If you want full-featured Beats headphones with impressive noise isolation, the Beats Solo 3 and Beats Solo Pro are what you may be looking for. Both of them are on-ear headphones. So, let check the Beats Solo Pro vs Solo 3 comparison today.
They’re two of the most famous Beats headphones available. However, it can be challenging to distinguish between Solo Pro and Solo 3 Wireless at the first sight.
They are both Bluetooth on-ear headphones designed for moderate-to vigorous-intensity use, the latter of which is the most recent model. The Solo 3 headphones are standard Bluetooth headphones, while the Solo Pro is a noise-canceling headphones.
Choosing between Solo 3 and the Solo Pro will be difficult owing to the large price difference and many advantages and disadvantages. We’ll compare their pros, flaws, and commonalities inside this head-to-head review to help you decide which Beats headphones are right for you.
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Key Differences
Before we dive into the technicalities and intense parts of the comparison, here’s a quick comparison overview:
- The Beats Solo Pro has a battery life of up to 22 hours with ANC and 40 hours without ANC. The Beats Solo 3 has a battery life of up to 40 hours.
- When we tested the Beats Solo Pro and Beats Solo 3, we found out that the charging time for Beats Solo Pro is 1 hour 45 minutes. Whereas, for the Beats Solo 3, it is approximately 2 hours.
- The fast charging features on both headphones also differ as the Beats Solo Pro gives 3 hours of playback from a 10-minute charge, and the Beats Solo 3 gives a playback time of 3 hours from just a 5-minute charge.
- Beats Solo Pro comes equipped with a Lightning to USB-A charging cable type, whereas the Beats Solo 3 comes with a USB-A to USB Micro-B charging cable.
- The Beats Solo Pro boats an Apple H1 Bluetooth chipset, whereas the Beats Solo 3 comes with an Apple W1 Bluetooth chipset.
- The Beats Solo Pro has 6 microphones, whereas the Beats Solo 3 has only a single microphone.
- The Beats Solo Pro comes enabled with Active Noise Cancellation(ANC) support, but the Beats Solo 3 doesn’t come with ANC support.
Let’s begin the comprehensive comparison piece by piece now that you have enough general understanding.
What is the first thing that comes to mind while looking for a new pair of headphones?
It has to be the style and design. Right?
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Style and Design
The Beats Solo 3 has a smooth, rounded appearance with no jagged corners.
Even though the Beats Solo 3 Headphones have a plastic body, they are durable and classy. Also, the faux leather cushioning appears comfortable, it has a rigid plastic shell that can shatter if twisted.
The Beats Solo Pro Headphones, on the contrary, are quite fashionable. Because of the titanium headpiece and matte texture, they feels more luxurious than the Solo 3.
Solo Pro’s headband is broad enough and maintains the Beats aesthetic history. Even though these headphones are on-ear, they are rather large and appear to be over-the-ear. They contain certain metallic pieces in their design, like the spot in which the headpiece and earcups connect and the headband.
The Beats Solo Pro has a more basic style and is smaller, even though both versions share a Beats ethos with sleek lines and a seamless appeal. The Solo Pros’ steel is an especially attractive architectural aspect if you want something more refined. They are available in 6 color choices.
The build quality of the Solo 3 is adequate but not good enough to rival the Solo Pro.
Winner in terms of Style and Design – Beats Solo Pro
View on Amazon: Beats Solo Pro
Portability
The Solo 3 is somewhat more compact than the Solo Pro, although not much. The Beats Solo 3 Headphones are smaller and more compact. When stowed, they occupy minimal space in your backpack and appear more unobtrusive when wrapped across your collar.
The Beats Solo Pro Headphones are quite bulky for on-ear headphones. However, they are still easier to transport for regular usage than non-folding, full-sized over-ear earpieces.
Both headphones have soft storage covers, and you may compress them into a much more manageable configuration. However, their soft covers aren’t as durable as hard cases. It’s frustrating that even the most expensive Solo Pro doesn’t come with a protective case. Several other, less expensive headphones come with a protective case for safekeeping.
A soft case is suitable for the Solo 3. However, you may need a hard shell case not be suitable for the pricier Solo Pro.
