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 task perfectly.

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

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

One of the announcements last week that flew under the radar since it wasn't explicitly mentioned during Apple's event was the introduction...

Attractive price ; Versatile design; Commendable battery life;

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

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

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;

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

Attractive price ; Versatile design; Commendable battery life;

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

Until now, the most affordable set of Beats wireless headphones was the $100 BeatsX. With their balanced sound, easy pairing with iPhones, and excellent call quality, they were a good choice for Beats fans who wanted something smaller and less expensive than the brand’s classic folding wireless headphones. But the BeatsX were released in 2017, and the wireless headphone market has changed a ton since then. True wireless earbuds have become very affordable and the connection problems that once plagued these devices have largely been eradicated. This had the effect of making the BeatsX look unnecessarily pricey given their bulkier, behind-the-neck design. Apple’s response: The $50 Beats Flex. They have all of the features as the BeatsX, which the Flex replaces, but at a dramatically lower price that keeps them in the running when people are considering a new set of earbuds. Did Apple have to cut too many corners to bring the Beats Flex to their remarkably low price, or are these the 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;