Their bass-heavy sound profile is better-suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop, especially as their underemphasized treble range veils vocals and dull sibilants. Due to their closed-back, in-ear design, they also don’t have a very immersive soundstage. Their companion app is very limited and doesn’t have an EQ or presets to allow you to adjust their sound to your liking. While I can’t say I’m personally ready to go back to wires, the Flex is a solid neckband-style style pair of earbuds that I mostly enjoyed using.
That means Beats Flex don’t support the new feature in iOS 14 that will automatically switch your earphones over to another device if you start playing audio on it. Right off the bat, I’ll say that if you’ve used BeatsX, then you have a great idea of what to expect with Beats Flex. Beats Flex are a pair of sealing in-ear earphones connected by a wire designed to be worn around the neck. Along the connecting wire are a couple of modules housing the electronics, controls, and battery for Beats Flex, and they sit comfortably at the sides of the neck.
Again, the best sound is experienced outside of music, with Beats’ drivers emphasizing vocals to hear dialogue better. I loved using these buds to take in my daily dose of political news via CNN clips, along with other YouTube content I normally binge during downtimes. Even poorly recorded podcasts like The Game Informer Show received a boost in clarity. Beats keeps the full plastic construction intact, along with the tangle-free wire and magnetized earbud housing, all of which still feel premium. You’ll notice the inline mic and multifunctional button on the left module have been modified for enhanced usability; no more pulling the mic close to your mouth on phone calls. We’re testing with an older iPhone 8 running on the most recent iOS update and find the promised auto-pause functionality when the buds’ magnets click together a little hit and miss.
The simple black cardboard box isn’t much bigger than a deck of cards, there’s virtually no plastic inside or out, and it can all be easily recycled. Our Halloween Tidal playlist continues to Danny Elfman’s orchestral original score, Tales From The Crypt, and the brass section comes through musically strong and full-bodied. The cymbal crashes, darting strings and woodwinds feel slightly recessed, but it’s beats solo pro wireless a competent performance nevertheless. So, while Android users get a basic Bluetooth experience, Apple’s W1 chip here elevates things to the next level for iOS users. Audio Sharing, which lets you connect two pairs of compatible AirPods and Beats to a single device, to simultaneously listen to the same content, is another bonus. The earbuds can magnetically link together when you’re not using them.
They pair easily with iPhone and iPad, but also with Android devices thanks to a very practical app. Externally, the Beats Flex are very similar to the BeatsX with a cable that connects the two headphones and has two small housings. The first contains the control keys and microphone, while the second has an on / off button and a charging port. The included USB-C charging cable is minimalistically short, but gives you enough leeway overall. Fortunately you won’t need to use it constantly, as you’re getting 12 hours of battery life off of each full charge.
On the left side, the three-button remote is gone, replaced by a single, round multi-function button for pause/skip/back and a separate volume rocker on the side. There’s a pill-shaped grille covering the integrated microphone, and on this side you’ll also find the USB-C connector. The Flex-Form cable that conforms to your neck feels a little thinner than what was on the Beats X, so I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly concerned about long-term durability. Beats assured me that the Flex earbuds have passed the company’s usual set of reliability tests. The Beats Flex are simple, colorful in-ears with a neck cable design. They have 11 hours of continuous playback time and can be seamlessly paired with any Apple product, thanks to their W1 chip.
The earbuds magnetically attach to each other when not in use, which pauses the music too. The inside of the left pod has the mic and a multi-function playback and voice assistant button. The Beats Flex are one of the easiest-to-recommend beats studio3 pairs of Beats headphones to date. That’s mostly because of the price, of course, but there are no major mis-steps here either. To see a company like Beats fit this in at $50 would constitute a minor miracle.
It’s intuitive and serviceable for when you want to stop songs to engage in brief chats. Bundled with the earbuds are a USB-C charge connector, quick start guide, warranty card, and four sets of ear tips, in various sizes. The necks of the buds are nicely mounted at a slight angle from the driver housings with the aim of offering a fit that doesn’t tug on the cable when worn. Their integrated mic has a mediocre recording quality, so your voice sounds muffled and thin over the phone. It struggles to separate your voice from background noise, even in moderately loud environments. They also don’t do a very good job isolating you from bass-range noise like rumbling bus and plane engines, although they can passively isolate you from a good amount of mid-range noise like ambient conversation.
From the $250 AirPods Pro to the $150 Powerbeats, where do the Beats Flex fit into Apple’s headphone lineup? These are the headphones you get your kids for Christmas alongside their new Apple Watch or iPhone SE. These are the earbuds you get for working remotely for convenient pairing across your Apple devices. These are the Beats you buy because you can’t justify spending $100 more on those Powerbeats, but you really like the brand.
This works on the Android side as well, though on Android, I’ve noticed it’s possible to hit in your music app and audio will continue playing through the earbuds when they’re hanging on your chest. An iPhone will automatically switch to speaker audio when the earbuds get linked together. I wish there was an option to power the earbuds down when magnetically attached, like the OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2, but pause is all you’ve got. Now, if you’re using the Beats Flex with an iOS device, you’ll get prompts to sync them to your Apple ID and iCloud – which, in total, takes under a minute. The Anker SoundBuds Curve Upgraded 2019 and the Beats Flex Wireless offer similar performances, and depending on your usage, you may prefer one over the other. They also have a better-balanced sound profile and a longer-lasting continuous battery life.