Winner in terms of Portability – Beats Solo 3
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Comfort
Carrying onto the comfort, the two headphones will provide enough of it thanks to their broad and plush cushioning. During our trials, we were very impressed with both in terms of comfort.
Furthermore, you will receive the perfect fit due to their readily retractable headbands. In addition, they feature a strong compressive force that keeps them from readily falling off when the head moves.
Both are quite airy when it comes to ventilation because of their design. Under the silicone plugs, they cannot retain heat. However, airflow is adequate, allowing your ears to breathe more freely than over-ear headphones.
On the weight front, Beats Solo Pro is bulkier than Solo 3. So it may feel heavier on your head when using continuously.
Winner in terms of comfort – Beats Solo 3 Wireless
View on Amazon: Beats Solo 3 Wireless
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Sound Quality
When we were trying these headphones, we concluded that despite their comparable appearances, the acoustic characteristics of these two headphones are dramatically different.
Beginning with Beats Solo 3, the audio is more bass-heavy, making it ideal for categories such as electronic and hip-hop music. It features a little overemphasized lower frequencies, culminating in snappy and boomy bass.
If you appreciate bass, you’ll adore these headphones. However, if you prefer more balanced audio, the Beats Solo Pro will be the best choice.
We were blown away by how beautifully the Beats Solo 3 Headphones reproduced the deep notes when listening to classic bass-rich tunes. However, the mids sound insufficient, and the lead elements and voices may come off as muddy.
In the case of Beats Solo 3, the highs are a little bland, but they’re still accurate. The best part is that sharpness and sibilance will not be an issue while listening to high-pitched singers and equipment records.
On the other hand, the Beats Solo Pro offers a very balanced audio signature suited for a wide range of musical styles. It does, however, produce the accentuated lows for which Beats by Dre are known. Although the subwoofer is a little too strong, it still is precise and does not sound sloppy.
When comparing the midrange of these two headphones, the Beats Solo Pro comes out on top, and its mids are somewhat more direct and precise than the competition.
When it comes to Solo Pro’s highs, they’re incredibly clear and accurate.
Winner in terms of Sound Quality – Beats Solo Pro
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Connectivity
What is the difference between Beats Solo Pro vs Solo 3 in terms of connectivity?
Honestly, it’s nothing!
These headphones come with first class Bluetooth technology that enables a long bandwidth. They do not, however, enable NFC or multi-device synchronization.
In any case, pairing is simple and painless, particularly with Apple products.
The delay on iOS and Android is minimal, while the delay on PC is fairly significant.
Another advantage of the Solo 3 is that you can leverage both wired and Bluetooth connectivity.
The Beats Solo 3 Headphones come with a 3.5 mm sound cable that allows you to convert them to the wired mode for no-latency connectivity or if the power is insufficient.
You may, however, utilize the Solo Pro in wired mode by purchasing a Lightning to mini USB audio connector.
For this round, we were unable to designate a victor. So let’s do them both honor by declaring a draw.
Bluetooth Capabilities
You are already aware that the Beats Solo Pro includes the H1 chip, which provides several benefits. For example, you can easily connect to your iCloud devices and seamlessly switch between them.
Furthermore, the microprocessor guarantees that the headphones last better and provide great sound when linked to an iPhone.
The Solo 3 also includes a W1 processor, which would be the forerunner of the H1 chip. It does the same functions as the H1 chip, but the H1 chip does everything better.
For instance, both chipsets provide accessibility to Siri. However, the H1 chip still allows you to invoke Siri simply by saying, “Hey Siri.” No prior key pressing is required.
Both headphones offer great wireless capabilities; however, they don’t allow NFC and can’t respond to different systems at once. Instead, their Bluetooth connecting methods are straightforward, particularly when using Apple products.
The Solo 3, on the other hand, has many connection options. For example, these headphones arrive with an audio cord, letting you convert to wired mode whenever the batteries die or if you want connectivity with minimal delay. The sound wire finishes with a standard 3.5 mm analog connector for global interoperability with many of these portable devices.
You’ll need to have a Lightning to 3.5 mm headphone connection if you want to operate the Solo Pro in wired mode.
Winner in terms of connectivity – Beats Solo Pro
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Battery Life
The Solo Pro and Solo 3 feature long-lasting cells that may be used for many days, although the former is preferable. They have solitary power longevity of up to forty hours, greatly outlasting most Bluetooth over-ear and on-ear headphones.
