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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value portability and a more discreet design, the Beats Studiobuds could be the better choice; however, they are significantly more expensive. In contrast, the Sony WH-CH520 offers potentially longer battery life and might have a more comfortable over-ear design for extended use, which is great if budget and comfort are priorities. The Beats have the edge in active noise cancellation, but the Sony set may provide better value if this is not a critical feature for you. Remember that earbuds are generally more suited for active and on-the-go scenarios, while headphones could be more comfortable for home or office use. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Beats Studiobuds
- Good for phone calls
- Good for exercise
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony WH-CH520
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Key differences
Gaming
5.2
8.8
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the Beats Studiobuds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.0
8.0
The Beats Studiobuds is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony WH-CH520 is very good.
TV and Video
5.6
8.2
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the Beats Studiobuds is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5
4.6
The Beats Studiobuds is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
6.0 Hours
52.0 Hours
The Beats Studiobuds has 6 hours of battery life. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$80
$40
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Beats Studiobuds has a price of $80 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $40.
Build Quality
8.8
7.0
The Beats Studiobuds has very good build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
7.2
7.6
The Sony WH-CH520 and Beats Studiobuds are both good for music.
Phone Calls
7.0
6.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Beats Studiobuds to be good for phone calls, while the Sony WH-CH520 is only fair.
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How the Beats Studiobuds and the Sony WH-CH520 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Beats Studiobuds | Sony WH-CH520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$80 | $40 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Beats | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | April 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.2/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.7/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 6 Hours | 52 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.9 Hours | 1.9 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 24 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.5/10 | 4.6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.9/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 147.41 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Beats Studiobuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Chase Bernath | May 2023
"For less than the price of the AirPods, the Beats Studio Buds delivers a good fit, great sound, and active noise cancellation. This is also the first set of Apple-owned Beats earbuds to feature quick pairing with Android devices, albeit at the expense of some key features for Apple users."
Sony WH-CH520
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | September 2023
"If you’re looking for headphones that simply do what you ask them to: the Sony WH-CH520 is a decent option, even if it isn’t very exciting. Sony’s WH-CHXXX line fits this role quite well, and the WH-CH520 offers a decent raft of quality-of-life updates over its predecessor that should keep listeners happy. If the Sony WH-CH520 were a car, it’d be the boring-but-safe commuter compact."
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About Beats
Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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