I test Beats headphones for a living — these are the ones to buy (and ones to avoid!) this Black Friday

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Some excellent deals — and some you should ignore.

Black Friday Beats deals
(Image credit: Future)

Beats — the audio brand that used to be endorsed (and was created by) rapper Dr Dre, known for bassy sound signatures and popular aesthetic. I’ve had the privilege of testing Beats headphones for some time now, so I have a good idea of what kind of Beats headphones you should be looking for — and which ones you should be casting off to the side.

The best Apple Black Friday deals have now started, giving you massive amounts of money off the whole Beats range. Of course, some are more worth the savings than others — so I’ve split this into two. The Beats deals that matter, and the Beats deals that don’t.

Where to find the best headphones Black Friday deals

The Beats deals that matter

These are the Beats that I like — or at least the Beats that are worth their current prices. There are over-ears and in-ears here, so there’s something for everyone.

Beats Studio Pro | $349$169 at Amazon

Beats Studio Pro | $349 $169 at Amazon

Okay, so first things first — at full price, these headphones aren’t worth considering. They’re expensive, not well built for the price, and they don’t sound like $350 worth of headphones. They do, however, make a lot more sense now that they’ve dropped below $200. For that price, they more than trounce the similarly priced competition and bring a little style for a lot less money. This is their lowest-ever price as well — and because it’s got the red ‘deal’ label on Amazon, if they go any lower between now and Cyber Monday, you’ll be refunded the difference.

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Beats Studio Buds + | $169$134 at Amazon

Beats Studio Buds + | $169 $134 at Amazon

I gave these a high score in their review for a reason – they’re a really good pair of buds. The noise canceling is good, they’re comfy, and they sound excellent to boot. I just wish I could have gotten the transparent pair… This deal is a solid saving on some of my favorite in-ears, and well worth a Black Friday purchase.

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Beats Studio Buds | $149$99 at Amazon

Beats Studio Buds | $149 $99 at Amazon

These are the older versions of those above, and while they’re not as good, they are a great deal for under $100. They’ve got features that should make them more expensive, like ANC, and they’re really comfortable. This isn’t quite their lowest price ever, but it's worth considering them when you go for some sub-$100 buds.

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The Beats deals that don’t matter

These headphones aren’t worth the price, even reduced, or they’re just too old to recommend. Avoid these and choose from those above.

Beats Fit Pro | $199$179 at Amazon

Beats Fit Pro | $199 $179 at Amazon

The Beats Fit Pro aren’t awful, but they are expensive. This current deal price doesn’t make them cheap enough to be worthwhile, with an uncomfortable fit and ANC that needs work. The colors are nice though, so if you want something funky then that might sway you. It shouldn’t — but it might.

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Beats Solo3 | $199 $149 at Amazon

Beats Solo3 | $199 $149 at Amazon

The Beats Solo3 are old — and very, very out of date. This deal only makes them $20 less than the Studio Pro, and at that price, it’s a complete no-brainer. They’ve still got micro-USB, for goodness sake.

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Beats headphones for all?

So there it is —pretty much the whole Beats line in a nice, easy-to-digest list. As always, audio gear is somewhat subjective, but if you go with those recommended above, then you should be right as rain.

Now, if you want something that’s not Beats, then you’ve got a good option with the AirPods line. They’ll be more expensive, but you should check out the best AirPods Black Friday deals to see which will suit your needs.

Black Friday
Save money with Black Friday sales

Grab bargains on Apple devices this Black Friday

If you're looking for the best Black Friday Apple deals as the annual sales season kicks off, we've got you covered. From now right through to Cyber Monday on November 27, we'll be serving up the best offers on iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch, iPad, HomeKit smart home devices and more. Save a small fortune by checking back on our daily deals coverage.

Tammy Rogers
Tammy Rogers
Senior Staff Writer

As iMore's Senior Staff writer, Tammy uses her background in audio and Masters in screenwriting to pen engaging product reviews and informative buying guides. The resident audiophile (or audio weirdo), she's got an eye for detail and a love of top-quality sound. Apple is her bread and butter, with attention on HomeKit and Apple iPhone and Mac hardware. You won't find her far away from a keyboard even outside of working at iMore – in her spare time, she spends her free time writing feature-length and TV screenplays. Also known to enjoy driving digital cars around virtual circuits, to varying degrees of success. Just don't ask her about AirPods Max - you probably won't like her answer.