Beats officially entered the Indian market in August with the Solo Buds, Solo 4, and Pill speaker. As an Apple user and an audio enthusiast, I was excited to get the Beats Solo 4 headphones, especially since it is the first Beats product officially launched in India. Over the years, Beats has developed a strong reputation for delivering powerful bass-heavy sound, and this new iteration promises even more. Having used these headphones for quite some time now, I can say that they have some solid upgrades, but like any product, they come with their pros and cons.

Design and comfort

Right out of the box, the Beats Solo 4 looks sleek and premium. Its build quality stands out with brushed steel hinges and foldable design, making it extremely convenient for travel. When folded it will easily fit in my handbag. It is available in three colours: Matte Black, Slate Blue and Cloud Pink. In this review you can see the slate blue variant.

The Beats Solo 4 are incredibly lightweight at just 217 grams, which is a big plus for me, especially when taking them on trips or during work breaks. The plush ear cushions are soft and designed to block out outside noise, but I’ll talk about their fit later. The design is basic and not overly fancy. However, the plastic used in the Beats Solo 4 doesn’t feel cheap. The steel hinges enhance the overall look of the headphones but pose a bit of a problem. Every time I removed them, a little bit of my hair would get stuck, which was quite frustrating.

Fit – comfortable, but not long

Now, coming to one of the drawbacks for me – it’s fit. As I mentioned earlier, the Solo 4 have an on-ear design, which means the ear cups rest directly on your ears. Initially, it felt comfortable, but after wearing these for more than two hours, I started feeling some discomfort. The pressure from the headband became noticeable, and I found I had to take breaks to adjust them or remove them altogether. For short listening sessions or workouts, they’re fine.

The cushioned and lightweight design make them comfortable for short periods of time, but for long-haul flights or extended work sessions, they may not be ideal. Of course, fit and comfort are subjective. What is uncomfortable for me may be perfectly fine for someone with a different head or ear shape. So, if you are considering these, I would recommend trying them out for a bit before making a decision.

Connectivity and battery life

Being an Apple user, one thing I love is how seamlessly the Beats Solo 4 connects with my iPhone. The pairing process is as simple as opening them, and they instantly pair with the familiar “Beats” pop-up on my iPhone screen. Once paired, the headphones sync to my other Apple devices, so I can go between my MacBook and iPhone without any hassle. Plus, I love the “Hey Siri” functionality — it’s great to be able to adjust volume, skip songs, or ask about the weather without touching your phone.

I also tried the Beats Solo 4 with an Android phone to check compatibility. I was surprised that the connection was smooth. Features like automatic pairing and “Find My” are a bit more sophisticated on iOS, but it’s good to know that these headphones work across all platforms. Android users won’t feel left out, but I’d say Apple users will get the best experience.

Battery life is another area where the Solo 4 really excels. The company has promised up to 50 hours of playback on a single charge. I can easily use it for a week on a single charge, which means over 40 hours of playback time. When the battery got low, the fast fuel feature came in handy. 10 minutes of quick charging gave me about 3-4 hours of listening time, which is enough for short trips or gym sessions.

sound quality

Now, let’s talk about the most important aspect: sound quality. Beats has always been known for its bass-heavy signature, and the Solo 4 lives up to that. If you’re into hip-hop, EDM, or any genre with deep, pounding bass, these headphones will please you. For example, when I played Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” the thudding bass was front and center, giving the track that powerful feel that Beats fans love. Similarly, Drake’s “God’s Plan” came with crystal-clear vocals and rich, deep beats.

But Beats has also stepped up its game when it comes to clarity and balance. Songs like Adele’s “Hello” sounded full, with her powerful vocals coming through clearly without being drowned out by the bass. Even the orchestral music, such as Hans Zimmer’s “Time” from Inception, had a good balance, with each instrument well-represented, making it feel more impactful.

Switching to the Hindi track, I played Arijit Singh’s “Tum Hi Ho”. Warmth and emotion came through beautifully in the vocals, and the acoustic strings were crisp and detailed. The spatial audio feature really shined here – it felt like I was in a room surrounded by devices. This is thanks to personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, which adjusts the sound based on the way you move. It’s like having 64 speakers surrounding you, and I can feel it during this song.

I even tried it while watching some Netflix shows and it felt like I was in the middle of the action. It’s like having a mini surround sound system over your head. Be it music, movies or games, this spatial audio takes things to the next level.

For audiophiles who care about lossless audio, the Beats Solo 4 has you covered. When plugged in via USB-C or 3.5mm audio cable, you get high-resolution, lossless sound quality. I found this particularly useful when listening to tracks like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Guitars, operatic vocals and even subtle cymbal details came through beautifully. Using a 3.5mm cable provides a more subtle experience than Bluetooth streaming.

missing anc

However, one significant drawback is the absence of active noise cancellation (ANC). Priced at Rs 22,999 in India, this seems like a big miss, especially considering that many low-cost audio devices, such as the Sony WH-CH720N, which costs under Rs 10,000, offer ANC. Given how widespread ANC has become even in budget audio devices, it’s surprising that Beats left out the feature. For the premium price, I would have expected at least basic noise-cancellation features, especially when competitors are offering ANC at a much lower price.

Call quality and other features

Apart from music, the Beats Solo 4 also works great for calls. It uses multiple digital beamforming microphones, which helps isolate your voice from background noise. I took a few calls in a noisy environment outside and the person on the other end could hear me clearly without much interference.

The controls on the device are simple and intuitive. The “B” button allows you to play or pause music or answer a call, while the volume up and down rockers work as expected. The multi-function buttons for power and pairing were easy to use, and I didn’t experience any dropouts during Bluetooth connections.

Should you buy the Beats Solo 4?

For music lovers who enjoy powerful, bass-heavy sound with clarity and deep spatial audio, the Beats Solo 4 is a solid choice. The seamless connectivity with both iOS and Android is a big plus, and the long battery life makes them practical for everyday use.

However, the lack of ANC is hard to ignore at this price point, especially when cheaper options like the Sony WH-CH720N offer this feature. The on-ear design may not be the most comfortable for long periods of time, so keep that in mind if you like extended listening sessions. Although the sound quality is impressive, missing the ANC feature makes it feel like you’re paying more for the brand than the technology.