- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Headphones
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We have currently reviewed 12 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
- 02/26/2020 Beats Solo3 Wireless reviewed
- 02/21/2020 Beats Studio3 Wireless reviewed
- 11/13/2019 Beats Solo Pro reviewed
- 06/21/2019 Beats Powerbeats Pro reviewed
- 05/14/2019 Beats urBeats3 reviewed
Best Beats Headphones
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Best Wireless Beats Headphones
Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling YesMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best wireless Beats headphones we've tested so far are the Beats Solo Pro. They're very well-built wireless on-ear headphones for casual use with simple, easy-to-use controls. They have a surprisingly well-balanced, versatile sound profile with a little bit of extra bass and treble to make your favorite tracks pop. While they isolate noise quite well, their active noise cancelling feature doesn't help out in the bass range very much, unfortunately, so you'll still hear the low rumbles of bus engines while commuting. They don't leak much, though, so you can wear them at the office without having to worry about bothering your colleagues. However, while their plush ear cup padding feels great on the ears, they clamp down quite tightly which can make them uncomfortable to wear for long periods. That said, if you don't mind their fit, their 24-hour battery life will keep them going for quite some time.
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Best Beats Earbuds
Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best Beats earbuds we've tested so far are the Beats Powerbeats Pro. These truly wireless earbuds are great for sports thanks to their ear-hook design that's stable and comfortable. They won't make you sweat more than usual since they don't trap heat under an ear cup and will let you enjoy your favorite gym playlist thanks to their accurate audio reproduction. Since they don't enter the ear canal deeply, they're quite comfortable, but they might not cut out the noise from a crowded gym. On the upside, they're great for running outdoors, especially since they have a 10-hour battery life.
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Best Wired Beats Headphones
Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best wired Beats headphones we’ve tested so far are the Beats EP. They have a very well-balanced sound bass in a compact design that makes them great for DJs. They have deep, punchy bass that brings out the kick of bass-heavy genres like dubstep or house music without overpowering the vocals and instruments of pop, rock, or folk music. Their in-line remote only works on iOS, but if you have an iPhone you won't have a problem making calls on-the-go. On the downside, they don't feel as well-built as other Beats headphones we've tested, but they're also a lot cheaper.
Compared to other brands
- Comfortable designs. Most Beats headphones are comfortable to wear, suitable for use over long periods. While their over-ear designs are the most comfortable, their on-ear and in-ear headphones tend to also be more comfortable than similarly designed models.
- Decently well-balanced sound. Beats have made many bass-heavy headphones that lacked a lot of detail. However, their more recent offerings sound a lot more while still delivering enough rumble and punch to satisfy bass-hungry listeners.
- Stylish and sturdy designs. Beats tend to shine compared to other headphone brands when it comes to 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 their more recent models we’ve reviewed better matches their premium price point, but they still feel a bit expensive for what they have to offer.
- Noise cancelling not on par with the competition. Beats have a couple of models with active noise cancelling now, and although some of the newer ones perform quite well, they're still not quite on par with similarly priced noise cancelling headphones from Sony or Bose.
- No customization options. While most Beats products have Apple’s W1/H1 chip for seamless pairing with iOS, they don’t have a companion app with any customization options.
Overall, Beats make sleek and modern-looking headphones that feel like fashion 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 powerful bass for fans of bass-heavy music. However, their headphones are a bit expensive for what they have to offer, especially since the more feature-packed models aren't quite on par with the competition.
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.
- Beats Studio = Over-ear models.
- Beats Solo = On-ear models.
- 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.
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. That said, 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.
Discover our recommendations for the best commuting headphones and the best headphones for running.
Recent Updates
03/10/2020: Verification for accuracy, small changes to the text.
01/14/2020: Minor changes in text, no changes in recommendations.
11/15/2019: Replaced Beats Studio 3 Wireless with Beats Solo Pro.
Test results
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