The headphones will retail for $199.99 in each color.
The look is instantly familiar.
On the feature front, the Solo 4 model overhauls most aspects compared to the Solo 3s.
Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek
New audio drivers are included.
Theres a new Beats proprietary platform that replaces the W1 chip.
Plus, you could now listen wired to high-res audio via a USB-C or 3.5mm cable.
Beats Solo 4 delivers native ecosystem benefits for both Apple and Android customers, including one-touch pairing and Find My or Find My Device.
Overall, the updates are significant when coming from a seven-year-old product.
They don’t stop playback automatically when removed from your head.
A small detail, but one I missed during testing.
Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek
Interestingly, I found Dua Lipas Illusion banger didnt sound quite as deep and punchy as I expected.
It was still full and energetic, but had less low-pass bass than I heard on some other headphones.
On most songs I listened to, the bass was tight and present, just not overly rumble-y.
Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek
Personally, the soundstage on the Solo 4 fits my eclectic listening style well.
There was a good mid-range response to keep singers' vocals audible.
After turning on the 24-bit/192kHz lossless streams from Apple Music, I could hear more depth and clarity.
Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek
But not enough to justify using 145MB of data per three minutes of audiocompared to 6MB at 256kbps AAC.
These headphones arent targeting audiophiles so they shouldnt be graded on that curve.
Still, I thought they sounded great on the whole.
Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek
The microphone quality was slightly disappointing because I thought my voice sounded too digital and compressed.
The headphones did an admirable job of blocking background noise, however.
In a noisy construction environment my words can still be heard.
Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek
I didnt notice any real change in fit or feel.
The headphones remain lightweight, coming in at 217 grams.
I appreciate how the Solo 4 are sports-focused but remain comfortable and mostly compact.
For example, the headband is minimal and doesnt appear padded, but it still didnt cause any discomfort.
That said, I still enjoyed my hours wearing these during pre-release testing.
The ear padding is nice and squishy and the earcups can pivot around freely thanks to their infinite-direction gimbal.
The physical media controls on the left side of the headphones are still easy to use.
They come with a nice, thick nylon-like case that can fit the 3.5mm cable and a USB-C cable.
I tried, but couldnt get through the headphones 50 hours of battery life in my pre-release use.
It’s a lot of listening time.
It should be weeks between when most people will need to charge these headphones.
Should You Buy the Beats Solo 4 Headphones?
Both iPhone and Android users can take advantage of Find My and location tracking.
Headphones are a product you may misplace, too.
There should be enough extras here to keep people satisfied for close to another seven years.
