Apple AirPods (2nd generation) vs Beats Beats Flex

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AirPods (2nd generation) compared with Beats Flex

	AppleAirPods (2nd generation)	BeatsBeats Flex
Overview
Released
Released	March 2019	October 2020
Sound
Type
Type	Open-ear	In-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	No	No
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	No	–
Spatial audio with head tracking
Spatial audio with head tracking	No	–
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	SBC and AAC	SBC and AAC
Lossless over USB-C
Lossless over USB-C	No	–
Chip
Chip	H1	Apple W1
Drivers
Drivers	–	Layered drivers with dual-chamber acoustics and pressure-relief microvents
Audio features
Audio features	Automatic ear detection with dual optical sensors and a motion accelerometer; AAC Bluetooth audio; SBC support listed by What Hi-Fi?	Apple Audio Sharing; magnetic auto-play and pause; no active noise cancellation (TechRadar)
Battery
Listening time (maker's claim)
Listening time (maker's claim)	Up to 5 hours	Up to 12 hours
Wireless charging
Wireless charging	Yes	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	More than 24 hours of listening including case recharges, according to Apple; launch announcement claims up to 50% more talk time than first-generation AirPods	Rechargeable lithium-ion battery; Apple's playback test used 256 Kbps AAC tracks at 50% volume
Charging case
Charging case	Lightning Charging Case charges by cable; Wireless Charging Case supports Qi-certified chargers and Lightning, with a front status LED; both measure 53.5 x 44.3 x 21.3 mm	–
Fast charging
Fast charging	15 minutes in the case provides up to 3 hours of listening	A 10-minute USB-C Fast Fuel charge gives up to 1.5 hours of playback
Design
Weight (each earbud)
Weight (each earbud)	4 g	–
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	5.0	5.0
Two devices at once
Two devices at once	–	No
Headphone cable
Headphone cable	No	–
Controls
Controls	Double-tap to play, skip forwards or answer a call; hands-free Hey Siri; double-tap actions can be assigned separately to each earbud	On-device playback, call, volume and voice-assistant controls
Microphones
Microphones	Dual beamforming microphones and speech-detecting accelerometer	Built-in microphone with wind reduction
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Fixed open-ear shape without interchangeable tips; each earbud measures 40.5 x 16.5 x 18.0 mm	Nitinol Flex-Form neckband cable; four ear-tip sizes; magnetic earbuds
Dimensions
Dimensions	–	16 mm height; 18.6 g for the complete earphones and cable, rather than one earbud
Water resistance detail
Water resistance detail	–	No water or sweat resistance rating published
Case weight
Case weight	38.2 g for either case, according to Apple's specifications	–
Works with
Works with	Full Apple features with compatible iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, Mac and Apple TV software; standard Bluetooth audio with fewer features on non-Apple devices; Live Listen, headphone levels and Headphone Accommodations	Apple W1 and Class 1 Bluetooth; Apple Find My and Beats app for Android; Bluetooth 5.0, SBC and AAC codecs and no simultaneous Bluetooth multipoint (SoundGuys)
Colours
Colours	White	Beats Black and Yuzu Yellow at launch; Smoke Gray and Flame Blue followed in early 2021
In the box
In the box	AirPods, chosen charging case, Lightning to USB-A cable and documentation	Earphones, four sizes of ear tips, USB-C charging cable, Quick Start Guide and warranty card