First look: Apple's BeatsX earphones with integrated W1 chip

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited February 2017
Apple on Friday released BeatsX, a long-delayed wireless earphone product in the Beats line that incorporates the company's new W1 chip into a tethered headset design. AppleInsider goes hands-on in this first look video.









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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 23
    ihatescreennamesihatescreennames Posts: 1,904member
    Thanks for the review. I just picked up some AirPods and likely won't be getting any other BT headphones anytime soon but it's good to learn about the other options available and the differences between them. 
  • Reply 2 of 23
    jimbalayajimbalaya Posts: 3member
    Nice review and thanks for letting us know that the BeatsX has more bass and has pretty good noise cancellation. Keen to wait for your one month on the BeatsX as well as a comparison review with the AirPods.
  • Reply 3 of 23
    phone-ui-guyphone-ui-guy Posts: 1,019member
    Picked up a black pair today. They sound really good. I wouldn't call them bass heavy. Listened some EDM and the bass is strong as it is supposed to be, but it is clear and not overwhelming the mix. The free three months of Apple Music translates into an Apple Music gift card value that goes into your account. So it looks like you can do the free 3 months if you have not and then use the gift card value after that. Not to sign up for Apple Music.
    jimbalayapscooter63williamlondon
  • Reply 4 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Get video, as usual.
  • Reply 5 of 23
    alebasteralebaster Posts: 1member
    Anyone else having issues with the wingtips? They don't seem to match up with the designated L and R on the earbuds. Once you put the wingtips on the L only fits in the right ear, and the R only fits in the left ear. Both sets of wingtips have this issue. Did anyone else find this to be true?
  • Reply 6 of 23
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    About AirPods; the other product: can they be used for running and jogging and fitness training?
  • Reply 7 of 23
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    What sort of real world distance can you get?
  • Reply 8 of 23
    wwchriswwchris Posts: 60member
    ireland said:
    About AirPods; the other product: can they be used for running and jogging and fitness training?
    If you are asking if you can work out and run with AirPods, the answer is absolutely as long as they fit your ears. I run in mine all the time and I think they actually stay in better and are more comfortable that my beats with the ear hooks. 
  • Reply 9 of 23
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    wwchris said:
    ireland said:
    About AirPods; the other product: can they be used for running and jogging and fitness training?
    If you are asking if you can work out and run with AirPods, the answer is absolutely as long as they fit your ears. I run in mine all the time and I think they actually stay in better and are more comfortable that my beats with the ear hooks. 
    If they fit your ears. Got it.
  • Reply 10 of 23
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,879member
    ireland said:
    wwchris said:
    ireland said:
    About AirPods; the other product: can they be used for running and jogging and fitness training?
    If you are asking if you can work out and run with AirPods, the answer is absolutely as long as they fit your ears. I run in mine all the time and I think they actually stay in better and are more comfortable that my beats with the ear hooks. 
    If they fit your ears. Got it.
    This has been well publicized -- like he EarPods they're based on, AirPods are dependent on fitting your ears. This is the normal for in-ear buds; my SO doesn't have luck with any pair of that style. 
    Soli
  • Reply 11 of 23
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,404member
    I'll surely be getting these. I know that some people have trouble with the esthetics of the cord hanging around the neck, but I actually like it. Gives it a hoodie-type effect. The magnets are a nice touch. 

