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Beats Solo Buds
Beats

Solo Buds

Beats Solo Buds lasted 17 h 24 min in one test, but they skip noise canceling and their tiny case has no battery.

Wireless Earbuds
7.0/10What the pros sayVery goodExpert consensus · Verified Oct 8, 2026See score breakdown ↓
Buying call

Skip the Beats Solo Buds at Beats' $79.99 (Oct 8, 2026), because Nothing sells its Ear (2024) for $69 at its US store (Oct 8, 2026) with noise canceling, IP54 buds and a case that holds extra charges. The Solo Buds do one thing very well: they lasted 17 h 24 min on a single charge in one test, and they pair in one tap on both iPhone and Android, with Find My on both. But the case has no battery, so you can't top up away from a cable, and there's no ANC, transparency mode or water resistance. Reviewers also found the stiff button presses uncomfortable and the mics cutting out voices in noisy places.

Full verdict ↓
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Editor testedHands-on testing and real-world use
Real-world useBased on everyday testing, not a spec sheet
Unbiased reviewIndependent and objective, sources shown
Solo BudsCheck current priceBuy on eBay
Key specs
Weight
5.7
Connection
Wireless
Controls
Single multifunction button per side
Highlights

Specs that matter

Audio
Type
Earbuds
Wear
In-ear / earbuds
Bluetooth
5.3
Battery
18 h
At a glance

Product highlights

Verified attributes, grouped for quick scanning.

AudioEarbuds · In-ear / earbudsBT 5.3 · 18 h
38 attributes · See all specifications
Price & availability

Where to buy

Prices from trusted US retailers, updated daily.

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Buying decision

Should you buy it?

Skip the Beats Solo Buds at Beats' $79.99 (Oct 8, 2026), because Nothing sells its Ear (2024) for $69 at its US store (Oct 8, 2026) with noise canceling, IP54 buds and a case that holds extra charges. The Solo Buds do one thing very well: they lasted 17 h 24 min on a single charge in one test, and they pair in one tap on both iPhone and Android, with Find My on both. But the case has no battery, so you can't top up away from a cable, and there's no ANC, transparency mode or water resistance. Reviewers also found the stiff button presses uncomfortable and the mics cutting out voices in noisy places.

Best for

Light listeners who want tiny buds with long per-charge battery on a budget.

Not for

Commuters who need ANC, and anyone who wants to top up from the case.

Main strength17 h 24 min on one charge in one test
Main weaknessThe case has no battery, so you can't recharge away from a cable
Reasons to buy
17 h 24 min on one charge in one test
Small, comfortable buds
One-tap pairing and Find My on both iPhone and Android
Reasons to avoid
The case has no battery, so you can't recharge away from a cable
No ANC, transparency mode or IP rating
Quiet and light on bass in one review
No charging cable in the box
Measured view7.0/10What the pros say · verified oct 8, 2026.
ScoreVerified Oct 8, 2026
Independent coverage

What other reviewers say

Reviews from other sites and creators. They don't change the Gadget Clash score.

Submit your review
SoundGuys7.1/10
Article · Full reviewBeats Solo Buds reviewChase Bernath · May 2025

Smallest and cheapest Beats buds, but they fall short in testing.

Read on SoundGuys ↗
WIRED6/10
Article · Full reviewBeats Solo Buds Review: Great Price, Greater CompromiseRyan Waniata · Jul 2024

Tiny and cheap, but no ANC, transparency mode or water resistance.

Read on WIRED ↗
Tom's Guide4/5
Article · Full reviewI tested the $79 Beats Solo Buds — biggest pros and consKate Kozuch · Jun 2024

Breaks down what you do and don't get for $79.

Read on Tom's Guide ↗
SoundGuysBeats Solo Buds Review: Watch This Video BEFORE You Buy...Watch on YouTube ↗
Mark Ellis ReviewsBeats Solo Buds review - £80 do-it-all earbuds?!Watch on YouTube ↗
Head to head

How it stacks up

Open a comparison for the full side-by-side view.

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Beats Solo Buds
This deviceSolo Buds
VS
Beats Fit Pro
AlternativeBeats Fit Pro
Score
78.4
Full comparison
Beats Solo Buds
This deviceSolo Buds
VS
Beats Flex
AlternativeBeats Flex
Score
77.5
Full comparison
Beats Solo Buds
This deviceSolo Buds
VS
Beats Studio Buds +
AlternativeBeats Studio Buds +
Score
78.1
Full comparison
Same category

Alternatives worth a look

Other phones in the database, with their stored scores and prices.

All wireless earbuds →
Fit Pro8.4
BeatsFit ProBeats' 2021 wingtip buds lasted 6 h 22 min with ANC in SoundGuys' test; Beats now sells the Powerbeats Fit instead.
Flex7.5
BeatsFlexBeats Flex lasted 10 h 24 min in one test and pairs in one tap with both iPhone and Android phones.
Studio Buds +8.1
BeatsStudio Buds +Beats' Studio Buds+ lasted 8 h 22 min with ANC in one test and pair in one tap on iPhone and Android.
Product data

Full specifications

38 attributes, grouped for quick scanning. Verified Oct 8, 2026. Spot a wrong value? Hit the next to it.

Sound

Speaker config
Fully custom acoustic architecture
Driver type
Dual-layer driver

Battery

Charging port
USB-C
Quick charge
5
Quick-charge playtime
1

Connectivity

Connection
Wireless
Bluetooth class
Class 1
Apple one-tap
1

Microphone

Microphone
Leading-edge microphones with noise-learning algorithm
Mic count
2
Call noise reduction
1

Controls & Software

Controls
Single multifunction button per side
Physical buttons
1
Companion app
Beats app
App platforms
Android
Voice assistant
1
Find My
Apple Find My, Google Find My Device
Apple Find My
1
Google Find My Device
1
Compatibility
iOS, Android

Comfort & Build

Weight
5.7
Ear tip sizes
XS, S, M, L

Charging Case

Case height
0.94 in (24 mm)
Case width
1.38 in (35 mm)
Case depth
2.6 in (66 mm)
Case weight
22

Launch

In the box
  • Beats Solo Buds earbuds
  • carrying case
  • ear tips in XS/S/M/L
  • warranty card
Vote & discuss

Community says

No reader votes on the Solo Buds yet. Votes happen on head-to-heads: pick a matchup and say which one you would buy.

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