Review

Beats X headphones review: Apple's AirPod alternatives

The Beats X headphones contain Apple's W1 wireless chip
The Beats X headphones contain Apple's W1 wireless chip

When Apple paid $3 billion (£2.4 billion) for Dr Dre’s Beats in 2014, the major question was: why? The next year, when the Beats music streaming service became Apple Music, the pieces started to come together, but the question remained: what about headphones? The Beats line of headphones seemed distinct, even distant from Apple’s own product strategy.

That was until last September, and the launch of the iPhone 7 (which, in case you hadn’t heard, was missing a headphone jack). When Apple announced the phone, it also unveiled three new sets of wireless Beats headphones, as well as its own AirPod earphones.

It was the first time Beats headphones had shared the stage at an Apple event, and were the first that seemed fully developed under Apple’s ownership. Two of them - the Beats Solo 3 and Powerbeats 3 - were upgrades on previous models, but the third, Beats X, were something new: a “neckbud” design meant for everyday use.

What are they?

The Beats X are wireless, but unlike the AirPods are one unit - connected by a rubber cable that sits on the back of your neck and contains the battery, as well as a remote for changing the volume, pausing and activating Siri, and the on-button.

They are far from the first set of wireless neckbud headphones, but they are the first featuring Apple’s W1 technology (the company’s take on Bluetooth) which means they are a doddle to set up - you just hold down the on button and a screen pops up on your iPhone (iPad, Mac etc) asking if you want to connect. On Android, they work like a regular Bluetooth device - you have to go through the traditional pairing mode.

W1 also means longer-range and greater efficiency: Beats claims a battery life of eight hours, and you get a good 25 to 30 metres range before sound cuts out, so you don’t have to worry about carrying your phone around in your pocket.

How are they to use?

The first test for any set of headphones is comfort. They have to a) not fall out and b) not irritate you when they are in. The Beats X pass on this count: I’ve struggled with Apple’s own AirPods, which don’t feel secure in my ear, but the Beats’ in-ear design has fit perfectly for me. You get four sizes of eartips as well as wingtips for additional sturdiness in the box, but I haven’t had to try them as the default ones fit snugly, even when exercising.

Beats X wires are longer than necessary
The wires are longer than necessary Credit: Beats

Once you get the hang of where to put them on your neck (imagine the bottom of a collar: there), the overall design works pretty well too. When you take the earbuds out of your ear, they connect magnetically and just hang down like a necklace, so unlike solo earbuds or wired headphones, you don’t have to put down somewhere and they don’t tangle up in your bag.

If I have a criticism about the design, it’s that the wires that the earbuds hang on are too long: the amount of spare cable means they billow out a little.

Performance

Bluetooth headphones have been criticised in the past for poor battery life and unreliable connections, but neither charge can be levelled at the Beats X. It’s unclear how much of it is down to Apple’s W1 magic but these work flawlessly and you’re unlikely to run out of power too often.

When you do, the headphones will recharge quickly - Beats claims two hours out of five minutes charging - and unlike other Beats models, they charge through the iPhone’s Lightning cable rather than micro-USB. The headphones come with a cable for Android users, but when you’re using an iPhone the nice thing is that you don’t need two cables.

Beats X
The Beats X stick together with magnets Credit: Beats

It’s when it comes to sound quality that the Beats X let me down. It’s by no means bad, there’s plenty of volume, and the usual criticism of Beats headphones - that there’s too much bass - doesn’t stick here.

The sound is quite even, it just doesn’t feel… alive. The headphones lack a certain clarity and dynamism. Maybe it’s because I liked everything else about them, but I felt a little let down.

Verdict

If, as Apple is betting, wireless headphones are to become standard, they need to be as hassle-free as wired ones. That means a battery that doesn’t run out easily and a flawless connection to your phone - before you even think about sound quality.

The Beats X passes this test with flying colours, especially if you’re an iPhone user and can take advantage of the Apple connectivity tech inside the headphones. They’re comfortable and fit in your ears well, especially if, like me, you struggled with the AirPods.

For the price, I feel that the sound could be better. True audiophiles may want to look elsewhere. But for day-to-day use, the Beats X come highly recommended.

Availability

The Beats X headphones cost £129.95 and are available from John Lewis, Currys and Argos.

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