Beats X Wireless Review – Why Are They So Highly-Rated?

If you’re wondering whether or not you should grab a pair of these earbuds, you came to the right place! You probably want to know what features set them apart and how they stack up against the competition!

Are they water-resistant or sweat-proof? Do they produce the signature ‘bass-heavy’ playback that Beats are known for? Throughout this review, we’ll do our best to help you understand the best and worst features of these headphones, as well as hopefully answering any questions you have! 

If you’re anything like us, you probably agree with the importance of having all the facts before you make your decision! Keep reading our Beats X Wireless Review to see why they’re so highly-rated!

Our Beats X Wireless Review

Basic Features & Technical Specs:

• In-ear canal wearing design
• Magnetic earpieces (for wearing them around your neck when not in use)
• Built-in Apple W1 Chip (for Fast Fuel quick charge feature and more)
• Connectivity: Wireless
• Wireless Range: Up to 50 ft. 
• Compatibility: Apple, Android, and most other Bluetooth devices
• Battery Life: Up to 8 hours on a single charge
• Includes: Neoprene carrying case, lightning to USB-A cable, 4 ear tip sizes, & removable wingtips
• Also Includes: 3 Free Months of Apple Music
• Frequency Response: Not specified by the manufacturer
• Dimensions: Not specified by the manufacturer
• Weight: 11.2 ounces

Before you move on, take a quick look at the links below that you can use to navigate our review. Each section will provide an in-depth analysis of each individual performance aspect.

Here are the 5 most important performance features you’ll want to consider before making your decision:

1. Build Design & Magnetic Earpieces
2. Battery Life & Bluetooth Connectivity
3. Comfort For Active & Casual Use
4. Sonic Performance – Signature Beats Sound Profile?
5. Are They The Right Fit For You?

Now that you’ve taken a quick look at the technical specs, let’s start by examining two of the most important features – build design and the magnetic earpieces!

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Build Design & Magnetic Earpieces

As you can see in the picture above, these earbuds have an extremely compact and sleek design. They have a fairly lightweight build and weigh only 11.2 ounces. While they aren’t the most lightweight, 11.2 ounces is pretty impressive when you consider the in-line control box and mini battery packs featured on either side of the cable. 

What Are The Magnets Used For?

The Beats logo is featured on the back of both earpieces. Behind the signature ‘b’ logo, there are built-in magnets. Why would you want magnets on your ‘buds? Well, when you’re not using them, you can take them out of your ears and let them dangle around your neck. 

Once they’re dangling in front of you (on your chest) you can hold each earpiece back-to-back and let the magnets connect. Now, you basically have a headphone necklace that you can tuck under your shirt until you want to use them again! It’s a pretty convenient feature that’s especially helpful if you find that you don’t like using the neoprene carrying case to safely store them. 

‘Flex-Form’ Flat Cable Features

The cable connecting both earpieces is a flat Flex-Form proprietary cable. It’s also noticeably longer compared side-by-side with many other sports earbuds. The extra length does tend to cause more movement when you’re wearing them while jogging or working out. (We’ll cover their use for working out in more detail below.)

It’s also worth noting that it’s significantly longer than the cable used on the Powerbeats3 (which is one of its main competitors). The cable itself has a matte finish and feels very durable when you hold it in your hands. These ‘buds are available in 6 different colors that you can see listed below:

1. Gray (pictured above)
2. Blue
3. Silver
4. White
5. Black/Red
6. Gold
7. Black

Using The Neoprene Carrying Case

After you take them out of your pocket (or the included carrying case) the cable retains its shape and doesn’t tangle very easily. The included carrying case is made of neoprene that almost feels like soft rubber material. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have a zipper or Velcro enclosure to keep it securely shut. 

This means that if you also decide to store any extra ear tips, wingtips, or loose change – they will usually end up falling out in your pocket or bag. Now that we’ve covered some of the basics, let’s take a look at the in-line controls! 

In-line Control Box Functions

The in-line control box is featured on the left side of the cable. There are also 2 mini battery packs on either side. (When we say ‘mini’, we mean ‘mini’.) You’ll want to read the section below about the Fast Fuel charging feature before you ask why they wouldn’t be built into the control box.

