Beats 360 launch: swappable cushions, 1.75× stronger ANC, $350 price tag
Beats has unveiled the Beats 360, its new flagship over-ear headphones priced at $349.99 in the US and £329.99 in the UK, with retail availability starting September 24 in over 100 countries. The headline feature is a first for the brand: interchangeable cushion kits that let you swap both earcups and the headband pad. Pre-orders open today on Apple.com and Amazon.
The modular angle
The Beats 360 ships in four colors — Black, Light Grey, Pink, and Blue — each with matching Performance Knit cushions included. Two cushion materials are on offer: Performance Knit (a breathable, memory-foam-backed knit woven from 36-microfibres per thread) and UltraPlush, a seamless premium faux leather. Six Performance Knit colors and two UltraPlush options are available separately.
The standard price for a Cushion Kit is $49.99 / £49.99, but a limited-time promo drops that to $9.99 / £9.99 through October 31 in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, South Korea, and China. It's a significant incentive to pick up extras at launch. The modular design nods toward repairability, though the kits are proprietary Apple-ecosystem parts — no third-party options are announced.
The Beats 360 over-ear headphones — the brand's first with swappable earcups and headband padding
The specs
Active noise cancellation is rated at 1.75× the Studio Pro's output, backed by nine digital MEMS microphones. The headphones support Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ, personalized spatial audio with head-tracking, and Dolby Atmos. Battery life reaches 32 hours with ANC on, or 24 hours in Transparency mode; a five-minute USB-C charge adds an hour of playback.
The driver setup uses a three-layer diaphragm with dual neodymium magnets, tuned for deep bass and low distortion. Beats 360 is also the brand's first full-size pair to carry an IPX4 sweat and splash rating — a direct nod to gym and commute use.
Connectivity runs on the proprietary Beats chip with Bluetooth 5.3 Class 1. Apple users get fast pairing, Siri activation, automatic device switching, and Find My. Android users get Fast Pair, Audio Switch, and Find Hub — the 360 works across both ecosystems without compromise.
Beats 360 folded with its ripstop fabric carrying case
The market
At $349.99, the Beats 360 sits well below the AirPods Max, making it the more accessible flagship in Apple's audio lineup. Simultaneously, Beats has dropped the Studio Pro to $299.99 — the two models now occupy distinct tiers. The 360 competes directly with the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra on specs, while undercutting AirPods Max on price.
The sustainability story is notable: the frame uses 80% recycled plastic, the magnets use 100% recycled rare-earth elements, and all packaging is plant-fiber based.
It's also worth noting that Beats has been busy beyond headphones — the brand is reportedly moving into game controllers under Apple's direction, suggesting a broader push for the sub-brand.
