REVIEW: Beats Flex, the lightweight wireless headphones

Embracing different audience profiles, many manufacturers choose to delimit consumers based on their purchasing power – and, consequently, on the price of the products. in the universe tech, in particular, there is a “sieve” between basic, intermediate and top-of-the-line levels. More plural brands (generally the ones that produce smartphones) have this division in terms that are quite obvious to the buyer's eyes, but the same doesn't usually happen with those that focus on the premium line.

One that breaks the rule (and is an example of this) is the Apple , a company that not long ago launched the 12 iPhone Mini as a compact version of the line flagship of cell phones. By the way, the device arrived in Brazil costing between 7 and 9 thousand reais, while the biggest and best edition of the iPhone 12 came out for more than R$14 thousand. O iPhone XR can be considered another example, even if older, of an exclusive approach to those who want a more basic experience with high standard products.

Therefore, it is surprising that a “brand” such as Beats (acquired by Apple in 2014), has entered into this same line of reasoning when launching the wireless headset BeatsFlex, aimed at consumers who have always dreamed of having an item stamped with the iconic “b” around their necks, without having to make a big investment. In the last few days I was able to test this newcomer and I will tell you here in this review my experience and, above all, how much it is worth.

Design and highlights

Evolution of beats X, 2017 model, the Beats Flex arrived in Brazil in Beats black, incandescent blue, mist gray and citrus yellow – the one I tested was in this last color. Lightweight and comfortable, the wireless headset features the Flex-Form cable, which prevents tangling and creates an ergonomic shape to rest comfortably on your neck.

The headphones themselves are magnetic, able to pause/play the song on the device connected via Bluetooth. They still naturally come together when you remove them from your ear, hanging down in front of your body. And, of course, you instantly earn Style Points for accidentally owning a Beats necklace. On the left side of the Beats Flex cord we have the media controls (pause/play and volume) and on the right we see the button on / off (also pairing).

Along with it, in the package, we have a short dual USB-C cable and four extra in-ear fit options. Both the minimalist package of the phone and the product follow eco-sustainable measures with “87% plant materials sourced from recycled fiber and/or sustainable forests“. When I first picked up the Beats Flex, I really got a sense of durability, but it was unavoidable to decouple it from the basic phone look and feel. Having “input” materials should not be taken as a demerit, however, it is a notable feature.

Curious fact is that this was the first Apple phone to have a USB-C connection. Speaking of which, the company brings to the product the Apple W14 chip, allowing you to easily switch between Apple devices as with existing models of earbuds. One weakness that particularly works against basic wireless headphone usage requirements is the fact that the Beats Flex doesn't have any IP certification. That is, it's not water or sweat resistant - but everyone knows that Beats just wants to push you Powerbeats, which has this feature, and is intended for sports use (and costs more than twice as much).

routine use

Simple pairing pleased in the first test with the BeatsFlex. After a short time of use, it was as if I had a pair of “earbuds corded”, given the weightlessness and friction of the cord around the neck. The comparison with the AirPods It's more than fair when we look at it. With the right fit, even if you put the protective mask on after them, the headphones don't move as much.

Regarding the comfort of the ear/ear fit, the reference of earbuds still follows: it is light and does not bother. O BeatsFlex works best if you test the in-ear inserts and in my case two of the included pairs had good insulation. It happens to lack active noise-cancelling technology, but proper fit-in noise isolation was enough even in public settings. As I already had an in-ear that fit comfortably, I knew an estimate of which one to choose. Out of curiosity: the adapters from the old phone fit this one perfectly.

The audio quality is pleasing, but not surprising (especially for audiophiles, or those who own other Beats products), as it still delivers basic sound. At least they sound more open than other (wired) in-ears I've used. Beats' signature bass has a stamped presence, with satisfying highs and mids. In pop and rock songs, I was able to distinguish voice, instruments and all the excellence of a good stereo mix effortlessly.

The microphone quality is also not impressive. I tested a call recording with it and with a wired headset, the kind that comes with the smartphone (input), and there is no difference: both sound identical. In three separate calls where the guinea pig/friend on the other end of the line didn't know about the test, I didn't hear any complaints about the quality or voice volume.

The headset has a class 1 Bluetooth connection, so the range is relatively small compared to other wireless headsets. Even so, in my routine he performed super well. I was able to listen to music up to four rooms away from the cell phone (about 40 meters), without drops or failures. I didn't notice either delay between image and sound, which for gamers and cinephiles can be an uncomfortable aspect of content consumption. Dealing with use with BeatsFlex connected to several devices, it worked fine, as expected. There was no inconsistency with a notebook, two cell phones or with the video game.

The click of the media control buttons gives a great feedback tactile. In addition, the volume up/down buttons are separate, which I liked because I didn’t have to “bend” my head to see which one is right – even though I sometimes confused it with the pause/play one, but it was a matter of routine. I soon got used to the fact that the microphone (black color) was on the left side, so putting the BeatsFlex in the right orientation whenever I picked it up to use it was, again, a matter of habit. After a whole day with it around my neck, everything became intuitive and much more natural.

As recommended on the package, I installed the Beats app on my test Android. When connected, a pop-up of connection to BeatsFlex, with the battery charge highlighted, a very nice design touch that tries to emulate what would be the immediate connection with an iOS device - even if I wanted to test the agility of the headphones on an iPhone, I don't have it. And unlike Apple wireless headphones, which completely lose the practical and “coolest” functions, if you connect the BeatsFlex to an Android it retains basic phone controls. I just missed a section for effects and audio profiles.

