- Table of Contents
- Top
- Comparison
- Best Headphones
- Conclusion
- Discussions
Best Beats Headphones - 2018
Reviews
We have currently reviewed 7 Beats headphones. They're a popular brand that makes stylish and comfortable headphones that deliver an above average sound quality and a good bass.
Compared to other brands
- Comfortable Design. Most of the Beats lineup are comfortable headphones that you can wear for hours at a time. While their most comfortable designs are usually over ears, even their on-ear and in-ear headphones are comparatively more comfortable than similarly designed models.
- Above-Average Sound Quality. Beats used to have a bass-heavy sound that lacked a lot of detail. However, the more recent models deliver better-balanced sound quality while still producing a powerful enough bass to satisfy bass-hungry listeners.
- Stylish and Sturdy Designs. Beats usually shines compared to other headphone brands when it comes to their design. They have sleek looking headphones that stand out with bold colors schemes and a premium look and feel. While they're not as durable as some other brands on the market, the more recent models have a sturdy build quality that further emphasizes their premium price range.
- Expensive. The Beats headphones are relatively more expensive when compared to other brands. The more recent models better match their premium price points but they still feel a bit pricey for what they have to offer.
- Mediocre Noise Canceling. Only a few over-ear models from Beats have active noise canceling but unfortunately they do not perform as well at blocking ambient noise as similarly priced noise-cancelling headphones.
Overall, Beats makes sleek and modern looking headphones that feel like accessories to your style and clothing. In the past, they had a mediocre-at-best sound quality, but more recent releases have improved their audio reproduction to suit more critical listeners while retaining a powerful bass for fans of bass-heavy music. However, they struggle to deliver a good noise canceling experience, and their headphones are a bit expensive for what they have to offer.
Best Beats Headphones
Beats has a slightly unorthodox naming convention for their headphones, but they do offer a decent variety of models for different use cases.
- Beats Pro = The DJ oriented line of headphones meant for live mixing and studio use.
- Beats Studio = Wireless headphones with noise canceling, ideal for everyday casual use.
- Beats Solo = The on-ear variations of the Studio line-up for a more portable and compact format.
- Beats Earbuds/in-ear = The names vary but Beats offer a wide set of in-ear headphones that are ideal for casual use or sports.
Best Beats Headphones for mixed usage
Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
- 25% Critical Listening
- 25% Office
- 25% Commute/Travel
- 10% Sports/Fitness
- 9% Gaming
- 6% TV
- 80% Sound
- 10% Build Quality
- 7% Comfort
- 3% Breathability
- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
- 24% Stability
- 23% Portability
- 11% Sound
- 10% Breathability
- 8% Comfort
- 6% Wireless Range
- 5% Controls
- 5% Battery
- 4% Noise Isolation
- 4% Leakage
- 24% Comfort
- 21% Sound
- 16% Noise Isolation
- 8% Leakage
- 7% Battery
- 7% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 4% Build Quality
- 4% Microphone
- 2% Controls
- <1% Multi-Device Pairing
- <1% USB
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Latency
- <1% Analog
- <1% Line In
- <1% USB Input
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Power Supply
- <1% Dock Charging
- 22% Sound
- 17% Comfort
- 15% Default Latency
- 10% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Build Quality
- 4% Optical Input
- 3% Battery
- 3% Analog
- 3% Leakage
- 2% Noise Isolation
- 2% RCA Input
- 2% Multi-Device Pairing
- 2% Line In
- 2% Line Out
- 2% Power Supply
- 1% Dock Charging
- 20% Sound
- 20% Default Latency
- 15% Comfort
- 12% Microphone
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Battery
- 5% Base/Dock
- 3% Build Quality
- 3% Wireless Range
- 3% Microphone Control
- 2% Channel Mixing
- 2% Wired
- 2% Volume Control
- 2% App Support
- 1% Bluetooth
The best Beats headphones for mixed usage are the Beats X. Their portable design and stable fit, as well as their strong passive isolation and decently balanced sound, makes them versatile headphones for all situations. They're great for sports and they barely leak so you can use them in quieter, office-like environments without distracting your colleagues. If you're looking for a headphone that you can fit in your pocket that's also wireless and sounds good, then the BeatsX are a great option.
Best Beats Headphones for audio quality
Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
- 25% Critical Listening
- 25% Office
- 25% Commute/Travel
- 10% Sports/Fitness
- 9% Gaming
- 6% TV
- 80% Sound
- 10% Build Quality
- 7% Comfort
- 3% Breathability
- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
- 24% Stability
- 23% Portability
- 11% Sound
- 10% Breathability
- 8% Comfort
- 6% Wireless Range
- 5% Controls
- 5% Battery
- 4% Noise Isolation
- 4% Leakage
- 24% Comfort
- 21% Sound
- 16% Noise Isolation
- 8% Leakage
- 7% Battery
- 7% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 4% Build Quality
- 4% Microphone
- 2% Controls
- <1% Multi-Device Pairing
- <1% USB
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Latency
- <1% Analog
- <1% Line In
- <1% USB Input
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Power Supply
- <1% Dock Charging
- 22% Sound
- 17% Comfort
- 15% Default Latency
- 10% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Build Quality
- 4% Optical Input
- 3% Battery
- 3% Analog
- 3% Leakage
- 2% Noise Isolation
- 2% RCA Input
- 2% Multi-Device Pairing
- 2% Line In
- 2% Line Out
- 2% Power Supply
- 1% Dock Charging
- 20% Sound
- 20% Default Latency
- 15% Comfort
- 12% Microphone
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Battery
- 5% Base/Dock
- 3% Build Quality
- 3% Wireless Range
- 3% Microphone Control
- 2% Channel Mixing
- 2% Wired
- 2% Volume Control
- 2% App Support
- 1% Bluetooth
Surprisingly, the best sounding Beats headphones are currently the Beats Solo3. This recent update to the solo line-up delivers a well-balanced sound that still packs enough of a punch for fans of bass. They're also more compact than the Studio wireless, so they're easier to carry around without a bag. They're just as sleek and well built and have the same control scheme as the bigger over-ears.
Conclusion
Beats has made great improvements to their lineup. They're still a fashion-forward headphone brand that focuses on bold color schemes and sleek modern design. They sound a lot better than the earlier models but are still a bit pricey for what they have to offer, especially for their noise-canceling headphones that do not deliver the same isolating experience that cheaper headphones from competing brands provide.
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