Beats Beats Flex vs Beats Solo Buds

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Beats Flex compared with Solo Buds

	BeatsBeats Flex	BeatsSolo Buds
Overview
Released
Released	October 2020	June 2024
Sound
Type
Type	In-ear	In-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	No	No
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	–	No
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	SBC and AAC	SBC and AAC
Chip
Chip	Apple W1	–
Drivers
Drivers	Layered drivers with dual-chamber acoustics and pressure-relief microvents	Dual-layer drivers, axial-aligned with the acoustic nozzle; laser-cut vents to improve bass and relieve pressure; 8.2 mm (The Guardian)
Audio features
Audio features	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 12 hours	Up to 18 hours
Wireless charging
Wireless charging	–	No
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Rechargeable lithium-ion battery; Apple's playback test used 256 Kbps AAC tracks at 50% volume	The case has no battery of its own; it charges the earbuds over USB-C, including from a phone, tablet or laptop; tested by Apple with 256 Kbps AAC tracks at 50% volume
Charging case
Charging case	–	USB-C, with no built-in battery; Beats calls it the smallest, lightest case it has made
Fast charging
Fast charging	A 10-minute USB-C Fast Fuel charge gives up to 1.5 hours of playback	5 minutes of charging gives up to 1 hour of playback (Fast Fuel)
Design
Weight (each earbud)
Weight (each earbud)	–	5.7 g
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	5.0	5.3
Two devices at once
Two devices at once	No	–
Controls
Controls	On-device playback, call, volume and voice-assistant controls	Single multifunction button on each earbud
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in microphone with wind reduction	Microphones with a noise-learning algorithm for calls
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Nitinol Flex-Form neckband cable; four ear-tip sizes; magnetic earbuds	Ergonomically angled nozzles; ear tips in four sizes (XS, S, M, L); earbuds 2.05 × 1.85 × 1.9 cm
Case weight
Case weight	–	22 g
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	No water resistance rating published
Works with
Works with	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)	One-touch pairing and automatic pre-pairing across your devices on both iOS and Android, plus Find My (iOS) or Find My Device (Android); Class 1 Bluetooth
Colours
Colours	Beats Black and Yuzu Yellow at launch; Smoke Gray and Flame Blue followed in early 2021	Matt Black, Arctic Purple, Transparent Red, Storm Grey (Beats UK)
In the box
In the box	Earphones, four sizes of ear tips, USB-C charging cable, Quick Start Guide and warranty card	Earbuds, case, ear tips in four sizes (XS, S, M, L), warranty card (no USB-C cable or power adapter)