A look at the design and features of the latest Beats and Sony headphones.
Engadget/Apple/Sony
The Beats 360 are finally here, and they're the new flagship headphones from Beats. They feature a refined design, ANC and many other features you'd expect from a premium headphone. Speaking of which, you may be wondering how they compare to Sony's WH-1000XM6, which is one of the best headphones on the market. If you've been thinking about buying new headphones, these two are solid choices — but there are key differences between them that you should be aware of.
Different designs
Filipe Espósito for Engadget
Despite both being premium headphones, they look quite different. The Beats 360 take a new, sportier approach while keeping the colorful identity that Beats is known for. It's a mostly plastic build, with a stainless steel arch for smoother adjustments and rotating ear cups. They're quite light at 294 grams, but not as light as the 1000XM6, which weigh only 254 grams.
In terms of design, Sony took a different approach with the WH-1000XM6. It's also entirely made of plastic, but it looks much more understated, rugged and comes in more muted colors. The WH-1000XM6 also features swiveling ear cups and an easily adjustable headband. The ear cushions on Sony headphones are made of synthetic leather, and that's your only option. Meanwhile, Beats is going all out on customization — not only are there brighter colors available, but you can also mix and match ear cushions and headbands. The cushions are also available in two different materials: One is made of fabric for greater comfort, while the other uses eco-friendly leather for a more premium look.
tinhkhuong/Shutterstock
The storage cases are also quite different. The Sony WH-1000XM6 comes with a hard-shell case that better protects the headphones when you're traveling. Not only that, but you can store the headphones folded up, which helps make the case more compact. The Beats 360, on the other hand, comes in a gym-bag-style pouch. It works for carrying your headphones around and it also has a cool magnetic closure, but it isn't as convenient or protective.
A big difference in sound quality
tinhkhuong/Shutterstock
When it comes to sound, Sony headphones are generally the best choice for high-fidelity audio. The WH-1000XM6 delivers richer audio with more pronounced bass than the Beats 360. You can turn the volume up high without the music becoming distorted. It's not that the Beats 360 are bad — they're actually pretty decent. The sound is mostly clear and balanced, but the Sony WH-1000XM6 have the edge here.
Sony also supports LDAC, which allows for much higher-quality audio over Bluetooth than the AAC codec Beats relies on. If you're using a source that supports LDAC or have decent files to play, you'll hear the difference. But one notable omission in both headphones is that neither supports USB-C audio passthrough. The Sony model has a 3.5mm jack if you want to go wired and get true lossless audio. The Beats 360 don't have wired audio at all, so you'll be limited to Bluetooth.
Great ANC on both headphones
José Adorno (BGR) for Engadget
Both the Beats 360 and the Sony WH-1000XM6 feature noise cancellation. For most people, they both work very well. Sony has a slight edge here too, with more effective ANC than Beats. Still, neither one disappoints when it comes to blocking out external noise, even in very noisy environments — like inside an airplane.
An interesting feature of Sony's headphones is their adaptive mode, which adjusts ANC based on the environment. They also have a mode to turn off ANC and listen to ambient sound. On the other hand, the Beats 360's ANC is limited to on or off. There's a Transparency Mode to hear the world around you like Sony offers, but no adaptive mode — that's limited to Apple's AirPods.
Battery and other specs
tinhkhuong/Shutterstock
Beats promises 32 hours of battery life with ANC turned on, while Sony says the WH-1000XM6 can last up to 30 hours. There isn't a huge gap between the two, but Beats comes out on top if that extra time really matters to you. Both recharge via USB-C when their batteries run out.
If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, this is where things swing back in Beats' favor. Find My support, Auto Device Switching between your Apple devices, quick pairing, hands-free Siri — Beats has all of it because it's made by Apple. Sony headphones have their own smart features through the Connect app. But the thing is, none of them really integrate with iOS the way Beats does. It may be a small detail, but these inconveniences could annoy some Apple users.
At the same time, Sony headphones have an auto-play/pause feature when you put them on or take them off. With Beats, you need to play or pause the music yourself every time. It's not the end of the world, but it can get annoying sometimes. Also, the buttons on the Beats 360 can get a little confusing, since they all look and feel very similar. The Sony WH-1000XM6 has a touch-sensitive surface that supports swipes and taps for audio control.
Which one should you get?
tinhkhuong/Shutterstock
The Sony WH-1000XM6 costs $460, while the Beats 360 costs $350. That $110 difference gets you better sound, a LDAC support, a 3.5mm jack and an overall premium feel. There's no denying that the Sony WH-1000XM6 is a better product, but that doesn't mean they're the right headphones for everyone.
For Apple users who want their headphones to just work seamless with their other devices, the Beats 360 still make a strong case. Again, they have decent sound quality and really good ANC — they just aren't quite on par with Sony in either area. But for the lower price, they're totally worth it. They're also a better choice for the gym thanks to their IPX4 water resistance, in addition to the fabric ear cushions and headband. But if you're looking for one of the best options on the market and price isn't an issue, you won't regret buying the Sony WH-1000XM6.