Apple’s latest Beats-branded earbuds offer the sound, fit and Android-loving features of its popular Studio Buds but in a smaller, much cheaper and longer-lasting package.
The Solo Buds follow in the footsteps of last year’s Buds+, offering full integration with Apple’s various devices and Google’s Android, making the best of both platforms.
But Beats has cut a few features here and there to reduce the price to £80 (€90/$80/A$130), which is half the cost of the brand’s other true wireless buds.
They look remarkably similar to the Studio Buds and Buds+, keeping the compact pill shape but with a little refinement in the shape that touches fewer parts of my ear for even greater comfort. They feel light and fit very well, with a range of four sizes of earbud tips included.
A hidden button just above the “b” logo handles playback controls and access to your phone’s voice assistant, or adjusts volume. They do not pause the music when you take them out of your ears, as happens with AirPods, however.
Unlike most earbuds, the Solo Buds do not have a battery in their case from which they charge when not in use. Instead, each earbud contains a beefy battery that lasts for a good 18 hours of playback between charges.
The case still recharges the earbuds when connected to a USB-C cable, but without an onboard battery it is 40% smaller and 55% lighter – making it much more pocketable. The earbuds play a chime when charging or put into pairing mode in lieu of an indicator light on the case.
Specifications
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, SBC, AAC
Battery life: 18 hours
Water resistance: none
Drivers: 8.2mm
Earbud weight: 5.7g each
Earbud dimensions: 16.7 x 18.5 x 18.9mm
Case weight: 22g
Case dimensions: 34.7 x 66.1 x 23.7mm
Charging: USB-C
Great for Android or iPhone
As with the recent Studio Buds+ and Solo 4, the big advantage of Beats is their extensive cross-compatibility with Android and iOS.
They have greater integration with an iPhone than their competitors, access to controls through quick settings, and instant pairing that only needs to be done once to use them across your iPhones, iPads, Macs and other Apple products. You also get the option of audio sharing to use two sets of headphones with one device.
For Android or Google devices, they support many of the same features, including instant pairing, syncing and switching between Google devices, plus spatial audio with compatible Pixel devices. The Beats Android app offers controls, battery widgets, settings and other features.
The earbuds also integrate into Apple’s and Google’s Find My systems, so you can locate them if you misplace them, regardless of platform.
Good sound but no noise cancelling
One of the big things that has been cut to reach a cheaper price is noise cancelling, so the Solo Buds rely entirely on the silicone earbud tip to block out the outside world. With music playing, they do a reasonable job, but they cannot cut out the rumble of the commute quite like the Buds+.
They do, however, have the same drivers as Beats’ more expensive earbuds and therefore sound very good for the money. They produce a great, easy-listening sound with decent bass that is balanced well with the treble and high notes. The buds sound good across a range of genres and never sound shrill or tinny. They have solid separation of tones but lack a bit of detail here and there, so won’t trouble the very best in the business.
No equaliser or other adjustments are available, and they also lack the spatial audio tech from the company’s higher-priced buds, which makes movies and TV shows less immersive watched on Apple devices. The Solo Buds are compatible with Google’s spatial audio system on Pixel devices, however.
Call quality was very good in quiet or noisy street environments, successfully blocking background noise from getting on to the call, although my voice sounded slightly compressed.
Sustainability
Apple does not provide an expected lifespan for the batteries, but they should last in excess of 500 full-charge cycles with at least 80% of their original capacity.
Apple will offer an out-of-warranty “battery service”, but does not publish environmental impact reports for accessories such as headphones. The company offers trade-in and free recycling schemes, including for non-Apple products.
Price
The Beats Solo Buds cost £79.99 (€89.95/$79.99/A$129.95).
For comparison, the Beats Studio Buds cost £160 and Studio Buds+ cost £180, the Apple AirPods 3 cost £169, the Fairphone Fairbuds cost £129, and the Nothing Ear (a) cost £89.
Verdict
The Solo Buds are a set of great budget earbuds that tread the line between Android and Apple platforms better than competitors.
They get far more than just the basics right for only £80, with good sound, very long battery life, a tiny case and a very comfortable fit. Full integration into an iPhone is only something an Apple-made product can manage, and they offer very similar on Android using the Beats app.
There are a few things missing compared to the brand’s more expensive buds and some competitors, with a lack of noise cancelling being the biggest, which may be a deal-breaker for some. They also have no hands-free Siri support and no water resistance rating or Apple spatial audio. But these are things you might be able to overlook for the price.
The battery is not replaceable and the earbuds are not repairable, ultimately making them disposable and losing them a star.
Pros: good sound, cross-platform compatibility with enhanced features for iPhone and Android, great battery life, tiny case, small and comfortable for extended periods, solid button controls, lower cost.
Cons: no noise cancelling, no Apple spatial audio, do not pause music on removal, not repairable.
