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.
They have wires connecting the earbuds to each other but Bluetooth to the phone. It goes without saying, but at this price the Beats Flex also doesn’t offer noise cancellation, either. He currently focuses on audio, reviewing the most coveted beats flex review headphones in the market for both Tom’s Guide and Laptop Magazine. Beats’ upgraded mic array does provide improved voice calling, though the Beats Flex’s call quality remains a level below any of the Powerbeats models and the BeatsX.
Apple products are always expensive, so we were pleasantly surprised by the £99/$99 price tag of the newHomePod mini. And, without making any big fuss, the Apple-owned Beats By Dr Dre has released another product that offers great value for money, in the form of the new Beats Flex earbuds. On the contrary, I’d argue the Beats Flex offer a more enjoyable listen than the pricier Powerbeats Pro, high praise indeed for a pair of headphones that cost less than a third of the price. Despite that, they’re comfortable to wear for extended periods and the earbuds are magnetic so they’ll stay locked together around your neck when not in use. Rather neatly, they’ll also pause the music automatically when clipped together and play again when you pull them apart.
The Beats Flex is great for everyday use because the soft-touch plastic makes the headset very lightweight at just 18.6 grams. This is good if you plan to have the neckband on all day, as you’ll barely feel the buds weighing you down. The cables are very long, so you’ll deal with long loops where the earbuds connect to the neckband.
It holds the power button on the bottom ridge — exactly opposite the USB jack. The button also has a multi-color LED that lets you know when the Flex is charging, connected or in pairing mode. And its location, resting against your collarbone, means you won’t mistake the power control for the volume buttons on the top of the other side.
However, we would have liked the cable between the two boxes to be a little longer, especially if it rests on a jacket and not directly on the neck. Beats Flex wireless earphones are an affordable alternative to the brand’s $150 Powerbeats. Right now, you can nab them for an incredibly low price before Prime Day.
There’s no “Hey Siri” built-in, no carrying case, no wireless charging, and they lack the more advanced microphone and voice isolating technology. That said, they sound great, offer good noise isolation, a great battery, and are both sweat and water-resistant. Plus, USB-C charging is more future-proof than any other Apple headphones right now. They’re great for the price if you’re looking for everyday headphones that sound good and last through workouts.
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 Beats app for Android lets you check battery level and adjust settings. The Flex are the first Beats earbuds to use a USB-C connector. These headphones aren’t compatible with the Xbox consoles. The Beats Flex are Bluetooth-only headphones, and you beats studio3 can’t use them wired. While you can use them via Bluetooth on PCs, their latency is likely too high to be recommended for gaming. We purchase our own headphones and put them under the same test bench, so that you can compare the results easily.