Beats Solo Buds review

In a sea of earbuds promising AI noise control, adaptive transparency, head-tracking spatial audio, and who-knows-what-next, the Beats Solo Buds arrive with a refreshingly contrarian attitude.

At just Rs 5,990, these are true wireless earbuds that don’t try to do everything. And in that restraint, they manage to do something rather rare – they excel at the essentials.

This isn’t just the most affordable Beats product to date, it’s a statement piece in the increasingly noisy personal audio space. The Solo Buds strip away the clutter and say, “You want great sound, comfort, and style? We’ve got you.”

ALSO READ: TWS tech: How it has evolved since its inception

If most earbuds today feel like overcomplicated coffee orders, the Solo Buds are a strong, no-nonsense espresso; simple, satisfying, and exactly what you need. Let’s delve deeper in our Beats Solo Buds review.

Beats Solo Buds design and build

Let’s talk design. The Solo Buds case is impossibly small. It is smaller than a cardholder, lighter than a car key fob, and about as noticeable in your pocket as a stick of gum. Available in four shades – Matte Black, Arctic Purple, Storm Gray, and Transparent Red – the colour palette offers something for everyone.

The Transparent Red variant, in particular, is a visual treat. The semi-translucent shell offers a glimpse at the internals, evoking a retro-futuristic vibe that wouldn’t be out of place next to a see-through Swatch or Game Boy Pocket. It’s playful but not juvenile.

The buds themselves are delightfully light (5.7g each) and sculpted with a soft, contoured design that hugs the ear canal without demanding attention. With four sizes of silicone tips in the box, getting a secure, comfortable fit is as easy as pairing them, which, as it turns out, is very easy.

Beats Solo Buds smart (enough) features

The Solo Buds don’t overload you with software gimmicks. But what they do offer is well-executed.

Pairing is seamless on both Android and iOS. You get Google Fast Pair and multipoint pairing for Android, while Apple users enjoy Audio Sharing, Find My support, and smooth handoffs between iPhone and Apple Watch.

The “b” button on each earbud handles playback, calls, and voice assistant access with a satisfying click; no laggy touch panels here.

On iOS, you can even customise the long-press function for volume control, a quiet stroke of brilliance if you’re tired of reaching for your phone mid-jog.

Let’s be clear, you do make sacrifices with the Solo Buds. No noise cancellation. No ambient mode. No in-ear detection. No IP rating. The case doesn’t wirelessly charge. It doesn’t even have an LED light. And if you’re coming from something like the AirPods Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5, you will notice the difference.

But for most users, those who care about sound, comfort, and convenience more than features they rarely use, these trade-offs won’t feel like limitations. In fact, they might feel like freedom. There’s something undeniably appealing about not being overwhelmed by settings, switches, and customisations. You just… listen.

Beats Solo Buds audio performance

What surprised us most about the Solo Buds wasn’t the design or battery life; it was the sound. You expect some compromise at this price point. You expect passable, not pleasurable. But these buds deliver a sound signature that’s full, rich, and dare I say… joyful.

Bass is present and bold – a nod to Beats’ roots – but not overbearing. It gives Drake’s Virginia Beach or Billie Eilish’s bad guy a low-end warmth that feels immersive, without drowning out the shimmer in the hi-hats or the detail in the vocals.

Acoustic guitar strums in songs by artists like John Mayer or Prateek Kuhad come through crisp and well-balanced. Jazz, R&B, and pop benefit from the subtle V-shaped tuning that adds just enough energy without fatigue.

There’s no companion app. No equaliser. No ANC. And yet, what you do get is tuning that sounds intentional. These earbuds know what they are. And more importantly, what they aren’t. The tuning is wide appeal, yes, but it’s clean and surprisingly refined.

ALSO READ: Beats Solo Buds, Solo 4 and Pill launched in India

Mic performance on the Solo Buds is another pleasant surprise. Voice calls sound clear and natural, especially indoors. You could easily take work calls at your desk or join a team huddle from your apartment without reaching for your laptop mic.

Outdoors, it’s a bit more hit-or-miss. In windy conditions or near heavy traffic, the mic doesn’t perform miracles, but then again, neither do most earbuds twice this price.

If you’re a frequent caller or someone who likes firing off voice notes while on the move, the Solo Buds are able to keep up, and definitely better than expected at this price.

Beats Solo Buds battery life

Here’s the twist – the Solo Buds’ case doesn’t have an internal battery. Yes, really.

This means the case won’t recharge your earbuds on its own. It’s just a housing, not a power bank. At first, this feels like a dealbreaker. But here’s the thing – the buds themselves offer a whopping 18 hours of battery life on a single charge.

And for most users, that’s more than enough to last through a workday, an evening at the gym, and some late-night doom scrolling with background music.

Charging is done via USB-C, and a five-minute top-up can give you up to an hour of playback. It’s perfect for those “I forgot to charge them before leaving the house” moments. You don’t get a charging cable in the box (Apple minimalism strikes again), but if you’re living in the Type-C ecosystem already, it’s a non-issue.

Unboxed Take: Who should buy the Beats Solo Buds?

The Beats Solo Buds don’t aim to reinvent the wheel, and that’s precisely their charm. They aren’t trying to be your fitness coach, your hearing aid, or your pocket-sized AI oracle.

Instead, they offer something refreshingly honest – a beautifully crafted, great-sounding pair of earbuds that slips into your life as effortlessly as your favourite song.

These are buds for the design-minded minimalist. For the music lover who prefers melody over manuals. For the modern listener who believes that true performance whispers, it doesn’t shout. No, they’re not flawless. But in their quiet confidence and their elegant simplicity, they are more than enough.

For all the above reasons, we rate the Beats Solo Buds 3.5/5. Some marks are docked for what’s missing, but in a world obsessed with doing more, these buds remind us how satisfying it can be to do just enough, and to do it well.

For more such in-depth reviews and comparisons, stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma and subscribe to our YouTube channel.