The lightning port (used for charging the internal battery) is built into the in-line control box. On the front side, you’ll find the 3 main control buttons. They are used to powering your ‘buds on, making volume adjustments, playing your music, and skipping tracks. Take a look at the list below to see which button controls each feature:

• Top Button – volume up & skip one track forward 
• Middle Button – power on/off & access Siri or Google Assistant
• Bottom Button – volume down & skip one trackback 

The microphone is featured on the back of the control box. You can expect an average mic performance when you’re talking on the phone or chatting via FaceTime or Skype.  The reason we say it’s average is that (like most in-line mics) it does tend to pick up some background noise.

Now that you know what to expect in terms of build quality and in-line control functions, let’s move on to their battery life and Bluetooth connectivity!

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Battery Life & Bluetooth Connectivity

One of the most stand-out features these have to offer is their super quick charging time. It only takes 45 minutes to get a complete charge that will last about 8 hours! Not many other wire-free headphones can compete with their far above-average charging time speed. 

There seems to be some slight confusion about whether or not they have a battery life indicator. Since it is pretty small and discreet, it can be somewhat easy to overlook. The external LED battery life indicator is featured on the right side – built directly into the mini battery pack. When they’re charging, the light will turn red. 

How you can tell when you need to charge them again? When they’re paired via Bluetooth, you can go into your pairing settings (within your phone) and it will show you how much battery life you have left. This is another convenient feature since it does eliminate most of the guesswork. (None of us enjoys running out of battery right in the middle of our favorite song.) Now, let’s take a look at the Fast Fuel feature!

Fast Fuel Quick Charge

Many of the newer wire-free headphones are starting to offer a quick charge feature. Here it is in a nutshell. Using the included lightning to USB cable, you plug them in and let them sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, you can unplug them for an additional 2 hours of continuous listening!

When you add the 8 hours on a full charge + the 2 extra hours using the Fast Fuel feature – you can almost listen non-stop for close to 10 full hours. (Now you’re probably starting to see why the battery packs are worth the extra weight.) 

Apple W1 Chip

The built-in Apple W1 chip does offer more convenience, but only for Apple users. (This particular section won’t apply to you if you have an Android device.) The W1 chip operates in a way that’s pretty similar to NFC pairing. The main difference is that it’s much quicker and easier to use. 

Here’s how it works! After you’ve fully-charged your ‘buds, all you have to do is power them on and wait (usually less than 2 seconds) until they’re paired and ready to go. Which Apple devices will the W1 chip work with? 

Your MacBook, Apple Watch, and iPhone are all fully-compatible with this feature. The W1 chip can also be used in other ways. For example, if you have an Apple watch, you can control your earphones using the touch screen. Overall, the W1 chip is definitely a nice feature that sets these apart from other similar models. 

Bluetooth Range & Signal Strength

They also have an excellent Bluetooth transmission range. How good is it? The Bluetooth signal is strong enough that you can wander close to 50 feet away (and even more in some cases) from your paired device. At that distance, you shouldn’t experience any connection loss or break up. 

Since they can maintain a stable connection at such a far distance, this might seem to make them more ideal for active use. Although it might seem like they would be great for use in the gym, you’ll want to read the section below to see why they probably aren’t!

Official IPX/Sweat-Resistant Rating

Unfortunately, these in-ears do not have an official IPX or sweat-resistant rating. Does this mean that you can’t use them at the gym under any circumstance? Not necessarily, but if you do, we recommend you proceed with caution. If you’re someone who sweats quite a bit when you’re exercising, keep in mind that they aren’t exactly designed to withstand very much moisture. 

On top of that, you definitely don’t want to wear them outside in the rain. It’s a little bit surprising that they aren’t water or sweat-resistant – especially when you consider all of the other ultra-portable features they have. 

Then again, if you only plan on using these at home, the office, or for everyday walking, it won’t be a major issue at all. If you are looking for a pair of ‘buds to use at the gym – the Powerbeats3 would probably be a better fit. This brings us to the next performance feature – comfort. 