They could last a whole week on a full charge if you’re using them for a few hrs every day.
The Solo Pro boasts only 40 hours of battery life if you shut off the ANC and transparent modes. They will operate for up to 22 hours with ANC activated, which is still decent and on par with many noise-canceling headphones. In terms of battery life, their 22-hour charge ANC-enabled & 40-hour life ANC-disabled are comparable to the Beats Studio3.
The Solo 3 and the Solo Pro recharge quickly, taking just two hours to refill completely. Thanks to its fast-charge technology, the Solo 3 allows for 3 hours of playtime after only 5 minutes of recharging. Due to their great battery life the Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones are also tagged as the best headphones for online learning with maximum battery life. To achieve the same figure on the Solo Pro, you’ll have to charge it for 10 mins to have a similar battery performance.
When we tested these headphones, we got similar battery life as claimed by the company.
Regarding battery endurance, the Beats Solo 3 outperforms the Solo Pro. However, we must remember that the Solo 3 are not ANC headphones. And if you want anything nice, you’ll have to make some sacrifices.
Winner in terms of battery life – Tie between the two
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Controls and Ease of Use
We discovered that the Solo Pro and the Solo 3 are nearly identical in terms of controls. Both include user-friendly and freely accessible on-cup buttons that enable basic activities such as noise adjustment and phone and audio monitoring. Unfortunately, their settings are not overly restricted and are simple to learn.
A tiny button on the bottom of the left ear cushions serves as an extra control for toggling among transparency mode and (ANC) on the Solo Pro. Furthermore, they may be conveniently switched off and on by merely unfolding and folding them.
The Solo 3, on either side, has a controller built into the sound line, permitting for rudimentary functions also in wired mode. The in-line control includes three parts, a microphone and is equally as simple as the on-cushion control structure. The Solo Pro doesn’t come with an in-line controller since it doesn’t come with an acoustic wire, to begin with.
On the left side of the headphone, you’ll find all the play controls and call configuration settings.
The pause/play and response call keys on the left “b” pushbutton are accessible.
To skip a track, press it twice, then three times to return to the previous one. Then, you must push and hold this button to activate voice control.
The volume control is such that it increases by pushing the top half of the “Beats” icon and decreases by pushing the bottom part.
The main change is that the Beats Solo Pro includes a specific ANC or transparency mode switch on the left ear cup.
Winner in terms of controls and ease of use – Tied between both
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Additional Features
Noise-Cancelation
While testing both of these, we observed that the Solo Pro offers much greater noise cancellation than that of the Solo3, thanks to its ANC. They aren’t nearly as excellent as most top noise-canceling headphones, such as the Sony WH-1000XM3 and the Bose QuietComfort 35 II. However, they do a decent job of blocking out ambient noise.
They do a good job of blocking aircraft and bus motors. They are especially good at eliminating office-related background sounds like conversation and air conditioning systems.
The Solo Pro is the far more suited pair of headphones for commuting, traveling, and workplace usage while being less pleasant to wear on lengthy flights and journeys and for longer hours at the workplace. The active noise canceling feature is very handy.
You may effortlessly convert to transparency mode when such circumstance calls for it. However, their noise dispersion is also reduced at larger volumes, preventing adjacent individuals from being disturbed by your loud audio.
The Solo3, on either side, has a confined design to provide adaptive noise seclusion and is less appropriate for filtering out background noises in busy or noisy environments. You may need them to block out ambient sound by turning up the music level, but be aware that sound will leak out of them at greater volumes.
Their audio leakage is greater, but that should not be a problem unless you’re playing music at maximum volume in a quiet environment like a library.
While these aren’t the best noise-canceling headphones in the market, they still do great overall.
Winner in terms of Noise Isolation – Beats Solo Pro.
Microphone and Call Quality
The Beats Solo Pro and Solo 3 include embedded mics, with the Solo Pro’s sensor managing noise well.
There will be background noise while you talk, but your vocal will always be audible.
Even if you’re on a crowded sidewalk, the listener of the line should be able to listen to you.
The noise management of the Solo 3 mic, on the other hand, is poor.
