Bang & Olufsen Announce New Beoplay EQ Earbuds

Bang & Olufsen's new Beoplay EQ noise-canceling wireless earbuds look like they could give Apple's AirPods Pro some competition, though at a higher price point.

The newly revealed earbuds tout a number of impressive, high-end features that surpass the AirPods Pro in most cases. The downside is that Beoplay EQs also cost almost twice as much as Apple's higher-end wireless earbuds, as well as B&O's own E8 third-generation models.

Both Beoplay EQ and AirPods offer active noise cancellation (ANC) and are comparably rated for dust and water resistance. However, the Beoplay EQ buds provide slightly more advanced Bluetooth connectivity (5.2 compared to AirPods' 5.0) and the batteries last up to two hours longer with ANC turned on. It is worth noting that AirPods Pro can last up to 24 hours when factoring in the charging case, while Beoplay EQs with a charging case cap at around 20 hours.

Beoplay EQs are also slightly smaller than AirPods Pro, with the earphones coming in at 24 x 22 x 27 millimeters versus Apple's 22 x 31 x 24 millimeters. The charging case for the Beoplay EQ earbuds is a bit larger, however, measuring 77 x 40 x 26 compared to the AirPods Pro's 61 x 45 x 22 (also in mm). The Beoplay EQ buds are also about three grams heavier than AirPods Pro (8g versus 5.4g). Though the differences in size and weight aren't so severe that they would make a significant difference in comfort or portability.

According to Bang & Olufsen's website, the Beoplay EQ earbuds will be available for purchase—sorry, no preorders yet—on August 19, with a price tag of $399 (versus $249 for AirPods Pro).