We've currently tested 18 pairs of Beats headphones. They're a popular brand that makes stylish and comfortable headphones. While they used to be known for their excessively bass-heavy sound signature, their newer models tend to sound surprisingly well-balanced.
Updates
- 01/23/2023 Beats Fit Pro True Wireless updated
- 11/30/2022 Beats Studio Buds True Wireless updated
- 11/04/2022 Beats Flex Wireless updated
- 12/07/2021 Beats Solo3 2019 Wireless updated
- 10/29/2021 Beats Studio3 Wireless updated
Best Beats Headphones
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Best Beats Headphones
Neutral Sound7.7Commute/Travel7.4Sports/Fitness7.1Office7.1Wireless Gaming5.6Wired Gaming5.4Phone Calls6.6Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesThe best Beats headphones we've tested are the Beats Solo Pro Wireless. These on-ear Bluetooth headphones have a fairly comfortable fit and great build quality, with a premium look and a metal alloy headband. They have a long continuous battery life of roughly 24 hours, so they'll easily last through a few 9-5 workdays or a long flight without recharging. They have a good ANC feature that's especially effective at cutting down office-type noise like ambient chatter and humming A/C units. Their well-balanced, somewhat excited sound profile brings a bit of extra thump and rumble to mixes, while instruments and lead vocals are bright.
Unfortunately, their app doesn't offer sound customization features, like an EQ or presets. They also don't have the most comfortable fit since their headband may not expand enough for larger heads, and they clamp onto your ears quite tightly. If you're worried about the on-ear fit, you might prefer the Beats Studio3 Wireless. These over-ears have deep, spacious earcups and are much more comfortable for most people. Their noise isolation performance isn't as good, and their sound profile isn't as well-balanced.
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Best Beats Earbuds
Neutral Sound7.2Commute/Travel7.7Sports/Fitness8.1Office6.9Wireless Gaming5.2Wired Gaming5.1Phone Calls6.5Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesThe Beats Fit Pro True Wireless are the best Beats earbuds we've tested. These buds are the sportier sibling of the Beats Studio Buds True Wireless and have more features to please iOS users. They have an H1 chip, so you can seamlessly pair them with your iPhone or MacBook. They also have an adaptive EQ feature that helps adjust the buds' sound to the shape of your ear, and they support Apple's Spatial Audio, which can help give you a more immersive audio experience. Using the adaptive EQ, they have a fairly neutral sound profile that's well-suited for most audio genres. They also have over five hours of continuous battery life, and their carrying case holds roughly three additional charges, which is handy in a pinch.
Their bud design is a little bulky and may not be comfortable for users with small ears. Also, they lack more robust sound customization features like an EQ or presets. Even though they have ANC, it offers a marginally better noise isolation performance than their passive capabilities. They can still help cut down ambient noise, like the low rumble of bus engines and background chatter.
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Best Beats Headphones For Sports
Neutral Sound7.6Commute/Travel6.9Sports/Fitness8.3Office6.7Wireless Gaming5.9Wired Gaming5.8Phone Calls6.3Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless are the best Beats headphones for sports we've tested. Instead of stability fins like the Beats Fit Pro True Wireless, they have malleable hooks that wrap around your ears for added stability when you're on the move. This design is more comfortable for most people and helps ensure your earbuds don't fall out of your ears during intense workouts. They're also rated IPX4 for water resistance, have roughly 11 hours of continuous battery life, and come equipped with an Η1 chip for seamless pairing with Apple devices.
Compared to some other older Beats headphones, they have a more neutral sound profile, which you might like if you're not a fan of a bass-heavy sound or listen to a lot of podcasts or audiobooks while you're exercising. Unfortunately, they don't come with sound customization options, and the companion interface is very limited. They won't isolate you from much ambient sound, so they aren't ideal if you want to escape distracting noise at the gym. However, you might not mind their low level of noise isolation if you're running outdoors, as you can more easily monitor your environment.
