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)

: 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

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;

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

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

Do Beats Flex earbuds offer unbeatable value, or should they just beat it?

Good value; 12 hour battery life; Decent sound quality

You’re still paying for the brand; Neckband is a little too long

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;