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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-19 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Amazon Renewed Beats Studio Buds — biggest strength: Beats' custom acoustic platform, active noise cancellation, Transparency mode, touch controls and Class 1 Bluetooth in a compact in-ear design rated IPX4 for sweat and splashes.
• Amazon Renewed Beats Studio Buds — biggest trade-off: It's a renewed unit, it's not built for submersion, and its battery figure (9 hours) trails the SANOTO's MP3-mode runtime.
• SANOTO Swimming Headphones — biggest strength: True IPX8 waterproofing (submersible to 10 meters for over 2 hours), a built-in 8GB MP3 player, and up to 12 hours of playback in MP3 mode.
• SANOTO Swimming Headphones — biggest trade-off: No noise cancelling at all, and Bluetooth simply cannot work underwater — you must switch to MP3 mode before you get in the pool.
• Pick the Amazon Renewed Beats Studio Buds if you want one pair of everyday earbuds for music, calls and travel with real noise cancelling.
• Pick the SANOTO Swimming Headphones if your priority is music that survives laps, surfing, diving and heavy sweat.
The Beats Studio Buds (the "Plus" model, sold here as an Amazon Renewed unit) are built around Beats' custom acoustic platform, which is the core of the pitch: rich, immersive sound whether you're listening to music or taking a call. The Plus version adds new acoustic vents for cleaner sound, improved active noise cancelling, larger microphones for clearer voice pickup, and longer battery life than the original Buds. In the ear, you get on-device touch controls, an IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance, and Transparency mode when you need to hear traffic, announcements or a training partner.
The connectivity story matters too. Class 1 Bluetooth is designed for a reliable connection with extended range, which is exactly what you want when your phone is in a bag or on the other side of the room. Fit is handled with four pairs of eartips in different sizes, including an extra-small option — a genuinely useful detail if most eartips feel too big. Battery life is listed at 9 hours, and charge time is also listed at 9 hours, so plan on charging between long sessions rather than treating these as an all-week, never-think-about-it pair.
Who should buy it? Anyone who wants a single pair of earbuds that does the everyday jobs well: commuting, gym sessions, phone calls, flights, and listening in noisy rooms where active noise cancellation earns its keep. The IPX4 rating covers sweat, rain and splashes, so it's fine for running and lifting. Who should skip it? If your idea of "waterproof" means swimming laps or ducking under waves, this isn't that product — IPX4 is splash resistance, not submersion. And if buying a renewed unit gives you pause, that's a fair consideration to weigh; the listing notes a 1-year warranty, which is worth keeping in mind.
The SANOTO Swimming Headphones (model S710) are a much more specialized tool. The headline feature is IPX8 waterproofing: the brand states they can be submerged up to 10 meters for more than 2 hours, which covers swimming, surfing, diving and any amount of sweat, rain or splashing. The catch is written right into the specs — you have to switch to MP3 mode and turn off your phone's Bluetooth before you get in the water. That's not a quirk, it's physics: Bluetooth rides the 2.4 GHz band, and water absorbs that signal, so wireless audio underwater simply isn't possible.
That's why the S710 is a two-in-one design. It has Bluetooth 5.4 with a 10-meter range for normal use above water, plus a built-in 8GB MP3 player that holds roughly 1,500 lossless tracks and supports MP3, FLAC, WMA, WAV and APE files. A double-click on the function key switches modes. Battery life is listed at 12 hours in MP3 mode and 8 hours in Bluetooth mode, with a 2-hour charge time. Sound is delivered through a bone conduction driver paired with a 360° closed sound cavity and anti-leak acoustics, tuned to stay crisp and focused in the pool.
Comfort is where the design gets interesting. These are in-ear headphones with ear hooks made from soft, skin-friendly silicone that flexes to fit different head shapes. SANOTO says they work alongside swim caps, goggles and earplugs, and that they stay put during intense swimming. The in-ear fit also blocks water from entering your ears, which many swimmers will appreciate on its own. In the box you get ten replacement ear tips, an adjustable elastic strap, two magnetic charging cables and a manual, backed by a 1-year warranty for replacement or refund.
Who should buy it? Swimmers, surfers, divers and anyone whose workouts are genuinely soaked. Who should skip it? If you want active noise cancelling or a premium everyday listening experience on land, this isn't the pair — there's no noise control at all, and the controls are push-button rather than touch.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for noise cancelling → Amazon Renewed Beats Studio Buds. Active Noise Cancellation plus Transparency mode; the SANOTO has no noise control.
• Best for battery life → SANOTO Swimming Headphones. Up to 12 hours in MP3 mode, versus 9 hours on the Beats.
• Best for phone calls and voice pickup → Amazon Renewed Beats Studio Buds. Larger microphones and Class 1 Bluetooth are aimed at calls and stable range.
• Best for local storage with no phone → SANOTO Swimming Headphones. 8GB of built-in memory for roughly 1,500 tracks, no device required.
• Best for all-weather commuting and gym work → Amazon Renewed Beats Studio Buds. Sweat- and splash-resistant, with touch controls you can tap mid-set.
• Best for swimming with a cap and goggles → SANOTO Swimming Headphones. Silicone ear hooks designed to sit under swim gear and stay put.
• Best for a one-pair-does-everything setup → Amazon Renewed Beats Studio Buds. It covers the widest range of everyday listening; the SANOTO is a specialist.
In my opinion, most people should buy the Amazon Renewed Beats Studio Buds. They cover the situations you actually run into every day — commuting, calls, workouts, noisy rooms — with noise cancelling, Transparency mode, touch controls and reliable Class 1 Bluetooth, and the IPX4 rating handles sweat and rain without drama. I'd only steer you to the SANOTO Swimming Headphones if underwater listening is the whole point: nothing about the Beats design is meant to be submerged, while the SANOTO is purpose-built for it with IPX8 sealing, a bone conduction driver and an 8GB MP3 player. If you split your time between the pool and the pavement, the honest answer is that these two solve different problems, and the SANOTO is the one that makes sense of a swim bag.
FAQ
No. Bluetooth's 2.4 GHz signal is absorbed by water, so you must switch to MP3 mode before getting in. Bluetooth 5.4 still works normally on land within about 10 meters.
The SANOTO lists up to 12 hours in MP3 mode and 8 hours in Bluetooth mode, with a 2-hour charge. The Beats lists 9 hours of battery life. Neither figure includes any charging case in the data provided.
Both are sold on Amazon, and prices change constantly, so check the current price on Amazon before deciding. Think about it this way: the Beats is the everyday all-rounder, the SANOTO is the pool specialist.
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