Even in fairly noisy surroundings, it has trouble distinguishing your speech from the background noise. For example, if you accept a phone in a noisy environment, the headphones will muffle your sound.
As a result, when we tested out these headphones, we knew that the Solo Pro was a better option.
Winner in terms of Mic and Call quality – Beats Solo Pro
Accessories
Like all other Beats headphones, the Solo Pro and Solo 3 are sparse on peripherals, especially the last one. The Solo 3 comes with a protective case, a micro USB power cord, and an audio cord.
In contrast, the Solo Pro comes with a soft case and a Lightning connecting cord. Yes, you read it correctly: the Solo Pro comes without an audio cord, which is frustrating for such a high-priced set of headphones. So you’ll need to buy a multichannel audio cable through Apple if you wish to utilize them in wired mode.
Winner in terms of accessories – Beats Solo 3
Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3 – Compatibility With iOS vs Android
You are already aware that the Beats Solo Pro contains the H1 Chipset, which provides several benefits. For example, you can easily link to your iCloud and Android gadgets and navigate between them effortlessly.
Furthermore, when linked to iOS or Android devices, the chip guarantees that the headphones last more and provide a great sound.
The Solo 3 also features a chip called W1 and is the H1 chip’s precursor. It fulfills the same functions as that of the H1 chip, but still, the H1 chip does everything better.
Both the headphones are equally compatible with all Android and Apple devices. However, the Beats Solo Pro has the upper hand owing to the H1 Chipset.
Winner in terms of compatibility – Beats Solo Pro
Frequently Asked Questions About Beats Solo Pro vs. Solo 3
The Beats Solo Pro Wireless Headphones are an upgraded version of the Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones. They offer active noise cancelation, which is handy in public transportation or even at work. Yet, some people find the Pro excessively tight and the Solo3 comfier. The Pro, on the contrary, seems more premium and robust. They have an identical audio profile; however, the Pro is more balanced.
The Solo Pro variant is an excellent choice for many users since it is reasonably priced and provides an excellent customer experience.
When we tried it out, we noticed that the issue with them is that they might slip off if you jog frequently. And even if they cover your skull nicely on the treadmills, they will indeed be drenched. Because there are no hydrophobic characteristics, water, and different microorganisms will accumulate on the headsets.
Cleaning things up frequently is a good idea. However, you don’t always have this chance, so it’s a matter of perception and determining the best alternative.
Wrapping Up
Beats Solo 3
The Solo3 is a sturdy set of headsets appropriate for casual daily use. They are much less expensive than the Solo Pro and have a long-lasting battery per recharge, with a 40-hour battery which is among the finest amongst Bluetooth headphones.
Furthermore, an audio wire is provided in the container, enabling you to convert to wired mode whenever the power goes out. However, they are less ideal for listening to songs in a busy environment because of their poor noise insulation.
Suppose you do not care about ANC and would rather have more transportable. Longer-lasting Bluetooth headphones for regular usage, the Solo3 is better than the Solo Pro.
Beats Solo Pro
The Solo Pro headsets are more adaptable than Solo3, with ANC and improved noise insulation rendering them excellent for suppressing background noises in congested or chaotic areas. They are superior headsets for flying, traveling, and working in the workplace.
Their lesser sound leaking is especially advantageous while playing loud tunes in calm areas such as libraries. Their fit and finish are higher, but because of their tighter fit, they are not quite as suitable for lengthy listening periods as the Solo3.
Suppose you have extra money to spend on Bluetooth over-ear earphones and prefer noise-canceling headphones. In that case, the Solo Pro is indeed a superior purchase to the Solo3.
Final Words
We’ve noticed that Beats Solo Pro has won most of the segments save those tied.
As a result, we strongly suggest Beats Solo Pro above Beats Solo 3.
This headset has a higher quality sound, greater functionalities, and a more robust design, making the Solo Pro more premium headphones.
Furthermore, due to their improved insulation and ANC, Solo Pros are better suited for shutting out external noise in a crowded environment.
It also has the latest Apple H1 processor, which provides a more dependable wireless connection.
Okay, we’ve finished our work by announcing the ultimate winner.
Best Beats headphone amongst Solo Pro and Solo 3 – Beats Solo Pro.
