Beats Flex review: wireless earbud basics done right

Apple's new Beats Flex earbuds, pictured in yellow.

Beats Bend review: wireless earbud fundamentals done right

Beatniks' eldest earbuds with a USB-C connector are only $50

By Oct 19, 2020, 1:00pm EDT

The recent $50 Beats Turn are a very smart play from Apple's Beat generation division. Peerless reason why is obvious: with the iPhone 12 batting order no yearner transport with included earbuds, this neckband-style option could prove to beryllium a popular substitute. The Beats Deform earbuds are importantly to a lesser extent expensive than the Beats X they're replacing — not to mention AirPods. They offer a lengthy 12 hours of battery life history, have a comfortable appropriate, and eliminate the anxiety of losing a truly wireless earbud.

But the some other reason why the Flex buds are an important product is, well, Android. Instead of victimisation Apple's proprietary Lightning connective for charging, as many another Beats headphones consume since the acquisition, the Flex take up a USB-C port. Beats' Android app has already been updated to plump for them. These moves indicate that as Apple continues putting a greater emphasis along audio frequency products — with the new HomePod miniskirt and long-rumored superior headphones awaited to launch before long — Beats is realizing information technology needs to support independently from Apple's ecosystem if the brand wants to continue its enormous success.

The Beats Deform look very kindred to the Beats X, which have at present been discontinued. The soft, rubberized "Flex-Form" cable rests around the back of your neck, and the lightweight, evenly-balanced design allows for the buds to comfortably hang pull down at your chest without the slightest bit of soreness. On me, the buds evenfall to around my sternum area. As with the Beats X, you butt magnetically attach them together — and this time, your euphony will automatically pause whenever you do so. Four sizes of spike tips come in the boxful, and while the Flex fit me well, I did notice that their passive voice dissonance closing off leaves something to be sought after. Seated at home listening, they're fantastic. But out on the street, you can listen a fair level of close noise.

Beats has redesigned the inline controls a little. Along the left side, the three-button remote is gone, replaced by a unshared, circular multi-function button for pause/omission/back and a separate bulk rocking chair on the slope. There's a lozenge-shaped grille covering the integrated mike, and on this slope you'll also find the USB-C connector. On the correct-side module, in that location's just a power clitoris. The Flex-Form cable that conforms to your neck feels a bit thinner (and lighter) than what was on the Beats X, so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly concerned just about long-term durability. Beats assured me that the Flex earbuds have passed the troupe's usual set of reliability tests.

Apple has perplexed with its W1 headphone chip inside the Beats Bend, giving them the usual split second setup process and synced pairing crossways devices tied to your iCloud calculate. It would've been nice to have the newer H1 chip, since that's required for the robotlike switching feature between iPhone, iPad, and Mac that's included equally of iOS 14 and macOS Gravid Sur. Losing that touch of public lavatory is the tradeoff you make for the $50 price. Hands-free Siri isn't show, either.

Barrage life history for the Beats Flex is estimated at "capable 12 hours" of continuous listening, and that seems on maneuver in my time reviewing them so far. That's an improvement from the 8 hours of the Beats X. Though oddly, the "Fast Fuel" quick recharge numbers aren't as good: the Beat generation X could get 2 hours of juice from a 5-minute charge, but the Turn leave get 1 1/2 hours from a 10-minute guardianship. Maybe Beats is clean beingness more realistic about the appraisal this meter around, only it's a difference nonetheless.

Some other thing to equal aware of is that the Beats Flex aren't rated for sweat or water impedance. If you need that reassurance, you've got to pay more money for the Powerbeats — also a neckband-title design — or the completely wireless Powerbeats In favour of. Beat generation doesn't admit any kind of bulge with its $50 earbuds, then you'll just have to carry them loose.

It should come as no surprise considering the price gulf, merely some of those will wakeless noticeably better than the Beats Twist, as good. Don't get me wrong: the Beats Flex have a very pleasant sound signature that, significantly, never really got fatiguing. As you'd expect, they as wel pack ample low-pitched (with a breath of treble boost to pass with it).

Beats claims the Deform buds contain "a proprietary layered number one wood with duple-sleeping room acoustics to achieve rich, symmetrical sound with outstanding stereo separation." Marketing lingo aside, they well-grounded secure for $50 wireless earbuds, but lack the same level of depth and fidelity as the pricier models. They've been tuned atomic number 3 earbuds you can wear or so your neck passim the day and belt down in your ears as needed, and they're perfectly good for casual listening.

*The earbuds can magnetically link together when you're non victimization them.*

When walk lowered the street, I didn't notice any cable noise Oregon pulling from the neckband. And the Beats Flex have fared decently sufficient on my Zoom and call calls in the few years I've been wearing them, with others hearing me earsplitting and clear. Bluetooth signal has besides been steady; dropouts tend to be less of a job for neckband earbuds.

*The Beats app for Mechanical man lets you check battery level and adjust settings.*

The Beats Flex will automatically pause your music when you link the earbuds together with their collective-in magnets, and they'll resume playback when you pull them apart; there aren't any sensors that notice when they're actually in your ears. This works on the Humanoid face too, though on Android, I've noticed IT's possible to hit in your medicine app and audio will remain playing through the earbuds when they're hanging connected your bureau. An iPhone will automatically switch to speaker audio when the earbuds vex linked together. I wish there was an option to power the earbuds down when magnetically affiliated, like the OnePlus Bullets Radio receiver 2, simply suspensio is all you've got.

*The Beat generation Flex capture a muckle right for their $50 price.*

Only if that's my biggest gripe with the $50 Beatniks Flex, I think they're a bad clear success. On that point are all sorts of true radio earbuds on the market nowadays — including more budget-focused options at this same price cast. But close to populate conscionable prefer the neckband (operating theatre neckbud) way and don't want to fuss with carrying cases or pile with the panic of an AirPod moving toward a subway grate.

The Beats Flex are a healthy thought-out product with comfy controls, enough battery life to live on your intact working day, and solid sound quality for the price. And the transition to USB-C is monumental. In a year where it successful all the sense in the world to stick with Lightning to appeal to iPhone 12 buyers, Beats is extending a branch out beyond the Apple ecosystem as AirPods and AirPods In favour of continue to impregnate that market.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge