The $50 I spent on these was more than worth it considering I almost bought a pair of Samsung ear buds for $180. These may not be the best sounding headphones from Beats, and the neckband feels like too much extra, but the price is nothing to sneeze at. As for treble and midrange, that’s really where these ‘buds have the biggest impact. Cameron Summerson is Review Geek’s former Editor in Cheif and first started writing for LifeSavvy Media in 2016. Cam’s been covering technology for nearly a decade and has written over 4,000 articles and hundreds of product reviews in that time. He’s been published in print magazines and quoted as a smartphone expert in the New York Times.
As recently as 2017, one could argue that most true wireless in-ear designs were beyond the budgets of many music-loving commuters. However, a less fancy neckband design offered a wallet-friendly and still wireless solution. Besides hands-free Siri, the more expensive H1 Chip supports Bluetooth 5 versus the W1’s Bluetooth 4.2, which means you’ll get a slightly longer battery life with the H1 Chip, too.
Overall, Beats Flex output an accurate response that is unfitted for such a brand, and that’s a good thing. However, the technical performance for the new acoustic drivers is subpar and leaves a lot to be desired. The latter is also true for the Beats Flex, which are surprisingly balanced sounding. Of course, there’s a boost in bass, but it’s hardly suitable for bass heads. Because these are just so cheap, you can’t expect them to sound amazing.
The people I talked to said I sounded clear and the noise reduction outdoors in noisier environments was good. You can answer and end calls with the button on the left module, where there’s also a rocker beats flex review switch for volume control. While playing music, tapping the universal control button twice skips tracks forward. I don’t know if the Flex quite measures up to the AirPods for making calls but it’s close.
I’ve used Powerbeats Pro, Powerbeats, and now Beats Flex, and in terms of in-ear comfort, they’re all pretty much the same — comfortable. Powerbeats Pro are still some of the most comfortable in-ear headphones I’ve ever used, surpassed only by AirPods Pro in terms of comfort. A USB-C cable is provided for charging the Flex, and there are four sizes of ear-tips included as well, so most people should be able to find a set that provides a good fit. If you’re an iPhone user that’ll mean you likely need to bring along an additional charger to charge your headphones. That’s hardly a deal-breaker but it’s frustrating when previous Beats headphones have charged via a Lightning connector. IOS users can also take advantage of Apple’s Audio Sharing feature, which lets you listen to the same music as friends or family with a recent pair of Beats headphones or Airpods.
He has extensive experience in tech and games journalism, with work published on IGN, Kotaku UK, Waypoint, GamesRadar, Trusted Reviews, and many more. You’ll find him covering everything from smartphones and home computers to 3D printers and headphones. Those are still mighty impressive numbers and it means that you’ll comfortably be able to fo a full day without needing to recharge them, or more likely several days to a full week with moderate usage. It’s almost as seamless on Android devices too, as long as you download the free Beats app first. You barely notice its presence and the rubberized texture keeps it from sliding around while you move about.
10-Minute charge testing conducted with drained Beats Flex that were charged for 10 minutes, then audio playback was started until Beats Flex stopped playback. Battery life depends on device settings, environment, usage, and many other factors. The Flex headphones aren’t ‘true wireless stereo’ as the two little earbuds are still connected by a lightweight neckband that drapes over the back of your neck. However, many people prefer a neckband design – rather than the completely wireless design of Apple’s AirPods – as it’s easier to avoid losing them. And, although I’m never a big fan of the in-line controls you find on neckband-style earphones, I don’t mind those on the Beats Flex.