Finding the right wireless earbuds can feel overwhelming with so many options available. Today, we're comparing two popular choices: the Beats Fit Pro ($149.99) and Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro ($129.99), released in January 2022 and July 2023 respectively. Let's break down everything you need to know to make the right choice.
Before diving into specifics, let's talk about what matters in wireless earbuds today. The technology has come a long way since the first AirPods appeared in 2016. Modern earbuds aren't just about playing music – they're sophisticated mini-computers that handle noise cancellation, spatial audio, and even health tracking in some cases.
The key features that make a real difference in daily use are:
The Beats Fit Pro and Liberty 4 Pro take different approaches to sound. Beats aims for a balanced, pre-tuned experience that works well out of the box. Their sound signature has evolved from the bass-heavy days of early Beats products, now offering clearer mids and highs while maintaining solid bass response.
The Liberty 4 Pro gives you more control over your sound with extensive EQ (equalizer) options. This means you can adjust different frequencies to match your preferences – want more bass for hip-hop or clearer vocals for podcasts? You can do that. Having tested both, I find the Liberty more flexible but the Beats more consistently good without tweaking.
For home theater use, both support spatial audio, which creates a virtual surround sound effect. The Beats' implementation works especially well with Apple devices, while the Liberty offers different modes for music, movies, and gaming.
Both earbuds offer active noise cancellation (ANC), which uses microphones to detect outside noise and create opposite sound waves to cancel it out. The Beats Fit Pro excels in quieter environments like offices, while the Liberty 4 Pro adapts better to changing environments like commuting.
The Liberty 4 Pro includes a clever airplane mode that adjusts for cabin pressure changes – a nice touch for frequent flyers. Both offer transparency modes (letting outside sound in when needed), but I've found the Beats implementation more natural-sounding.
Battery technology has improved significantly since these models' release dates. The Liberty 4 Pro leads with 7.5 hours of playtime (32 hours with the case), while the Beats offers 6 hours (24 with case). More importantly, the Liberty supports wireless charging and faster charging – 5 minutes gets you 4 hours of playback.
The Beats Fit Pro uses a unique wingtip design that locks into your ear, making them extremely secure for workouts. They come with three tip sizes. The Liberty 4 Pro takes a different approach with six tip sizes and a more traditional design. Both are comfortable, but if you're planning heavy workout use, the Beats' secure fit is hard to beat.
Here's where your choice might be most affected by your other devices. The Beats Fit Pro uses Apple's H1 chip, enabling:
The Liberty 4 Pro offers multi-point connectivity instead, letting you connect to two devices simultaneously (like your phone and laptop) regardless of platform. For Android users or those mixing platforms, this flexibility is valuable.
Since their releases, both have received firmware updates improving performance. The Beats have gotten better battery management and connection stability, while the Liberty has seen improvements to its ANC algorithms and spatial audio implementation.
At $129.99, the Liberty 4 Pro offers more features per dollar – wireless charging, longer battery life, multi-point connection, and more customization options. The Beats Fit Pro at $149.99 justifies its premium through Apple ecosystem integration and superior workout stability.
Consider these key factors:
The Beats Fit Pro and Liberty 4 Pro represent different philosophies in wireless earbuds. The Beats focus on seamless integration and workout-ready design, while the Liberty prioritizes flexibility and feature-rich value.
For Apple users who work out regularly, the Beats Fit Pro makes more sense. For everyone else, especially those wanting more customization and features for less money, the Liberty 4 Pro is the better choice.
Both are excellent earbuds that have grown better through updates, and either will serve you well – the choice really comes down to your specific needs and preferences rather than one being clearly superior to the other.
Beats Fit Pro ($149.99) |
Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro ($129.99) |
|---|---|
| Battery Life - Determines how long you can listen before needing to recharge | |
| 6 hours (24 total with case) | 7.5 hours (32 total with case) |
| Noise Cancellation - Critical for commuting and office use | |
| Strong in quiet environments, less adaptive | More adaptive, better for variable conditions |
| Device Connectivity - Affects how easily you can switch between devices | |
| Apple H1 chip, seamless Apple switching | Multi-point connection, works with any device |
| Sound Customization - Important for personalizing your listening experience | |
| Limited EQ options, pre-tuned sound | Extensive EQ options, highly customizable |
| Fit Security - Essential for workout use | |
| Secure wingtip design, 3 tip sizes | Standard design, 6 tip sizes |
| Charging Features - Affects convenience and quick-charge capability | |
| USB-C only, 5min = 1hr playback | Wireless + USB-C, 5min = 4hr playback |
| Water Resistance - Important for workout and rain exposure | |
| IPX4 (splash resistant) | IPX4 (splash resistant) |
| Special Features - Added value considerations | |
| Spatial audio, Apple ecosystem integration | LDAC codec support, customizable touch controls |
For home theater use, both offer spatial audio, but the Beats Fit Pro provides a more refined experience with Apple TV and iOS devices. The Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro offers specific movie and gaming modes, making it more versatile across different devices and streaming platforms.
The Beats Fit Pro ($149.99) costs $20 more than the Liberty 4 Pro ($129.99). The premium is justified if you're in the Apple ecosystem or need secure fit for workouts. Otherwise, the Liberty 4 Pro offers more features for less money.
The Liberty 4 Pro wins with 7.5 hours per charge (32 hours total with case), while the Beats Fit Pro provides 6 hours (24 hours total with case).
Both work well for TV viewing. The Beats Fit Pro excels with Apple TV, while the Liberty 4 Pro performs consistently across different TV brands and streaming devices.
The Liberty 4 Pro offers more adaptive noise cancellation that works better in varying environments. The Beats Fit Pro performs well in quieter settings but may struggle with dynamic noise changes.
The Liberty 4 Pro supports true multi-point connection between any devices. The Beats Fit Pro only offers seamless switching between Apple devices.
Both perform well, but the Beats Fit Pro has slightly better call quality in noisy environments. The Liberty 4 Pro offers more customization for call settings.
The Liberty 4 Pro works equally well with all phones and offers LDAC support for Android. The Beats Fit Pro works with Android but loses some special features reserved for Apple devices.
Both offer excellent sound, but the Liberty 4 Pro provides more customization through EQ settings. The Beats Fit Pro delivers a more balanced, pre-tuned sound that most users will enjoy without adjustment.
The Liberty 4 Pro includes a specific gaming mode for reduced latency. The Beats Fit Pro works well for casual gaming but doesn't have a dedicated gaming mode.
The Liberty 4 Pro offers more fit options with six tip sizes. The Beats Fit Pro has a secure fit but might be less comfortable for some during extended use.
Only the Liberty 4 Pro supports wireless charging. The Beats Fit Pro requires USB-C charging.
We've done our best to create useful and informative comparisons to help you decide what product to buy. Our research uses advanced automated methods to create this comparison and perfection is not possible - please contact us for corrections or questions. These are the sites we've researched in the creation of this article: sixminutemile.com - apple.com - youtube.com - bestbuy.com - pcrichard.com - expercom.com - target.com - beatsbydre.com - soundguys.com - businesswire.com - staples.com - bestbuy.com - soundcore.com - alwayswander.info - youtube.com - digitaltrends.com - gadgetoid.com - soundguys.com - laptopmag.com
