You could save 51% on Beats headphones this Black Friday – but we have a better idea!

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"They were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should..."

Over-ear headphones: Beats Studio Pro
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

When is a Black Friday deal not a Black Friday deal? Well, when there's a much better alternative. 

We're open-minded when it comes to testing products and never pass judgment before we've spent many days using them and reviewing them in full. But once we have done that, we're happy to give honest advice you can trust - and right now, we're not sure we'd recommend you buy Beats headphones, even with such huge Black Friday discounts.

We've tested the Beats Studio Pro and the Beats Solo Wireless, both of which are on offer in the Black Friday sales, but we gave both pairs of headphones a 3-star review. Average. That's our verdict – and that means there are better alternatives. 

The good news is those better headphones are also on offer this Black Friday. So, here's what we think you should buy instead of those Beats.

Want more choices? Check out our complete round-up of the best Black Friday headphone deals.

The best Beats alternatives

Sony WH-CH720N wireless headphones UK:was £99 now £78 at Amazon (save £21) US: was $148 now $130 at Amazon (save $18) What Hi-Fi? Award 2023 winner

Sony WH-CH720N wireless headphones
UK: was £99 now £78 at Amazon (save £21)
US: was $148 now $130 at Amazon (save $18)
For a very reasonable price, the Sony WH-CH720N are a dependably made, enthusiastic-sounding pair of headphones that deliver good ANC and a strong feature set. They also have a bass-heavy sound signature, not unlike the Beats. What Hi-Fi? Award 2023 winner

Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones UK: 350 now £199 at Argos (save £151) US: was $348 now £240 at Walmart (save $108) Five stars

Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones
UK: was £350 now £199 at Argos (save £151)
US: was $348 now £240 at Walmart (save $108)
These premium wireless noise-cancelling headphones deliver on all fronts. As we said in our review, they're detailed, dynamic and have a natural knack for timing. Nothing really lets them down – battery life, build, comfort and usability are all great at this knockdown price. Five stars

Joe Cox
Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).