    The only thing I find a bit strange: what's with the black adaptor cord on a white-colored product?
    Soli
  • Reply 12 of 23
    larryalarrya Posts: 606member
    Does anyone know if the W1 chip provides any benefit if paired to an iPod Nano?  I would love to see a reduction in drop-outs with my 7th Gen Nano.
  • Reply 13 of 23
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,879member
    Hope to see the wings as part of the final review, curious about how they work. 
  • Reply 14 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    larrya said:
    Does anyone know if the W1 chip provides any benefit if paired to an iPod Nano?  I would love to see a reduction in drop-outs with my 7th Gen Nano.
    The W1 and other HW aspects of the headphones may make the connection better, but you won't get the main W1-chip's setup benefit.
  • Reply 15 of 23
    payecopayeco Posts: 581member
    Picked up a black pair today. They sound really good. I wouldn't call them bass heavy. Listened some EDM and the bass is strong as it is supposed to be, but it is clear and not overwhelming the mix. The free three months of Apple Music translates into an Apple Music gift card value that goes into your account. So it looks like you can do the free 3 months if you have not and then use the gift card value after that. Not to sign up for Apple Music.
    Do you know if it functions essentially as a gift card for $29.97? The reason I ask is I have a student membership so that would actually get me 6 months free.
  • Reply 16 of 23
    NotsofastNotsofast Posts: 450member
    alebaster said:
    Anyone else having issues with the wingtips? They don't seem to match up with the designated L and R on the earbuds. Once you put the wingtips on the L only fits in the right ear, and the R only fits in the left ear. Both sets of wingtips have this issue. Did anyone else find this to be true?
    Follow Occams' Razor, and you will be fine
    edited February 2017 Soli
  • Reply 17 of 23
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member

    The only thing I find a bit strange: what's with the black adaptor cord on a white-colored product?
    It's especially dumb considering how many white Lightning cables Apple produce. Also dumb is how short the cable is. I expect a lot of Beats-x owners to throw that shit in a drawer and simply use their iPhone charing cable. Sad and dumb. Steve wouldn't be proud.

    Speaking of Lightning cables: they are one of the most fragile cables in existence. I've never broken one myself, but the slightest bending the wrong way and they break. I know, I have nieces and nephews. If they were €5 I'd say something, but they are a glorious Schiller-tastic €25 without a fucking wall plug (used be €19; even then they were very much overpriced; this pricing has only encouraged lots of people to opt for dangerous Chinese chargers, I digress)—apparently a magic inflation that only affects Apple happened somewhere along the way. Schiller even has the arrogance to charge €25 for a half-length cable. And make no mistake it's his doing.
    edited February 2017
  • Reply 18 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    anantksundaram said:
    The only thing I find a bit strange: what's with the black adaptor cord on a white-colored product?
    Why would the charging cable need to be color-coded to match the headphone color? Why not apply this to the case if the charging cable gets the same treatment?

    ireland said:

    The only thing I find a bit strange: what's with the black adaptor cord on a white-colored product?
    Also dumb is how short the cable is.
    Why is the dumb to include a charging cable that fits in the headphone case with the headphones? It sounds thought out, to me.
  • Reply 19 of 23
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,404member
    Soli said:
    anantksundaram said:
    The only thing I find a bit strange: what's with the black adaptor cord on a white-colored product?
    Why would the charging cable need to be color-coded to match the headphone color? Why not apply this to the case if the charging cable gets the same treatment?
    I guess you must have had some trouble deciphering an obvious implication regarding aesthetics. Well, whatever. 

    And thanks for helping me realize that the case too should have got the same treatment.  
  • Reply 20 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Soli said:
    The only thing I find a bit strange: what's with the black adaptor cord on a white-colored product?
    Why would the charging cable need to be color-coded to match the headphone color? Why not apply this to the case if the charging cable gets the same treatment?
    I guess you must have had some trouble deciphering an obvious implication regarding aesthetics. Well, whatever. 

    And thanks for helping me realize that the case too should have got the same treatment.  
    1) So if they have a pink or green pair of headphones your aesthetic compass demands that the case and cable be the same color?

    2) Why would you expect Beats to drop their black cables for white when Apple hasn't dropped their white cables to match their devices? Pretty much every Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod, or Watch comes with a white cable and PSU. There have been very few exceptions, and none of which I think of off the top of my head but I'm sure there is at least one outlier.

    edit: Here's one. I can't find any others without going back to the TAM. Even the black polycarbonate MacBook from 2006 that cost $200 more that its white counterpart with otherwise same HW specs didn't come with a black power cable and PSU… and that was still during the Steve Jobs reign so the "Steve wouldn't never let this happen" argument by Ireland is also bunk.


    edited February 2017
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