The Jaybird are better built and have a more neutral sound profile. They also have longer-lasting battery life, and their companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help tweak their sound. The good news is they sound better than both the original BeatsX and standard AirPods. They also work well for making calls and have better battery life than the original. Their design is passe in a world now dominated by true wireless earbuds.
But, if what you truly care about are colors, Beats is staying true to its fashion. Along with the “Beats Black” Flex I’ve been testing, there’s also a “Yuzu Yellow” pair that you beats studio3 can buy right now. “Smoke Gray” and “Flame Blue” colors aren’t launching until “early 2021.” So it’s just as well that’s exactly what the 12-hour battery life is there for.
The controls on the neckband end-caps are not the most intuitive, but they’re easy enough to get used to. There’s a volume rocker on one side, a play/pause/multi-function on the inside of the same side, and a power/pair button on the other side. The design is comfortable enough and easy to wear, but I found the neckband to be less convenient and get in the way.
Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence. If your budget can stretch northwards a little, Earfun’s true wireless option bypasses potential cable beats solo pro wireless noise, sounds better for detail through the higher frequencies and lasts longer before needing a charge. Having cables to the earbuds means you won’t lose them quite as easily as true wireless models. The battery in the Flex lasts for just shy of 12 hours between charges. A 10-minute quick charge when the battery is low provides about 90 minutes of playback.
I don’t expect them to do everything for $50, but if you’re hunting for similarly stylish Beats headphones that will hold up better during workout conditions, you might want to check out the Beats Powerbeats. As soon as I got the bt earbuds the package was a red flag….I thought man they must be using a super slim wall adapter to charge via the “usb-c” cable. Be advised that if your newer computer doesn’t have a direct port for usb-c …
Thankfully, the neckband houses a USB-C input, so you can charge this with the same cable that charges your Android phone and laptop. Beats Flex uses a USB-C connector for charging, which is a first for the company.Apple — make up your mind about USB-C! These are the first USB-C headphones in the Beats line up. In fact, there’s only a USB-C to USB-C cable included so hopefully you own a power adapter with a USB-C port. Hopefully, this is a sign that Apple will soon ditch lightning cables altogether so that we can have one USB charging standard to rule them all.