With it, I was able to answer calls directly over the phone. If enabled on the smartphone (default function of the headphones) he was able to activate the voice assistant by holding the button play / pause. Magnetic headphone technology also performed accordingly, with music playback and podcast. However, at the end of the day, think that it is more recommended for those looking for practicality and comfort, not audio quality. The consumer used to mid-range/luxury headphones will certainly notice the difference, however, I think the Beats “target consumer” is fair interested in the fact that Beats Flex is still in the input range.

Battery

The phone comes with a proposal to last 12 hours, with the company's official test being done with volume at 50%. I can say that their estimate is very correct, because I used the BeatsFlex during two working afternoons (5 to 6 hours) and he was only exhausted at night. Perhaps a warning on the phone's own system or in the app of "battery at 15%", for example, would come as a better aid and a reminder to charge it. Even so, my surprise was positive, as I completely forgot I had headphones on. wireless.

Now, in terms of battery charging, the product has the technology Fast Fuel that how informs Apple itself, just charge it for 10 minutes to result in an hour and a half of sound reproduction. At the tip of the pencil, this is true: with an adapter fast charger cell phone, left it charging for just over 40 minutes and listened to music all afternoon. However, as I don't have an adapter with a USB-C connection, I couldn't check how fast it charges with the included cable (since it's a dual USB-C). At least it could have a USB-A on the other end.

Evolution: Beats Flex vs Beats X

A little over three years ago, at the distant end of 2017, Beats launched in Brazil the beats X, a phone that serves as a predecessor to Flex in every respect. Starting with the obvious, the design, we have the same ergonomic and anti-tangle technology FlexForm. A change in design was that the current one did not come with an external ear insert, in addition to the in-ear. Beats X still had a CASE​ basic, like a silicone envelope, but at least it existed.

In the positive evolution of this, we have a change of cable lightning/USB-A to dual USB-C, to please Android users. Microphone placement now makes more sense, allowing you to answer calls and talk to someone with just an earphone on, which was previously the separate module. The X had 8 hours of battery life, up from 12 on this one; in contrast, the recharge estimate was 5 minutes, plugged in for up to two hours of use (more efficient than Flex, where 10 minutes lasts 1h30min). And both still lack water resistance.

In terms of cost, the Beats X arrived for R$719 in cash and today, even three years later, it still remains on the market. same price range. If we think that in 2017 it was launched for a suggested price of 150 dollars, in conversion to Real at the time (I miss you!) it was only about R$500. This value is triple when compared to the value of BeatsFlex in the US, so the latest one has the upper hand in this regard. We'll discuss cost-effectiveness in more detail below – but, up front, I'll say that this point never seems to be a manufacturer's forte.

Value for money and completion

Even before Apple acquired Beats, a popular question often raised (even by purchasers/testers) is the cost-effectiveness of the products. Anyone who buys Apple products in Brazil knows that the company brings expensive products, but that often have performance quality comparable to the values. So, when a product arrives in the country with the proposal of being “entry”, it is expected to have a low price and a performance quality that is equally “basic” to the brand's standard, right?

Like BeatsFlex was sold in the US for 49 dollars, just a quick reference in other products of the manufacturer to arrive at an average of how much it could come in direct conversion to Real. THE Beats Studio 3 Wireless high-end, for example, costs about 250 dollars and arrived here at a suggested price of R$2.499. Therefore, nothing impresses the fact that the Beats Flex is at a suggested price of R$580, and can be found for R$557 na Showmetech official store in Magalu.

The Beats conversion of values ​​seems to be close to the tenth (50 dollars for 500 reais), which for buyers of Gadgets modern rates seems like an out of the question tax – even more so with the current devaluation of our currency. For the purpose of situating the reality of the market, I decided to compare it to two 2020 models that we tested here at Showmetech, one of Sony and another from Samsung.

O Sony WI-SP510 It was sold for US$80 upon arrival in the US market and sold in Brazil for R$429. Nowadays it is rare to find it, as the 2017 “cousin” WI-C300 seems to have been more successful. Even if it belongs to the subdivision of earbuds, a valid recent headphone comparison (that I have tested) is the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. Abroad, sold for $170; here he arrived for R$ 1.299; is currently sold by less than R$750 – cheaper than directly converting your posting value.

This quick market sample was made for one purpose only. In plain Portuguese, I must reaffirm that Beats Flex costs a lot more than it should, even though it is 30% cheaper than its predecessor. No need to “point fingers” at specific products in the same category/hardware similar, other recent models of wireless headphones with almost identical design and proposal are now priced at half as much as Flex. If we include the comparison to wired headphones, this disparity increases.

So, in the quest to answer the question “who was it made for?”, I reiterate the cliché: it is a Beats product. It is synonymous with status and refinement. If you want this branded ID without breaking the bank, this is your chance. Therefore, as an entry-level phone in the current market scenario, it has a very unfavorable cost-benefit ratio; as an input headphone within the manufacturer's lines (and especially an evolution compared to its predecessor X), the Beats Flex is excellent.

So, what do you think of the Beats Flex wireless headphones? Tell us in the comments!