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

: 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

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

The new $50 Beats Flex are a very smart play from Apple’s Beats division. One reason why is obvious: with the iPhone 12 lineup no longer shipping with included earbuds, this neckband-style option could prove to be a popular substitute.

Improved battery life; USB-C connector; Easy-to-use controls

Not rated for sweat resistance; So-so noise isolation; No automatic device switching

Beats’ most affordable wireless earbuds give you basic on-board controls with AirPod-level quick pairing. The Flex has longer battery life than the BeatsX as well, but the overall sound quality is not great.

$50; 12-hour battery life; Full suite of on-board controls; Quick pairing via W1 chip

Inconsistent audio performance; Design may be awkward for some; No hands-free Siri; No sound or controls customization

Apple just launched a new Beats headphone model. To replace the BeatsX wireless neckband earbuds, Beats Flex is an even more paired down set of basic headphones. There isn't a whole lot going on with these super low-cost headphones, but considering they're from Apple and they're part of the Beats...

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;

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;