- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Headphones
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We've currently tested 13 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
- 03/16/2021 Beats Solo Pro Wireless updated
- 01/06/2021 Beats Flex Wireless reviewed
- 12/07/2020 Beats Solo3 2019 Wireless reviewed
- 11/16/2020 Beats Studio3 Wireless updated
- 05/11/2020 Beats Powerbeats 4 Wireless reviewed
Best Beats Headphones
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Best Wireless Beats Headphones
Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling YesMic YesTransducer DynamicThe Beats Solo Pro Wireless are the best Beats headphones with a wireless design that we've tested. These Bluetooth-enabled on-ears feel impressively well-built, with densely constructed ear cups and a metal alloy headband. They also have an ANC feature that helps them do a great job of blocking out ambient chatter and high-pitched background noise, though they struggle with isolating against the low rumble of bus and plane engines. They supply roughly 24 hours of playback time on a single charge with their noise cancelling feature enabled, which should be enough for long overnight trips. They also have a fairly well-balanced sound profile, though with a slightly excited V-shape that should give a bit more thump and brightness to EDM and hip-hop tracks.
On the downside, these headphones don't have any sound customization features to let you tweak their audio reproduction to your liking. Some users may find them to be a little too tight, with a limited range of adjustment for their headband and thick ear cup padding. They're also rather bulky by the standards of on-ear headphones, even when folded into a more compact format. Still, their premium-feeling build quality and impressive noise isolation capability make them some of the best on-ear headphones that we've tested.
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Best Beats Earbuds
Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best Beats earbuds we've tested are the Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless. These truly wireless in-ears are comfortable to wear and do a great job of staying in place thanks to their lightweight design and built-in ear hooks. They also feel reasonably well-built, with a dense plastic construction that's rated IPX4 for water resistance, though we don't currently test for that. They provide over 11 hours of runtime on a single charge, which should be more than enough for a full day's use, and have a standby mode to conserve power when not use as well as a case that supplies roughly one additional charge. They're fitted with an H1 chip that allows for quick and easy pairing with iOS devices. They also have a well-balanced sound profile that should suit a wide variety of genres and audio content, ranging from EDM music to audiobooks.
Unfortunately, they don't have any sound customization features, like an in-app graphic EQ or built-in EQ presets. Their poor noise isolation capability can be helpful if you like to run outdoors and want to listen to music while staying aware of your surroundings, but this could be annoying if you wear the headphones on your commute or at the office. Otherwise, their well-balanced sound profile, comfortable and stable fit, and relatively long continuous battery life make them some of the best wireless earbuds for running and working out that we've tested.
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Best Wired Beats Headphones
Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe Beats EP are the best Beats headphones with a wired connection that we've tested. These well-built on-ears have a decently comfortable fit that's stable enough for low-impact activities like jogging. They have a slightly warm and boomy sound profile with an outstandingly neutral and flat mid-range, which helps keep vocals and lead instruments present, detailed, and clear. That said, their sound is suitable for most audio genres. Thanks to their in-line microphone, your voice sounds clear and natural to whoever is on the other line. They also have a simple control scheme, so you can manage calls or music on-the-fly.
However, their on-ear fit may not be the most comfortable for all users and can be fatiguing when worn for long listening sessions. They also really struggle to isolate noise around you as they don't block out the thump or rumble of bus engines. They also have a hard time cutting down noise like ambient chatter, so they're not the best choice if you're commuting or wearing them at work. Still, if you don't like worrying about battery life, these lightweight wired on-ears offer a balanced sound profile, and they're even among the best headphones for DJs that we've tested.
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 also 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 but still deliver the rumbly and punchy bass that fans come to expect.
- 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 that we’ve tested 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 have an extremely limited interface for Android and iOS, this interface doesn't offer any 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 still retaining their powerful bass. 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 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.
- 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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Apr 09, 2021: Verified that all main picks are still in stock and represent the best choice for their given category.
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 travel headphones, the best headphones for running, and the best on-ear headphones.
