Beats X Earphone Review

The Beats X is a wireless earphone that is designed mainly for iOS devices but can also be paired up with Android devices.

However, don't expect it to perform its functionalities at the same level when used with an iOS device.

The Apple W1 chip inside is primarily the key for its excellent performance (with an iOS device, mainly) and gives it a sleeker overall design.

You will also notice that the Beats X comes with compatibility with the new Lightning cable that gives it exceptionally fast charging time.

The neckband design also makes it extremely comfortable to wear when you are out and about.

While the design is not exactly new or revolutionary, Beats X certainly hits all the right tones in its appearance.

So, with its somewhat higher price tag, how does it fare when compared to other well-known wireless earphone brands in the market? Let's find out.

The Beats X earphones take cues with its design from the neckband-style which connects the two earbuds but does not feature a 3.5mm cable to connect it to your device.

It is entirely wireless, and with its Flex-Form cable design, incredibly comfortable to wear around your neck.

If you are not fond of the completely wireless earbuds (like the AirPods) due to its affinity to losing one pair, this neckband-style wireless earphone is an excellent alternative.

The Flex-Form technology applied to the earphone's cable also gives it an anti-tangle aspect thanks to its flat appearance.

We have regularly placed and removed it from our pockets without encountering a tangled mess – a problem shared with standard wired earphones. 

All the in-line controls and batteries are located on the cable that connects the two earbuds. You don't need to worry about an overcomplicated layout here.

The controls are pretty basic and straightforward. It features the standard control schemes like volume control, track skip, and volume.

It also has a built-in microphone for phone and voice/video calls. The mic also helps you access Siri if you that feature installed.

Another noteworthy aspect of the Beats X earphones is its water-resistant construction. Keyword being water-resistant NOT waterproof.

This means it can withstand the occasional slight drizzle or sweat when you're out and about jogging or at the gym. Don't bring them for a swim, though.

When not in use, you can easily snap both earbuds together thanks to the built-in magnets.

This effectively turns the earphone into a neckband so you won't need to place them in your pocket at all.

The Beats X also comes with four different ear tips so you can choose which one feels the most comfortable for you.

You will also find two sets of wings that you can attach to improve the Beats further X stability when worn, an excellent feature for when you are working out.

Overall, the Beats X earphone features a pretty standard design but manages to pull out all the stops in optimizing its overall look and functionality.

This is a well-built wireless earphone with welcome added elements such as water-resistance to give it an edge against some of its competition.

In terms of comfort, some people like earphones and some simply avoid it altogether.

We can understand why some prefer wearing headphones over headsets though.

Some have exceptionally more sensitive ears and plugging the ear canal with a headset will cause levels of discomfort.

Now, if you are those who have no issues wearing earphones, then the Beats X is certainly right up there as one of the most comfortable in this category.

You get to choose up to four different sizes of ear tips that improve upon overall comfort. The balanced weight distributed throughout the earphone will also make it extremely comfortable to wear.

Most of the weight coming from the in-line control and batteries are all focused around the middle part of the cable.

This allows for adequate support as the heaviest part of this earphone is all situated around your shoulders and neck, which prevents the headset itself from accidentally being pulled off when you are mobile.

Overall, the Beats X earphones are compact, comfortable, and quite easy to wear whether you are using it or not.

The built-in magnet closes the loop, which allows you to wear it like a necklace whenever you are not using the earphones.

Use it again be simply unsnapping the two earphones from each other, that's a novel but quite a handy feature to have here.

Now, let us bite into the meat of this review, the sound quality of the Beats X earphone.

For a headset of this price range, it is only natural for us to expect to deliver sound quality comparable to other earphones/headphones within the same price bracket, right?

The thing you need to realize about Beats products is that it has the dubious reputation of being considered as overpriced.

With that said, we do notice some slight imbalance in regards to its audio quality which we will touch upon further in this review.

Before we go down to the nitty-gritty of the Beats X sound quality, let us go over the positives first – and there are several of them to go through.

While the sound quality won't be winning over any audiophiles, it is still able to deliver some impressive levels that will please most music lovers.

Beats are always known for their focus on providing earth-shattering bass, which may turn off more traditional listeners.

Surprisingly enough, the Beats X focuses on delivering an even playing field for the low, mid, and high-range audio frequency. This is one of their more customer-friendly entries into the market, no doubt.

Yes, you heard that right – this Beats earphone will not deliver that overpowering bass that its predecessors were known for.

Instead, it seems that Beats is looking to broaden their appeal with some of their more recent offerings, Beats X included.

This might be a dealbreaker depending on your taste in music, but overall it is a safe transition that throws a broader net instead of focusing on a specific demographic.

Now, how does the sound quality fair? You might be slightly disappointed with the answer here.

Overall, Beats X played it safe in regards to audio quality, to its detriment, it may seem.

While the sound quality never felt flat or drab, it felt less enthusiastic or energetic than previous Beats headphones and other headphones of the same price.

One other shortcoming of the Beats X that I noticed is its relatively weak sound cancellation capability.

You can still get distracted by the occasional passing vehicle passing on the road and even the voices of people talking.

To counter-balance its rather weak noise-canceling capability, the Beats X delivers top-notch noise leakage prevention.

I was surprised when nobody else in the car noticed me pumping up the volumes on my Beats X to the max.

Of course, I don't recommend you listen to your music at damaging eardrum levels, but it was nice to know that even at its peak, the Beats X managed to contain the sound exclusively to the listener.

The Beats X wireless earphone is compatible with Siri and provides outstanding performance in regards to voice calls.

The controls are streamlined to provide quick and easy operation (e.g. one-click to answer calls and two-clicks to hang up). Sound clarity during voice calls is also top-notch on both ends.

Additionally, the Apple W1 chip is a godsend for those who use iOS devices as the Beats X can seamlessly pair up with your device in a jiffy.

Thanks to the Apple W1 chip, any Apple device within the range of the Beats X will immediately and automatically find it and prompt you if you want to sync with earphones or not.

This Bluetooth technology also helps optimize battery use which improves upon battery life significantly.

Of course, Android users who use NFC are familiar with this feature, but for iOS users, this is still relatively new. Battery life clocks in at a pretty solid 8 hours top on a single full charge.

It will last you a couple of days if you primarily use your earphones during commutes. Usage will also factor in as we managed to squeeze the Beats X battery over 8 hours.

We do feel that longevity won't be on the Beats X's side as the Quick Charge feature is known to burn out batteries relatively quicker than standard chargers.

However, the ability to fill up around 25% of your battery within just a couple of minutes is an excellent ability for those who are always on the move.