The older Beats X used Lightning, so you could use the same cable to juice them up as you used to charge your phone. If you’re familiar with the Beats X, the £150 headphones these are replacing, then these look very similar. That comparison, more so than any other, feels the most pertinent as we hurtle toward the big iPhone 12 release date.
Although this falls short of the listed specification, you can always rely on the quick charge feature, which gives you an extra 90 minutes after just 10 minutes on the charger. Thankfully, the neckband houses a USB-C input, so you can charge this with the same cable that charges your Android phone and laptop. The price is very fair for what you get — you’ll be hard pushed to find a better pair of wireless earphones at the price. I listen to dance-y tracks when beats studio3 I run outside, and though the Flex lacks active noise cancellation, I couldn’t hear much ambient street noise while I pounded the pavement. Saweetie’s “Tap In,” which uses Too Short’s signature “Blow the Whistle” hook, absolutely slaps on the Flex, as does Bad Bunny’s “Yo Perreo Sola,” which features a classic reggaeton beat and drums. The underlying heart of the Beats Flex for pairing is Apple’s own W1 chip, as found in the original generation of AirPods.
The smarts that come from the W1 chip is great to have at this price and the sound quality is ok, if a bit flat. 3Testing conducted by Apple in August 2020 using preproduction Beats Flex and software paired with iPhone 11 Pro Max units and prerelease software. (This isn’t really about comfort, but whatever.) It’s also a simple sort of app—there’s no EQ or customizable controls, really.
They barely leak sound and are also able to cut down ambient chatter around you. Suppose your product fails due to a manufacturing defect in the battery and the Apple One Year Limited Warranty still covers it on consumer law. In that case, they will either repair your product or replace it.
But, because a significant part of that weight rests on your strong neck and shoulders, they feel very lightweight. So, you’d expect Beats to have put more battery power in there, and you’d be right. Once you get close to a quarter of an ounce in each ear, they start to feel heavy and uncomfortable.
You shouldn’t purchase it for close listening and if you are a hardcore audiophile. Their audio quality is good for the price but cannot meet up the standard or need of an audiophile. The Beats Flex work nicely as running and gym earphones, even without official IP ratings or water resistance. They are stable enough for moderate exercise, sports, and fitness activities. You will remain energized by their bass-heavy sound profile at the gym.