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Comfort For Active & Casual Use

One of the first things you’ll notice when you first put these inside your ear, is that they stay very securely in place. The secure fit leaves very little to desire since they easily stay in place while you’re walking or moving around. 

As we mentioned above, you can use them for jogging or lifting, but they aren’t the most ideal. (If they were also waterproof, they would be almost perfect for active use.) 

Another thing to keep in mind is the longer cable we covered in the first section. If you decide to take them for a jog, it does tend to bounce around quite a bit. For some, it may be pretty distracting. For others, it’s a fairly minor issue that doesn’t cause any major problems. 

Overall, these ‘buds feel fairly lightweight and comfy when you’re wearing them in a variety of different situations. Most people find that the included ear tips don’t cause any abnormal inner ear fatigue. Next, let’s take a look at how much passive noise isolation they provide!

Passive Noise Isolation

The deeper in-ear fit forms a pretty tight seal that serves two purposes. One, making sure they stay securely in place, and two – providing great passive noise isolation. When you’re walking alongside a busier road, most of the outside noise will be drowned out. 

Do they block as much noise like a pair of dedicated noise-cancelling ‘phones like the Bose QuietComfort 20? Not exactly, but in most cases, you’ll be able to isolate yourself and enjoy the music. Before we give you our final opinion, keep reading below to see how they sound!

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Sonic Performance – Signature Beats Sound Profile?

Do these ‘buds produce the same booming bass that earlier models are extremely well-known for? Is the bass so overwhelming that you can’t hear the mid-range or treble? How does their sound quality compare to the Apple AirPods? 

Right after you press play on your favorite hip-hop or electronic track, you’ll immediately notice that they are much less v-shaped and more well-balanced than other Beats headphones. They are significantly more well-rounded, especially compared to the Studio Wireless.

They also sound much better than the Apple AirPods. The AirPods don’t have nearly as much depth or fullness. Let’s take a closer look at their bass response!

Overwhelming Bass Response?

On most tracks, the bass is far less-pronounced and more laid-back. While it’s still more punchy than a flat and neutral studio monitor headphone, it provides a good amount of depth. The bass response remains fairly even, instead of becoming muddy or distorted.

 

Highlighted Mid Range

You will also notice that the mid-range is more highlighted than usual. Instead of sitting quietly in the background, they are fairly bright and forward. The vocals are clear and slightly elevated, which is definitely a nice addition (especially compared to past models). 

 

Warm Treble

The treble has a fairly warm and forward quality. In this area, they’re somewhat similar to past models since the treble can become slightly sharp on certain tracks. 

Overall, they produce a surprisingly well-balanced and rich profile that’s enjoyable to listen to. Their elevated and somewhat distant soundstage also performs pretty well across a wide range of genres. If you’re wondering how loud they can go, you should be able to get more than enough volume. Now that we’ve gone over each performance aspect, let’s take one final look at everything we’ve just covered!

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Are They The Right Fit For You? 

These would be a great fit for you if you aren’t a fan of huge bass response and instead prefer more well-rounded playback. Although they do slightly favor Apple users, the full range of in-line controls is also fully compatible with Android devices. 

If you have an iPhone, MacBook, or other Apple device, you can access the lightning-fast Bluetooth pairing using the built-in W1 chip. The Fast Fuel quick charge feature and comfortable wearing design make them great for ultra-portable or everyday casual use. 

When it comes to their overall functionality, they not only sound better than the Apple AirPods, but also have significantly-improved smartphone compatibility. Their compact and lightweight design would make them perfect for working out, except they aren’t officially water or sweat-resistant.

Take a quick look at the review table below to see the main pros/cons as well as how we calculated their final rating out of 10. 

Now that you’ve read our entire Beats X Wireless Review, what do you think? Are they worth it, or should you keep looking? Do they have all the features you need for everyday use? 

If you’re not quite sure whether or not they’re worth every penny, you can use the links below to compare the most up-to-date pricing info on Amazon!

• Click Here To See Them Refurbished
• Click Here To See Them Brand New

Let us know what you think by leaving a question or comment in the section below! We always do our best to respond as quickly as we can! Thanks for stopping by to take a look at our review, we look forward to hearing from you!

Sonic Elevation: Ride The Waves.