- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Headphones
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We have currently reviewed 11 Beats headphones. They're a popular brand that makes stylish and comfortable headphones that deliver decent sound with good bass.
Updates
- 06/21/2019 Beats Powerbeats Pro reviewed
- 05/14/2019 Beats urBeats3 reviewed
- 02/01/2019 Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless reviewed
- 04/24/2018 Beats BeatsX reviewed
- 03/29/2018 Beats Studio Wireless reviewed
Compared to other brands
- Comfortable Design. Most Beats headphones are comfortable to 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.
- Decent Sound Quality. Beats used to have a bass-heavy sound that lacked a lot of detail. However, their more recent offerings deliver better-balanced sound quality while still producing powerful enough bass to satisfy bass-hungry listeners.
- Stylish and Sturdy Designs. Beats usually shines 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 are relatively more expensive than those from other brands. The quality of more recent models we’ve reviewed better matches their premium price point, but they still feel a bit pricey for what they have to offer.
- Mediocre Noise Cancelling. Only a few over-ear models from Beats have active noise cancelling, and unfortunately don’t block ambient noise as well as similarly priced noise cancelling headphones.
- 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 which would allow you to customize your headphones.
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, they struggle to deliver a good noise cancelling experience, and their headphones are a bit expensive for what they have to offer.
Best Beats Headphones
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Best Beats Headphones for Mixed Usage
Usage Ratings - Version 1.27.0Mixed Usage7.2Critical Listening7.1Commute/Travel7.2Sports/Fitness7.4Office5.9TV5.5GamingThe best Beats headphones for mixed usage are the Beats Studio3. They’re very comfortable headphones that feel well-built and perform fairly well all-around. They sound alright, with warm, punchy bass, and isolate decently well. They can sound a bit boomy and muddy, though, and their noise cancelling isn’t as good as that of competing models. If you prefer something with a more portable design and stable fit, consider the BeatsX, which have strong passive isolation and a decently balanced sound that makes them versatile headphones for most uses as well.
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Best Beats Headphones for Sports
Usage Ratings - Version 1.27.1Mixed Usage7.5Critical Listening6.9Commute/Travel8.1Sports/Fitness7.0Office6.1TV5.7GamingThe best Beats headphones for sports are the Beats Powerbeats Pro. They’re well-designed, comfortable truly wireless in-ears with a secure ear-hook design that helps them achieve a great, stable fit. They have a surprisingly well-balanced sound with a fairly neutral frequency response that still packs great bass to keep you pumped during your workouts. Their battery provides over 11 hours of continuous playback, which, combined with the extra charge provided by their charging case, should last you a full work day plus time at the gym. They don’t isolate very much noise, which can be bothersome while commuting or at the office, but is helpful when you’re running outdoors and need to remain aware of your surroundings.
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Best Beats Headphones for Audio Quality
Usage Ratings - Version 1.26.6Mixed Usage7.5Critical Listening6.1Commute/Travel6.5Sports/Fitness6.2Office5.9TV6.7GamingThe best-sounding Beats headphones we’ve tested so far are the Beats EP. They have a very well-balanced sound with great, punchy bass that doesn’t overpower vocals and lead instruments, which makes them the best on-ear DJ headphones we’ve reviewed to date. They also come with an in-line microphone that has very good recording quality, so you can take calls on-the-go. Unfortunately, the mic and in-line remote are only compatible with iOS. If you prefer a wireless design, the Beats Solo3 also sound good and have an outstanding 42-hour battery life, but are quite a bit more expensive.
Lineup
Beats has a slightly unorthodox naming convention for their headphones, but they do offer a decent variety of models for different uses.
- Beats Pro = The DJ-oriented line of headphones meant for live mixing and studio use.
- Beats Studio = Wireless headphones with noise cancelling, 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.
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 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 cheaper headphones from competing brands provide.
Discover our recommendations for the best commuting headphones and the best headphones for running.
