Bose and Beats companies claim they have the best headphones for working out, but they are very different.
Some people say that Bose headphones are better for working out because they are more durable and stay in place better than Beats headphones.
However, others argue that Beats headphones provide better sound quality.
As I personally use the Bose QuietComfort 35 ii headphones during workouts, I would definitely say that they are the best headphones for working out among other Bose Products.
Here I am comparing Bose QuietComfort 35 ii and Beats Studio 3.
Bose vs Beats Specs Comparison:
| Company | Beats | Bose |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Studio 3 | Quiet Comfort 35 ii |
| Price | About $226 | About $179 |
| Build Quality | Premium and heavy | Strong, lightweight |
| Earcups | Clamps | Airy and breathable, more cushion |
| Weight | 260 grams | 232 grams |
| type | Wireless | Wireless |
| Controls | Buttons on the earcup built into the log and peripheral area | Press buttons on the earcups |
| Noise Cancellation technology | Active and comes with Adaptive Sound control app | Active and comes with Customizable Sound control app |
| ANC Performance | Average | Excellent |
| Fast Charging | 10 min of fast charge gives 3 hours of playback time | 15 min of fast charge gives 2.5 hours of playback time |
| Battery | More than 22 hours | Almost 20 hours max. |
| Volume Equalizer | N/A | Volume Optimized EQ |
| Dedicated Bluetooth Chip | Apple W1 chip | N/A |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Built-in Virtual Assistant | Siri and Google Assistant | Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa |
| Sound Quality | Bass-centric, punchy, muddy at certain areas of the sound spectrum, and at times annoyingly too sharp and loud. | Wide soundstage, balanced frequency range, and warm sound. |
Comfort and Fit:
| Features | Beats Studio 3 | QC 35 ii |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 260 grams | 232 grams |
| Dimensions(LxWxH) | 4.6 x 6.5x 3.0 inches | 6.5 x 6.1x 1.0 inches |
| Type | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Enclosure | Close-Back | Close-Back |
| Clamping Force | 498 grams | 312 grams |
| Avg.Temp.Difference | 5.9 °C | 6.2 °C |
Bose and Beats both equipped their headphones with adjustable headbands and foldable cups which suggest that they are designed for portability during your workout sessions if you wear the headphones properly.
With the 90-degree swivel, the Bose makes Its QC 35 ii small enough to fit in the Bose carry bag compared to the Beats Studio 3 after your workouts.
With deep earcups, made of synthetic protein leather, bose offers a much more comfortable experience in its QC 35 ii as well as its feel more breathable in hard workouts.
However, when it comes to having a smooth experience during workouts, Beats Studio 3 is somewhat difficult.
which simply means, using it for an extended period, the Beats Studio 3 gets warmer, and if you are doing squats, lunges, or Burpees, your ears can start sweating very soon which can affect the electric wiring of the headphones and also you have to clean the headphones after your workout session.
However, even with 6 hours and more of continuous usage, the Bose allows you to use the QC 35 ii headphones without any of this tiredness during your workouts which is the best option if your ears are sensitive.
The QC 35 ii is far lighter than the Beats Studio 3, which weighs 260, and QC 35 ii weighs 232 grams.
As a result, when it comes to comfort and lightness during the workouts, the QC 35 ii is a winner by a long shot.
Ease Of Use:
| Features | Beats Studio 3 | QC 35 ii |
|---|---|---|
| OS Compatibility | Not OS specific | Not OS specific |
| Ease Of Use | Good | Good |
| Feedback | Good | Good |
| Call/Music Control | Yes | Yes |
| Volume Control | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Control | No | No |
| Channel Mixing | No | No |
| Noise Cancelling Control | On/Off | Adjustable |
| Talk-Through | No | No |
| Additional Controls | Voice Assistant | Voice Assistant |
Having easy access to all controls on the headphones makes many things easier during the workouts.
On the right earcup of beats studio 3, you can access all of the volume controls, and the Beats logo acts as a play/pause/skip track/virtual assistant button, while the circumference can also be used to adjust the volume level.
Moreover, there is the main power ON/OFF / Pairing and ANC ON/OFF button as well on the right earcup.
However, if you want to use the adaptive noise cancellation on beats studio 3, just double-tap on the power button.
On the contrary, Qc 35 ii uses the old-fashioned multifunction and volume up and down button on the left earcup, while to access the virtual assistant you can press the button on the right earcup.
The Beats Studio 3 wireless headphone features both Siri and Google Assistant, As Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are available on the Bose QC 35 ii.
So that you can easily pick up or end up call or perform any other activity on your headphones during workouts by giving commands to your virtual assistant.
Here Beats Studio 3 is a better option than Bose QC 35 ii.
Sound quality
First, the sound quality of the Bose QC35 II is much better. The Beats Studio 3 is very loud and has high bass, which can be overwhelming in long sessions of workouts.
The Bose QC35II has a rich, warm, and balanced sound quality that is much more pleasant to listen to in all types of genres compared to only some of the Beats Studio headphones during workouts.
Second, the soundstage on the Bose QC35 II is much wider than on the Beats Studio 3. This means that you can hear more of the instruments and the music as a whole when doing exercises in a crowded gym.
That being said, both headphones have their pros and cons depending on what you are looking for in your sound experience.
I recommend trying both Beats and Bose headphones in the hard workouts before making a decision because the choice can vary from person to person.
Overall, Bose QC 35 ii the clear winner here.
Active Noise Cancellation
Both the Bose QC 35 ii and Beats Studio headphones have active noise cancellation, which is great for workouts.
However, Bose QC 35 ii is well-engineered with renowned noise cancellation, whereas beats studio 3 offers adaptive noise cancellation. As there’s a significant difference in the amount of noise reduction between the Qc 35 ii and studio 3.
During Interval training or any other workouts, the QC 35 II does an excellent job of reducing high-pitched noise and human voices.
Whereas, Beats Studio 3 headphones offer a certain level of Active Noise cancellation so that you can listen to music without being disturbed by others.
Moreover, You can regulate the noise reduction levels with the Action Button on the QuietComfort 35 Series II, choosing from three degrees of cancellation to achieve the ideal balance between battery life and quietness.
While if you want more playback time on Studio 3 without sacrificing the sound quality, you can turn off Pure ANC for low-power mode.
No doubt Bose QuietComfort 35 ii is a good headphone for workouts due to its much more advanced ANC than the Beats.
IPX Rating:
There is no definitive answer, but both companies insist that these headphones are not IPX rated, which does not mean you cannot wear them during workouts or on a run. Moreover, there are many headphones and earbuds from these two audio brands which are waterproof.
You only need to use an extra moisture-resistant cover such as Earhugz.
Battery Life
| Battery Features | Beats Studio 3 | QC 35 ii |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Type | Rechargeable | Rechargeable |
| Continuous Battery Life | 22+ hours | 20 hours |
| Additional Charges | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Total Battery Life | 22+ hours | 20 hours |
| Charge Time | 2 hours | 2.1 hours |
| Power-Saving Feature | No | Auto-Off Timer |
| Audio While Charging | Yes | No |
| Passive Playback | No | Yes |
| Charging Port | micro-USB | micro-USB |
When it comes to battery life, the Beats Studio 3 headphones are the clear winner.
The Beats Studio 3 are perfect for workouts because they offer a longer battery life of 22+ hours, as compared to the 20-hour battery life of the Bose QC35 II headphones.
Furthermore, the Beats Studio 3 headphones come with a three-hour fast charging feature on ten minutes of charge.
whereas the Bose QC35 II headphones only offer a two-and-a-half-hour fast charging feature on fifteen minutes of charging.