- 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 that deliver decent sound with good bass.
Updates
- 11/13/2019 Beats Solo Pro reviewed
- 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
Best Beats Headphones
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Best Beats Headphones For Casual Use
Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling YesMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best Beats headphones for casual use are the Beats Solo Pro Wireless. They're well designed on-ear headphones that have an impressive build quality and an even more premium look than previous models. Their 24-hour battery life is great and they can be fully charged in just over an hour, which is also great. While they should be suitable for most genres thanks to their fairly neutral sound profile, they still have that bit of extra thump that Beats is known for, which should please fans of bass-heavy genres. Unfortunately, they can fit quite tight on the head, and even at their highest extension, the headband can't get too tall, meaning they may not fit people with larger heads. They also may not be the most comfortable due to their on-ear design. Those who prefer over-ears should consider the Beats Studio 3 Wireless, which have a lot of the same features and may be more comfortable for longer listening sessions but don't have as well-balanced a sound profile. On the upside, the Solo Pro's ANC works very well and they can isolate a good amount of ambient noise, something that's rare for on-ear headphones.
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Best Beats Earbuds For Sports
Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best Beats headphones for sports are the Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless. These headphones 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. On the other hand, these headphones don't enter your ear canal deeply, which is comfortable, but doesn't create an air-tight seal to block out ambient noise, meaning they might not cut out the noise from a crowded gym, but will be great for running outside and staying aware of your surroundings. On the upside, they have over 10 hours of continuous playback, which is amazing for truly wireless headphones. This should be more than enough for a few workouts, and they have a very quick charge time if you ever forget to charge them.
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Best Beats Headphones For DJs
Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best-sounding Beats headphones for DJs we’ve tested so far are the Beats EP. They have a very well-balanced sound with great, punchy bass that brings out the kick of bass-heavy genres like dubstep or house music without overpowering vocals and lead instruments, which makes them great for a diverse set. Their in-line remote only works on iOS, but if you have an iPhone you won't have a problem making calls between gigs. 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 very comfortable to wear and are suitable for use over long periods of time. While their over-ear designs are the most comfortable, their on-ear and in-ear headphones are comparatively more comfortable than similarly designed models.
- Decently well-balanced sound. 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 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 expensive, 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 pricey for what they have to offer.
- Lackluster noise cancelling. Only the Beats Studio line-up has active noise cancelling, and although it's alright overall, it's rather ordinary, especially compared to 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, they struggle to deliver a good noise cancelling experience, and their headphones are a bit expensive for what they have to offer.
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 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.
Recent Updates
01/14/2020: Minor changes in text, no changes in recommendations.
11/15/2019: Replaced Beats Studio 3 Wireless with Beats Solo Pro.
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