Cheap Bluetooth Beats are lightweight, comfy, and provide great compatibility for both iPhone and Android. They also provide long-lasting performance
The most recent Beats line of earbuds from Apple offers the popular Studio Buds’ features, fit, and sound quality in a more compact, cost-effective, and long-lasting container.
The Solo Buds maximise the greatest elements of both platforms by offering complete interaction with Apple and Google’s Android devices, following in the footsteps of last year’s Buds+.
Beats has, however, removed a few features in order to lower the price to £80 (€90/$80/A$130), which is half the price of their other genuine wireless buds.
They bear a striking resemblance to the Studio Buds and Buds+, keeping their small, pill-shaped form but making minor adjustments for increased comfort and little ear contact. They fit nicely, are lightweight, and provide four different earbud tip sizes.
Volume adjustments, playback controls, and phone voice assistant access are all controlled via a discrete button located above the “b” logo. They don’t halt the audio when taken out of your ears, in contrast to AirPods.
The Solo Buds, in contrast to conventional earbuds, do not include a rechargeable battery in their casing. In fact, a strong battery that may last up to 18 hours of playing between charges powers each earbud.
Although the earphones may still be recharged via a USB-C cable, the case’s portability is increased by being 40% smaller and 55% lighter due to the absence of an internal battery. In place of a case the purpose light, the earbuds emit a chime while they are charging or in pairing mode.
Further information
The device has Bluetooth 5.3, SBC, and AAC connectivity. Its battery lasts for 18 hours. It is not water resistant.
Case Dimensions: 34.7 x 66.1 x 23.7 mm; Case Weight: 22 g; Drivers: 8.2 mm; Earbud Weight: 5.7 g each; Earbud Dimensions: 16.7 x 18.5 x 18.9 mm; Charging: USB-C
Perfect for iPhone or Android
Like the recently released Solo 4 and Studio Buds+, Beats shines in terms of broad cross-platform compatibility with both iOS and Android.
Compared to competitors, it provides a greater level of integration with iPhones, enabling rapid settings management and instant pairing that only needs to be done once to be used with iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple devices. Moreover, you may utilise two pairs of headphones with a single device thanks to the audio sharing feature.
Many of the same capabilities are available for Android or Google devices, including spatial audio compatibility with compatible Pixel devices and quick pairing, syncing, and switching between Google devices. Settings, battery widgets, controls, and more are available in the Beats Android app.
In addition, the earbuds work with both Apple and Google’s Find My services, so you can track them down on either platform in case you misplace them.
There is no noise cancellation, but the sound quality is still good
The only means of noise cancellation on the Solo Buds is the silicone earbud tip; noise cancelling has been left out in order to reduce cost. They perform fairly well when playing music, but they don’t block out commuter noise as well as the Buds+.
They do, however, use the same drivers as Beats’ more costly earbuds, which produces great sound quality at a reasonable cost. Their tone is agreeable and well-balanced, with a solid bottom that harmonises well with the high notes and treble. The buds avoid any harsh or tinny tones and work well with a wide range of musical genres. Although they provide good tone separation, there are certain areas where they lack detail, thus they might not be up to pace with the best in the business.
The lack of an equaliser and other adjusting choices, along with the absence of the company’s more expensive buds’ spatial audio technology, lessens the immersive experience of watching TV episodes and movies on Apple products. On Pixel smartphones, Google’s spatial audio technology is compatible with the Solo Buds.
The call quality was excellent, successfully cancelling out background noise in both noisy and quiet street settings. On the other hand, my voice sounded a little compressed.
Sustainability
Although Apple does not state how long the batteries should last, it is anticipated that they will hold at least 80% of their initial capacity for more than 500 full charge cycles.
In addition to offering an after-warranty “battery service,” Apple does not release environmental impact data for peripherals such as headphones. The business provides free recycling programmes and trade-in options, including for non-Apple goods.
Price
The cost of the Beats Solo Buds is £79.99 (€89.95/$79.99/A$129.95).
For example, the Apple AirPods 3 cost £169, the Beats Studio Buds cost £160, the Studio Buds+ cost £180, the Fairphone Fairbuds cost £129, and the Nothing Ear (1) costs £89.
Conclusion
Better than their competitors at striking a balance between the Android and Apple ecosystems, the Solo Buds are great low-cost earphones.
At a mere £80, they provide more than just the essentials, including great sound quality, an extended battery life, a small case, and a snug fit. Although complete iPhone integration is usually limited to Apple products, they offer a very comparable experience on Android devices via the Beats app.
There are a few things missing in comparison to the brand’s more expensive buds and certain competitors; the biggest one being the absence of noise cancelling, which may be a deal breaker for some. They also don’t have Apple spatial audio, water resistance, or hands-free Siri support. Nevertheless, given the cost, these might be forgiven.
One point is deducted since the earphones are eventually disposable due to the lack of user-replaceable batteries and repairable parts.
