Beats Solo Buds Review: Buoyed by Apple, but misses out on THIS essential feature

Beats Solo Buds Review: Beats, a brand owned by Apple, has recently launched its products in India, including the wireless Beats Solo Buds. Priced under Rs 7,000, the earbuds appear promising with seamless performance and an impressive first look. Additionally, the integration of Apple’s chip enhances its worth further. In this review, we will analyse the features of this device and assess its standing in the segment. 

Beats Solo Buds Review: Design

The Beats Solo Buds are housed in one of the smallest cases, featuring an overall compact design with a matte finish. Despite being made of plastic, the matte finish gives it a decent look and prevents fingerprint smudges. Weighing just 22g, the device sports a minimal, yet aesthetically pleasing design. The hinge mechanism is sturdy, offering a satisfying feel when opening and closing the case. It has a USB-C port on the rear side for charging, though the absence of a battery indicator or charging light is a clear downside. 

The buds themselves follow the same compact design as the case, being small and lightweight, and magnetically attached to the case. The outward-facing section of the buds features the Beats logo. The pinched top section facilitates easy handling. Offered with four extra silicone tips, catering to different ear sizes, the buds ensure a snug fit. 

Beats Solo Buds Review: Connectivity options

The Beats Solo Buds are compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The device supports Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device services, allowing users to find the device if misplaced. Much like Apple’s AirPods, the Beat Solo Buds enjoy seamless integration with Apple devices, allowing them to be handled through iOS settings. However, a companion app is to be downloaded for Android. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.3 support. 

Beats Solo Buds Review: Features

Each earbud has one physical button that offers single-press, double-press, and press-and-hold actions. While competitors at this price point often offer intuitive touch controls, the physical control button may fail to impress some users, lacking convenience and modern appeal. The press-and-hold functionality can be customised to activate Siri on Apple devices and Google Assistant on the Android ecosystem. Users can also use it to control the volume. 

Beats Solo Buds Review: Sound Quality and Specifications

The company claims that the Beat Solo Buds feature a dynamic driver with two layers, supported by a custom acoustic design and vents. This setup helps to reduce air pressure while wearing the earphones. However, the device does not support multipoint connectivity and there is no equaliser control on either iOS or Android. Despite this, it delivers good output across a range of tracks, from classical music to rock. 

The sound signature of the Beat Solo Budsleans towards a bass-heavy output. The sound quality is best between 75-85 per cent volume, offering modest bass. At various volume levels, sound signature changes. While the mids and highs remain largely inconsistent, the lows feel less aggressive. A more balanced sound quality could have given the device a clear edge over competitors.

Beats Solo Buds Review: ANC and call quality

One major drawback is that it lacks Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which other brands offer at the same price point or even lower. The call quality, however, is good, thanks to a microphone on each earphone, which is claimed to make use of a custom machine-learning algorithm to reduce environmental noise.

Beats Solo Buds Review: Battery

The Beat Solo Buds give a playback time of up to 18 hours on a single charge. However, the case does not feature a built-in battery, implying you’ll need to plug in the charger, once you place the buds inside the case, to charge the buds. The case is compatible with the Type-C port. 

Beats Solo Buds Review: Verdict

The Beat Solo Buds offer some standout features, such as seamless connectivity with both iOS and Android devices, one of the longest battery backups on a single charge, and a near-balanced sound quality. However, some drawbacks, such as the charging case lacking additional power and the absence of ANC support, may impact the appeal. Overall, the Beat Solo Buds are a solid choice for users seeking a device with a balanced profile and seamless integration. 

Beats Solo Buds Review: Pros and Cons
 

Beats Solo Buds: Pros

- Good calling quality

- Compact and lightweight design

- Decent sound quality

- Seamless integration with iOS and Android

Beats Solo Buds: Cons

- No ANC support

- Case does not offer additional battery

- No battery or charging indicator