’t stored on servers like passwords. Instead, they’re stored only on your personal device. More conveniently, this takes the guesswork out of remembering your passwords and the need for a password manager.

How to set up a passkey in Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft said in a May 1 blog post that it will automatically detect the best passkey to set up and make that your default sign-in option. «If you have a password and ‘one-time code’ set up on your account, we’ll prompt you to sign in with your one-time code instead of your password. After you’re signed in, you’ll be prompted to enroll a passkey. Then the next time you sign in, you’ll be prompted to sign in with your passkey,» according to the blog post.

To set up a new passkey, open your Authenticator app on your phone. Tap on your account and select «Set up a passkey.» You’ll be prompted to log in with your existing credentials. After you’re logged in, you can set up the passkey.

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The AI Chatbots We Use Most, and How We Use Them

91% of AI users have a default artificial intelligence assistant they turn to for their AI tasks, a Menlo Ventures report has found.

If you have a particular artificial intelligence tool that you tend to try first every time you’re in need of an AI assist, you’re not alone. According to a new survey, 91% of people who use AI have a favorite chatbot they try first, whether it’s ChatGPT, Gemini, Alexa or something else.

A Menlo Ventures survey of 5,000 adults found that this «default tool dynamic» means most people using AI have chosen a general AI tool they’ll try first for every job, even if it’s not necessarily the best tool for the job.

In the report, ChatGPT is the AI assistant that tops default tools, with 28% of respondents choosing it first. It’s followed by Google’s Gemini at 23%, Meta AI and Amazon’s Alexa, both at 18% and Apple’s Siri at 16%. Other tools including Claude, Grok and Perplexity collectively make up another 33%.

Some of the most common ways people are using these AI tools include composing emails and other writing support, researching topics of interest and managing to-do lists, according to Menlo Ventures.

Some of that, Menlo Ventures says, is «first-mover advantage,» with tools like ChatGPT having built up a following by being the first to offer some chatbot and image-generation features. But, the company warns, «that position is not guaranteed,» with challengers moving fast.

«The consumer market for [large language models] is still nascent and far from saturated,» the report says, «leaving ample room for product innovation to shift market share over time.»

Overall, 61% of Americans have used AI in the last six months and nearly 1 in 5, 19%, rely on it daily, the report says.

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Technologies

This Early Prime Day Deal Lets You Grab AirPods 4 At Their Lowest Price Yet

Apple’s AirPods 4 have dropped to their lowest price of 2025 — but this early Prime Day deal won’t last long.

Prime Day is still a few sunsets away, but Amazon isn’t waiting around. The retailer has already started slashing prices across tons of popular products, including the much-loved AirPods 4 (ANC).

For a limited time, you can snag these for 2025’s best price of just $149. This saves you $30, and you don’t even have to enter any codes or clip any coupons. The catch? We can’t promise that this deal will stick around for much longer.

This is the latest generation of Apple’s earbuds. The Apple AirPods 4 have the same H2 chip found in the AirPods Pro 2, so you can expect great sound quality. They also rock a more compact design with this new generation and offer excellent voice-calling performance. Plus, Spatial Audio support adds a touch of personalization.

Note that this deal is for the ANC (active noise cancellation) model of these earbuds. It comes with a wireless charging case and a speaker that can help you find them using Apple’s Find My tracking service.  

«With a slightly smaller design, improved sound and Apple’s powerful H2 chip features, the Apple AirPods 4 are a worthy upgrade,» said CNET audio expert David Carnoy in his AirPods 4 review. «But what really makes them special is the noise canceling in the step-up ANC model.»

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

What’s the competition like? You can find out by reading through the best early Prime Day deals on headphones and speakers, where we’ve rounded up all the latest and greatest prices from the likes of Apple, Sony, Beats and many more big names. Just be sure to get your orders in before the deals expire.

HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Apple products rarely go on sale, and when they do, the stock tends to run out before the deal window closes. Combine that with AirPods 4 being Apple’s latest AirPods and this discount being the year’s all-time low price — you have a nice offer in your hands.

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