Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones review

Get the most out of your music with these Beats Solo3 headphones. Their on-ear design makes them really comfortable, and you won’t have any annoying cables to deal with since these wireless headphones connect via Bluetooth. You’ll be totally focused on the music as noise-isolation blocks out any outside sounds, and you can crank up the volume or skip tracks using the handy on-ear controls. Plus, with a massive 40-hour battery life, you’ll get plenty of playback before needing to charge them. And when they do eventually run out of juice, Fast Fuel technology means they’ll power up again super quickly. They even come with a protective carry case, letting you stow them away safely when you aren’t using them.

Testing the Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones

I’ve been testing these Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones for a few months now and have been so pleased with their versatility and ease of use. I’d not had wireless headphones before but got a new phone which didn’t have a headphone jack so I couldn't use wired headphones anymore, so I started looking into wireless. I didn’t like the idea of wireless earbuds as I was concerned they’d fall out or be uncomfortable, so when the opportunity came to test these out I was very excited. They arrived via AO.com and the delivery was really quick and easy, I find a lot of people don’t realise you can use AO for small electrical items like headphones, they just think of them for washing machines and similar large items, but they’re great for smaller electricals too.

Firstly setup, the headphones came with a quick start guide and can be connected via Bluetooth to android phones, so I simply paired the devices and the headphones were ready to use within seconds. Once paired you don’t have to worry about reconnecting, when you turn your headphones on they automatically connect to your phone. This was really handy as I had fears of my music blaring from my phone by mistake, but as long as you remember to turn your headphones on you’re fine! You can also connect to multiple devices, if you had a smart watch for example and wanted to switch between the two, so there’s this real feel of seamless listening.

I had a quick read through the instructions on the on-ear controls which I didn’t use to begin with, but once I started to it was pretty instinctive. There are controls on the headphones so you can pause, play rewind and adjust the volume without having to get your phone out, you simply push the centre of the b logo on the left earpiece to pause or play, tap above that to raise the volume and below to lower the volume. You can also accept and decline calls with these buttons but this is something I haven’t tried myself yet.

Design-wise, they were comfortable to wear, with plenty of padding on the earpieces, plus they’re a good fit for my head in that they don’t look too big when I’m wearing them. They come in a few colour options, from classic black or silver to vibrant red or gold, so whether you want to make a statement or not you can show off a bit of your personality. I went for rose gold and they have a lovely matt finish to them, with some accents in a shinier finish and the padding in white.

They come with a universal USB charging cable but the battery life is really good so I’ve only had to charge them once. They also came charged so I didn’t have to worry about charging them up before use, which was great as I actually used them the day they arrived to go for a run. Even with a 5 minute charge they will work for 3 hours, which is brilliant if they have run out of juice and you needed them for travel etc. They fold down into a handy bag as well which was a key feature for me as I like to listen to music when I’m travelling and I didn’t want the headphones to take up too much space in my bag. The fold feels very secure, not like they’re going to snap or that it will weaken them in any way. They click back into place too, so they keep their shape perfectly when in use.

On usability, the fact that you can fold these headphones down I think makes them just as versatile as bud headphones, if not more so. I’ve used them when running, on the train, on a plane and generally out and about. They’re great for exercising as you don’t feel like they’re going to fall off, they fit snuggly on my head without any slipping. The fact that they’re wireless means that the cable doesn’t accidentally get pulled out of the headphone jack, which has happened to me in the past. The sound quality is really great, they’re not completely noise cancelling but I quite like that I’m still aware of my surroundings when wearing them, you can still hear a little of what’s going on around you, while being absorbed into the music. Beats call it spatial audio, so you get fine-tuned acoustics for clarity and depth with noise isolation. They were comfortable enough to wear on a flight, I even managed to fall asleep wearing them.

When not in use they fold snugly into their bag which also has a handy carabiner attachment that you can then clip onto your bag, or I like to clip to the keyring attachment within my backpack so that I can find them easily.

Final thoughts

Some want to have big statement headphones but the more streamlined design is perfect for me, and also makes them more travel-friendly. If you’ve not owned a pair of wireless headphones before, or aren’t sure about buds, I would definitely recommend these, they’re so easy to set up, they look sleek and fit in with a busy on-the-go lifestyle. The audio quality is brilliant, as expected from a brand such as beats, and the colour options are fun too. My favourite feature by far is that they’re foldable and that they come with the travel bag, I think a lot of other brands would try to sell this as an additional accessory so the fact that it’s included is great. My only negative is that my hair gets stuck in the headphones sometimes between the cushioning and the solid part as they are flexible to comfortably fit to your ear.

FAQs

Do they have noise cancelling?

Solo3 does not feature Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). Solo Pro offers both ANC and Transparency mode in a similar design.

Can you plug them into a non-Bluetooth device with an aux cord?

Solo3 can be connected to any standard non-Bluetooth audio source using a Beats RemoteTalk cable (sold separately).

How do I charge?

Charge your Solo3 by plugging the micro-USB cable included into the port on the bottom of the right ear cup.

How do you turn them on and off?

Power Solo3 on or off by pressing the power button on the right ear cup for 1 second.

Can you control your music?

Solo3 features onboard controls built into the left ear cup. Use the “b” button to control playback – one press to play or pause, two presses to skip forwards, or three presses to skip backwards. Use the volume rocker above and below the “b” button to adjust the volume up or down.

How long does the battery last?

Solo3 can provide up to 40 hours of playback from a full charge.

Do they have a microphone?

Solo3 features a built-in microphone for phone call and voice assistant use.

How do I pair with my iPhone?

Solo3 is ready to pair straight out of the box. For iOS devices, simply press the power button for 1 second, then hold near your unlocked device and follow the onscreen instructions. The latest version of iOS is required.

How do I pair with my Android device?

For Android devices, visit the Google Play store and download the Beats app for easy one-touch pairing. You can also use the Bluetooth menu in your device.

How do I pair with additional Bluetooth devices?

To put Solo3 back into pairing mode, hold the power button on the right ear cup for 3 seconds until the LED begins to flash. Then select Solo3 in the Bluetooth menu on your device.

How do I activate Siri or other voice assistants?

Hold down the “b” button on the left ear cup to activate Siri or the default voice assistant on your device.

Stephanie Spencer is the Deputy Digital Editor of Yours.co.uk. Having worked across a variety of topics, from travel and food to pharmaceuticals, she also has a particular interest in mental health and wellness. She has a house full of pets with two dogs and two cats.