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Best Budget Beats Headphones
Neutral Sound6.9Commute/Travel7.7Sports/Fitness8.1Office7.0Wireless Gaming5.4Wired Gaming5.3Phone Calls6.0Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesIf you're shopping for a pair of budget headphones, the best option from Beats are the Beats Flex Wireless. These lightweight earbuds come in a few bright colors and have a flexible neck cable. They're comfortable, well-built, and will stay in your ears if you use them for workouts. They last about 11 hours of continuous use, so they can get you through your daily commute and workday without recharging. Apple users can appreciate their W1 chip, making it simpler to pair them with iOS devices like iPhones.
Like many of this manufacturer's products, they provide a bass-rich listening experience, with extra rumble and punch that works well for genres like EDM and hip-hop. Unlike some budget headphones, they have a companion app. However, it only lets you toggle auto-pause and auto-call answering on and off. It doesn't include an EQ or presets for sound customization. Their mic has a passable recording quality but can't separate your voice from loud ambient sounds, so they aren't suitable for making calls from a busy street or bus. That said, if you want simple headphones, they have a solid performance for daily music and podcast listening.
Compared to other brands
- Comfortable designs. Most Beats headphones are comfortable to wear and are suitable for use over long periods. While their over-ear designs are the most comfortable, their on-ear and in-ear headphones tend to be more comfortable than similarly designed models.
- Decently well-balanced sound. While older Beats headphones tend to have a bass-heavy sound that lacks detail, recent models are better balanced. However, they still deliver the rumbly and punchy bass that fans have come to expect.
- Stylish and sturdy designs. Beats tend to shine compared to other headphone brands in their design. They have sleek, premium-looking headphones that stand out with bold color schemes. While they may not all feel as durable as other brands on the market, their more recent models have a sturdy build quality that further emphasizes their premium price range.
- Expensive. Beats headphones tend to be rather pricey, especially compared to other brands. The quality of the more recent models we’ve tested better matches their premium price point. However, they still feel a bit expensive for what they offer.
- Noise cancelling not on par with the competition. Beats have a couple of models with active noise cancelling. Though some of the newer ones perform well, they're still not on par with similarly priced noise cancelling headphones from Sony or Bose.
- No customization options. While most Beats have an extremely limited interface for Android and iOS, this interface doesn't offer customization features.
Overall, Beats make sleek and modern-looking headphones that feel like fashion accessories. Although older models have a mediocre-at-best sound quality, more recent releases have improved their audio reproduction to better suit neutral listeners while retaining their powerful bass. However, their headphones are expensive for what they offer, especially since the more feature-packed models aren't on par with their competitors.
Lineup
Beats has a slightly unorthodox naming convention for their headphones, but they do offer a decent variety of models for different uses.
- Pro = Usually the highest-end product of the lineup.
- Powerbeats = In-ears with ear hooks that are designed for sports use.
- Beats Studio = Over-ear models.
- Beats Solo = On-ear models.
- Beats Earbuds/In-Ear = The names vary, but Beats offers a wide set of in-ear headphones that are ideal for casual use or sports.
Recent Updates
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Oct 31, 2022: Updated text and checked that the recommended products are in stock.
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May 16, 2022: We've checked our picks for accuracy and product availability. However, there hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
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Mar 30, 2022: We've checked our picks for accuracy and product availability. There hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
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Jan 28, 2022: Renamed the 'Best Wireless Beats Headphones' to 'Best On-Ear Beats Headphones'. Moved the Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless to 'Best Beats Headphones For Sports' and added the Beats Fit Pro True Wireless to 'Best Beats Earbuds'.
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Dec 03, 2021: We've checked our picks for product availability and accuracy. However, there hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
Conclusion
Beats have made great improvements to their lineup. They're still a fashion-forward brand that focuses on bold color schemes and sleek modern designs, but their recent models sound a lot better-balanced than what they’ve put out in the past. Their products are still a bit pricey for what they have to offer, especially their noise cancelling headphones that don’t deliver the same level of noise isolation that models from competing brands provide.
