Table Of Contents
When it comes to the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 vs Beats Solo Pro, it’s hard to choose the best budget noise cancelling headphones. This indepth comparison will help you find the perfect set for your needs:
Soundcore Life Q30 vs Beats Solo Pro
Specs Comparison
 Solo Pro |  Life Q30 | |
BATTERY LIFE (ANC ON) | 22 Hours | 40 Hours |
BATTERY LIFE (ANC OFF) | 40 Hours | 60 Hours |
FAST CHARGING | 10 Minutes/3 Hours Of Listening | 5 Minutes/4 Hours Of Listening |
CONNECTIONTYPE | Bluetooth | Bluetooth, Aux, and NFC |
BLUETOOTH VERSION | 5.0 (Apple H1 Chip) | 5.0 |
DRIVE SIZE | 40mm | 40mm |
CHARGING PORT | Apple Lightning | USB Type-C |
NOISE CANCELLING | Pure ANC | 3 Hybrid ANC Modes |
WEIGHT | 9.42 oz (267g) | 9.28 oz (263g) |
APP SUPPORT | No | Yes |
COLOR OPTIONS | Black, Gray, Red, Ivory, Dark Blue, and Light Blue | Black, Midnight Blue, and Sakura Pink |
Sound Quality
WINNER ► Life Q30
The Soundcore Life Q30 wins this battle with one of the best sound signatures in the industry and large 40mm drivers. They also get extra credit by offering one of the best partner apps in the industry.
The Soundcore app features a fully customizable EQ, with over 20 presets for quick adjustments. Plus, you can name and save your own custom presets.
At the same time, they sound great right out of the box, so you don’t need to be an audiophile to enjoy the Q30’s.
The Beats Solo Pro also feature powerful 40mm drivers that pump out some nice bass. For most genres, they sound great, but Pop, Hip Hop, and other styles of electronic music sound best on them.
Unfortunately, the Solo Pros’ sound signature is a little heavy on the mid and low-range frequencies, and they don’t have an adjustable EQ. So what you hear is what you get.
Noise-Cancelling
WINNER ► Beats Solo Pro
The Beats Solo Pro have a slight edge in this category because they’re easier to use. Plus, they have better noise isolation with ANC turned off. Perfect for when you still want to block out noises without draining the battery too quickly.
Beats’ Pure Active Noise Cancelling does a great job of adapting to most background noises, so you do less time fiddling around with an app. Plus, they have an impressive Transparency mode and an on-ear toggle button to switch back and forth between modes easily.
The Soundcore Life Q30’s have three ANC modes, and you can use the Soundcore app to toggle between them. Choose from Indoor, Outdoor, or Transport, to block common noises from each environment. We found the Transport works for most situations, though.
They also feature a great Transparency mode, but it’s not as amplified as the Beats Solo Pro.
Battery Life
WINNER ► Life Q30
This was the easiest category to choose the winner. The Soundcore Life Q30’s have 40 hours of battery life, with Active noise cancelling turned on. Plus, you’ll get a ridiculous 60 hours of listening with ANC turned off.
The Beats Solo Pro only get 22 hours with ANC on and 40 hours with ANC turned off. Still impressive, but not even close to the Q30’s.
Onboard Controls
WINNER ► Beats Solo Pro
When it comes to on-ear controls, it was just as easy of a choice, but it was the Solo Pro’s taking home this trophy. The Q30’s allow you to control the essentials, but the Solo Pro’s give you FULL control. Here’s a breakdown of what you can do with their on-ear controls:
Using the “b” button on the right ear cup, you’re able to:
- Pause and play music (press once)
- Skip forward (press twice)
- Scan forward (press twice and hold)
- Skip backward (press three times)
- Scan backward (press three times and hold)
- Answer a call, answer a second call, and switch between calls (press once)
- Reject call (press and hold)
- Trigger Siri or other voice assistants (press and hold until chime)
Using the outer ring on the right ear cup, you’re able to:
- Tap on the top or bottom to increase or decrease volume incrementally
- Tap and hold on the top or bottom to increase or decrease volume continuously
Using the “NC” button on the bottom of the left ear cup, you’re able to switch between:
- Pure Active Noise Cancelling Mode
- Transparency Mode
- Off (noise isolation)
Connectivity
WINNER ► Beats Solo Pro
This category was almost a tie. Both the Solo Pro and the Life Q30’s have Bluetooth version 5.0, and are compatible with Android and iOS devices. Also, they both have some type of dual-connect and/or audio sharing capabilities to pair multiple devices.
The Solo Pros get the edge in this category because the Apple H1 chip powers their Bluetooth 5 connection. As a result, when paired with an iPhone or other iOS device, they have superior connection speed, range, and stability.
Comfort
WINNER ► Life Q30
No matter how long your listening sessions are, the Soundcore Life Q30’s are the best choice by a long shot. Their Around-The-Ear design, memory foam earpads, and memory foam head pad make it feel like you’re wearing pillows.
The one reason the Beats Solo Pro might win this category is if you’re going to use them for workouts. They have a stronger pinch on your head than most headphones, so they’ll stay in place a lot better.
Durability
WINNER ► Beats Solo Pro
The Beats Solo Pro have a strong metal frame and hinges, so they should be able to take some nasty drops. Also, even though they don’t officially have a waterproof rating, Beats says they can resist rain and sweat.
That’s even more reason to choose the Solo Pro if you’re looking to wear them in the gym or on a jog.
The Life Q30’s have a metal headband frame for extra durability, but they’re made of more plastic than the Solo Pros. Even though it makes them lighter and more comfortable to wear for longer sessions, they can’t take as hard of a fall.
Plus, the lack of water resistance is a little dangerous in the rain or the gym.
Price
WINNER ► Life Q30
With all the features we’ve described on the Life Q30’s and a price less than $90, there are no better ANC headphones for less than $100.
The Beats Solo Pro now start at less than $200, so they’re still a great value.
Conclusion
It’s hard to pick a winner between these two because they both have great audio quality and active noise cancelling. Plus, they both have plenty of unique luxury features that let you take full advantage of your listening experience.
In the end, you can split users into two groups:
- Get the Soundcore Life Q30‘s if you’re going to use them in the office, study sessions, commutes, or any other longer listening sessions.
- Get the Beats Solo Pro if you’re going to use them at the gym, on your jogs/walks, and any other activities.
