Not worth for the price

The Beats Pill+ is a small wireless speaker. However, it's totally different to the Pill and Pill 2.0 that came before. Slightly larger and using bigger bass drivers, the Pill+ is the first small Beats speaker that really sounds bigger than it is. It's a very significant, long overdue upgrade.

Smart splashproof design; Goes pretty loud; Best-sounding small Pill yet

Harsh and coarse at higher volumes; Bass power drops a bit at low volumes; Fairly expensive; No apt-X or NFC

This will be a bitter pill to swallow for Apple, which has no doubt improved what's always been a very average speaker line living off its street cred. Being under Apple's wing can only do Beats more favours.

Multiroom aspirations; Decent battery life; Clean; compact design

Not waterproof; Lacks expression; App not UK-ready yet; Pricey for the performance

Let's get this out of the way; the original Beats Pill wasn't my favorite Bluetooth speaker – it was bass-heavy and uncontrolled. I didn't like its bigger Pill XL sibling, either, as I'm not a huge fan potential fire risks .

Great build quality; Gets loud; Charges your phone

Uncontrolled bass; Piercing highs; Distortion at high volumes

With sound still not up to scratch, the latest Pill leaves us prescribing better and more affordable rivals It's a bitter pill to swallow for Apple, which has no doubt improved an average speaker line living off the brand's street cred – just not by enough.

Big; clear sound; Can pair speakers; Good integration for Apple users; USB phone charging; Good weight

Price; Struggles at high volume; Rivals are more expressive and dynamic

I had been looking at this for some time and finally purchased one. I am SO pleased with the sound that comes out of this little pill. Others may claim to do the same but this is unbelievable sound. I hook it up to my phone and it works like a charm.

Multiroom aspirations; Decent battery life; Clean, compact design;

Not waterproof; Lacks expression; App not UK-ready yet; Pricey for the performance;

The smallest Bluetooth speaker from Beats, the Pill+ ($229.95) is still able to deliver powerful audio from its modest, attractive frame. If you're expecting truly massive bass, you'll need to look elsewhere, but the Pill+ provides a clean, well-defined, balanced listening experience, a port for...

Rich, distortion-free audio with well-defined highs; USB port for charging mobile devices; Functions as a speakerphone

Drivers not angled for best sound quality; Lacks truly deep bass response; High price

At £190 the Beats Pill+ isn't a bad portable speaker, but it's overpriced and can't stand up against better performing competitors that cost less cash.

Best looking Pill design to date; Reasonable battery life; Loud output; Pair two for stereo/amplified output

Sound limitations; Limited bass; No NFC; Some Bluetooth connectivity issues; Pops/clicks/drop-outs; Competition offer more for less money

The smallest Bluetooth speaker from Beats, the Pill+ ($229.95) is still able to deliver powerful audio from its modest, attractive frame. If you're expecting truly massive bass, you'll need to look elsewhere, but the Pill+ provides a clean, well-defined, balanced listening experience, a port for charging your mobile devices, and a built-in speakerphone for fielding calls on the go. There's plenty of strong competition in this price range, however, and most of it offers more in the way of features and/or audio performance. DesignMeasuring 2.5 by 2.7 by 8.3 inches (HWD) and weighing in at a surprisingly hefty 1.7 pounds, the Pill+ has an oblong, slender contour that will fit fairly easily in a tote, but less so in smaller bags. Available in matte black or white, the Pill+ has a minimalist design—other than the familiar Beats logo on the upper panel, there are few flourishes. The Apple effect (Apple purchased beats in 2014) is noticeable only in subtle ways—the connection point for t...

The portable Beats Pill+ speaker delivers strong Bluetooth audio for its size, USB charging, and speakerphone functionality, but it's priced a bit high compared with the competition.

Rich, distortion-free audio with well-defined highs; USB port for charging mobile devices; Functions as a speakerphone

Drivers not angled for best sound quality; Lacks truly deep bass response; High price