The Beats 360 are premium over-ear headphones, aimed at buyers looking for headphones for commuting, everyday listening, and even working out. To that end, they offer some more fitness-focused details than other premium noise cancelling competitors like the Sony WH-1000XM6, such as sweat resistance and interchangeable earpads. However, unlike the Beats Studio Pro, they don't support wired audio, so you're limited to Bluetooth listening.
Our Verdict
The Beats 360 are decent for sports and fitness, so long as your workouts don't involve a lot of sudden movement. Their relatively lightweight design and firm clamping force keep them secure during walks and gentle treadmill runs, and their IPX4 rating provides splash resistance. However, they can fall off during more vigorous exercises like jumping jacks. While the interchangeable cushions and headband padding are useful for keeping them fresh between workouts, their non-folding design makes them somewhat bulky to carry around.
Excellent noise isolation.
IPX4 water resistance.
Scratchy fabric on the ear pads.
Can fall off during vigorous exercise.
The Beats 360 headphones are very good for travel. Their active noise cancelling does an excellent job blocking out most noise around you, although some very low-frequency engine rumble may still be audible. Their long 45-hour battery life also means you can get through long journeys without needing to recharge. However, their strong clamping force and somewhat scratchy fabric cushions can become uncomfortable over time. They're also fairly bulky when packed, since the ear cups only rotate flat, and the included fabric pouch offers little protection against bumps and drops.
Excellent noise isolation.
Long continuous battery life.
Great microphone noise handling.
IPX4 water resistance.
Very strong clamping force.
Scratchy fabric on the ear pads.
The Beats 360 are great for office work. Their active noise cancelling is particularly effective at blocking out the sound of chatty coworkers, making it easier to concentrate in a busy workspace. They also have good leakage performance, so anyone working near you shouldn't hear much of your music unless you're listening at unusually high volumes. Their built-in microphone is very good too, and does a great job suppressing background noise during calls. The main downside is comfort, since the relatively high clamping force and somewhat scratchy ear pads can become irritating over longer sessions.
Excellent noise isolation.
Long continuous battery life.
Great microphone noise handling.
Very strong clamping force.
Scratchy fabric on the ear pads.
The Beats 360 aren't well-suited for wireless gaming since they don't come with a dedicated low-latency dongle. That said, you can use them via Bluetooth for mobile gaming that doesn't depend on timing, like turn-based RPGs.
The Beats 360 can't be used via a wired connection.
The Beats 360 over-ear headphones have good audio reproduction accuracy. Out of the box, they have a V-shaped sound with slightly elevated bass and a balanced mid-range. That said, their treble response is noticeably uneven, with pronounced peaks and dips that can make some cymbal hits and vocal details sound dull, while others come across as piercing. And sadly, there's no EQ on offer in the companion app to tailor the sound to your liking. On the plus side, their left and right drivers are closely matched, keeping sounds properly positioned in the stereo image, and harmonic distortion is exceptionally low.
The Beats 360 have excellent noise isolation. Their ANC does an amazing job blocking out most sounds around you, apart from the lowest rumbles of train or bus engines. Their closed-back design also keeps leakage fairly low, so people nearby are unlikely to hear much of your audio at reasonable listening levels.
The Beats 360 have very good microphone performance. Their integrated microphone captures speech with satisfactory clarity, although your voice won't sound especially natural. Their main strength is noise handling, as the microphone does a great job suppressing surrounding sounds while keeping speech understandable, even in noisy environments like subway stations.
The Beats 360 have sub-par frequency response consistency. Their bass delivery depends heavily on getting a good seal around your ears, and wearing glasses can cause a substantial drop in low-bass. This means basslines and kick drums can lose weight and impact if the ear cups aren't seated properly. The rest of the frequency response is more consistent, but it's still worth taking a moment to adjust the fit each time you put them on, particularly if you wear glasses.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Beats 360 headphones come in four colors: 'Black,' 'Cloud,' 'Pink,' and 'Sky.' We bought and tested a 'Cloud' unit and took a photo of its label.
If you come across a different variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll add it to our review.
Popular Headphone Comparisons
The Beats 360 are fitness-oriented over-ears within the brand's headphone lineup. Their IPX4 splash resistance means they're better suited to the gym than most over-ears, which usually aren't rated to withstand even a drop of water. And the 360 are a compelling option if you're looking for something from the specific brand, since they improve on the Beats Studio Pro's noise isolation, microphone performance, and battery life, albeit at the expense of the wired connectivity options the Studio Pro offer. The 360 can't quite match conventional flagships like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Apple AirPods Max 2 for ANC performance or sound customization. But their splash resistance and interchangeable earpads make them a good choice for anyone with gym use as their top priority, even though you're still better off with dedicated sports earbuds for more intense workouts.
If you're looking for more headphones, check out the best over-ear headphones for working out, the best noise cancelling headphones, and the best Apple AirPods.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are a better pair of headphones than the Beats 360 for most, but not all, everyday uses. The Sony's ANC system is better, and their lighter clamping force makes them more comfortable for longer listening sessions. They also have a much more comprehensive companion app with a customizable EQ and wired audio support when Bluetooth isn't an option. But the Beats have a longer battery life, and their splash resistance and interchangeable earpads make them better suited for workouts. Still, neither pair is particularly stable during very intense movement.
The Beats 360 are better suited to workouts than the Beats Studio Pro Wireless, because of their splash resistance and interchangeable earpads. The 360 also deliver significantly better noise isolation, and their microphone does a much better job of keeping speech intelligible in noisy surroundings. Finally, the 360's 45-hour battery life easily exceeds the Studio Pro's 28 hours. However, the Studio Pro are more versatile when it comes to connectivity, with analog and USB-C audio support. They also have a more balanced default sound profile and offer a few EQ presets over USB-C, whereas the 360 have uneven treble and no manual sound customization. Neither pair is particularly comfortable for extended listening sessions.
The Apple AirPods Max 2 and Beats 360 are both premium over-ears with strong ties to Apple's ecosystem, but they cater to different priorities. The Apple have more effective noise isolation, a more consistent sound across different fits, and additional Apple ecosystem features like Live Translation. They also support wired USB-C playback, which the Beats lack entirely. On the other hand, the Beats are considerably lighter and offer roughly twice the continuous battery life. Their microphone also handles noisy environments much better, especially compared to the Apple's performance with non-Apple devices. But perhaps most importantly, the Beats' IPX4 splash resistance gives them an edge for use in the gym.
The JBL Live 780NC are better than the Beats 360 if you mainly want headphones for commuting and everyday listening. Both pairs offer comparable ANC performance, but the JBL's 60-hour battery life comfortably exceeds the Beats' 45 hours. The JBL also fold into a more compact shape, support wired playback, and have a comprehensive companion app with an EQ that lets you customize their sound. But on the other hand, the Beats have a better microphone, especially if you frequently take calls in noisy places. And their IPX4 splash resistance and interchangeable cushions also make them better suited to exercise, although like most over-ears, they won't stay in place for very stressful workouts such as burpees.
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Test Results
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