Beats Solo Buds Review
The Beats Solo Buds, Apple’s latest TWS headset, was launched in India after its US debut, offering extended playback time on a single charge.
Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, this model features customizable buttons on each earphone, aiming to compete in a crowded market segment.
Pricing and Availability
Priced at Rs.6,900 in India, the Beats Solo Buds come in various color options, including Arctic Purple, Matte Black, Storm Gray, and Transparent Red. The review unit provided was the purple variant.
Beats Solo Buds Design
The Beats Solo Buds have a sleek and attractive design that is both stylish and comfortable.
The dimensions of the buds are 24x66x35mm for the case and 19x20x18.5mm for each earphone. They are lightweight, with the case weighing 22g and each earphone weighing 5.7g.
Comfortable and Lightweight Design
The Beats Solo Buds are designed to be comfortable to wear for extended periods, with a lightweight construction that makes them easy to carry around. The dimensions and weight of the buds ensure a snug fit and a pleasant user experience.
Affordable TWS Earphones by Beats
Beats has introduced its most affordable TWS earphones that maintain the brand’s signature design language.
These earphones closely resemble the pricier Beats Studio Buds+ model in terms of size and design, featuring a plastic body with a stem-free design and prominently displaying the company’s logo on each earphone.
The Beats Solo Buds headset features a light purple plastic body with a matte finish and slightly darker panels with buttons on each earbud.
It offers four ear tip sizes for a comfortable fit, but only provides passive noise isolation, unlike its pricier counterparts.
Comfort and Controls of Beats Solo Buds Headset
The Beats Solo Buds headset offers a comfortable fit due to its rounded design, although the in-ear style makes the user aware of their presence. The earphones are lightweight and compatible with both iOS and Android platforms, offering customizable controls for call management, media playback, and volume adjustments. Apple provides built-in controls for iOS devices, while Android users need to download a companion app from Apple’s support website for additional functionality.
When unboxing the Beats Solo Buds, the pairing process is seamless as it automatically prompts on iOS, Android, and Windows 10 devices. There is no dedicated button for pairing, making it effortless. To pair with another device, simply hold the button on either earphone for three seconds to initiate the process.
Beats Solo Buds Performance
Beats Solo Buds TWS headset offers a satisfactory performance with a dynamic driver and custom acoustic design. It lacks features like active noise cancellation and seamless switching between Apple devices. Despite the absence of equalizer controls, the soundstage is good, making it suitable for various music genres. The battery life is up to 18 hours, and it uses Bluetooth version 5.3.
The Beats Solo Buds provide ample separation between mid and low frequencies, allowing tracks like The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights to shine. However, there was some distortion at high volumes during Save Your Tears.
Despite less aggressive lows compared to other models, the Beats Solo Buds offer balanced audio, outperforming competitors in the same price range. The absence of active noise cancellation is a drawback, requiring higher volume in noisy environments, which is disappointing given the availability of this feature in lower-priced competitors.
Beats Solo Buds Review: Verdict
The Beats Solo Buds offer a balanced sound signature, long battery life, and compatibility with both iOS and Android devices. However, the compact charging case does not provide additional power, limiting the overall battery life.
Another drawback of the Beats Solo Buds is the absence of active noise cancellation (ANC), a feature commonly found in TWS wireless headsets around the Rs. 5,000 mark. This missing feature may lead to potential ear damage due to high volume levels outdoors.
However, if you prioritize sound quality and do not require ANC, the Beats Solo Buds could still be a suitable choice, especially for Apple device users. Other alternatives in this price range with ANC and good audio quality include the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro, Nothing Ear (1), and OnePlus Buds 3, all offering multipoint connectivity support as well.
