Beats Flex is a good pair of headphones and a decent choice if you’re picking up an iPhone 12 and don’t want to spend more on AirPods. The smarts that come from the W1 chip is great to have at this price and the sound quality is ok, if a bit flat.

Some AirPod smarts for a lot less; Neckband design can be useful; USB-C is great for Android users; They're cheap

Sound quality is a little bit flat; USB-C annoying for iPhone users; No sweat resistance makes them harder to recommend for the gym

It's hard to imagine a more complete pair of affordable neckband in-ears on the market right now, whether you're an iPhone or Android user. If all you need is something that stays around your neck all day and lets you conveniently answer calls and listen to music, Beats' budget in-ears will fit the...

Flexible and durable design; Lightweight and convenient to wear; Sound is genuinely brilliant for the money; W1 chip for easy iPhone pairing

In-ear feel a bit pressured at times; Fit sometimes needs adjusting as no ear fins; No official waterproof rating (although is weather resistant)

A solid, decent-sounding set of entry-level wireless in-ears – and you’ll never worry about losing one

Punchy lows; Durable build; Extra features for iOS users

Treble is rounded off; Fit may be an issue

The Beats Flex bring the brand-name wireless headphones to the masses at a lower price, but it’s not without making some big sacrifices in sound quality and design. We don’t love them as much as the top-tier AirPods Pro or even the Powerbeats Pro, but if you just bought a new iPhone and want a pair...

Affordable price; Fast-charging; Auto-play/pause

Sound is a steep v-shape; Tricky fit without wingtips; Limited codec support

The Beats Flex are a set of good value, feature-rich Bluetooth earbuds from Apple. They are significantly cheaper than their predecessors and Apple’s AirPods, but little has been sacrificed in sound or function.

long battery life; good sound; W1 chip; good with Android or iPhone; seamless device switching; instant pairing; good controls; USB-C charging; good value for premium earbuds.

not water resistant; W1 older than H1 and lacks automatic switching between Apple devices; neckband design may not suit everyone; not repairable; battery not replaceable.

: Available for just £50, the Beats Flex do nearly everything you could ask for at this price

Excellent sound for the money; Auto-pause; Solid battery life

No waterproofing; Nothing else of note at this price

So close to being brilliant, the Flex still represent fifty quid well spent

Attractive price; Versatile design; Commendable battery life

Hit and miss sound; Not true wireless; No sweat or water resistance

It’s fair to say that the big Beats Flex news last week got buried under confirmation that you won’t get headphones in the iPhone 12 box. Apple’s thinking is that most people either have earbuds already, or have their eye on something more rewarding than the old, bundled EarPods – for those who...

Most affordable Beats earbuds so far; Apple W1 makes pairing easy; Music quality punches above the price tag; Great battery life

Doesn't get Apple's newest audio chipset; Auto-pause is a little clunky; Beats doesn't include a carrying pouch; No water resistance

The Beats Flex earphones offers a bass-forward sound signature and the easy connectivity of Apple’s W1 chip for just $50.

Affordable; Powerful; bass-forward performance; Apple's W1 chip provides seamless integration with iOS devices and audio sharing functionality

No water-resistance rating; USB-C charging only

“12-hour battery life, great sound, and a killer price make them hard to beat.”

Great price; Comfortable; Very good sound quality; Very good call quality; Easy pairing with Apple products

Quick charging is slower than BeatsX; Controls can be a bit finicky to use; USB-C charging cable doesn’t fit regular USB ports; No official IPX rating