Beats Beats Solo 4 Beats by Dr. Dre Beats Solo 4 Wireless On-Ear Review

The Beats Solo 4 delivers elite 99th percentile sound and a best-in-class 50-hour battery. It's a lightweight, portable powerhouse for music and movies, but skip it if you need active noise cancellation or have a large head. For around $140, it's a stellar value for performance.

The Beats Solo 4 lands in the 99th percentile for sound quality in our database, which is a huge deal for a set of on-ear headphones. That score is backed by custom 40mm drivers and support for spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. And then there's the battery life, which sits at a perfect 100th percentile with its claimed 50 hours of playback. That's a combination that's hard to ignore.

At just 213 grams and with a foldable design, these are built for portability. They score a 98th percentile for comfort and connectivity, thanks to their ultralight ergonomic build and Bluetooth 5.3. The overall package is aimed squarely at listeners who want potent, balanced sound that can last for days on a single charge, whether they're at home, in the office, or on the move.

Let's talk numbers. A 99th percentile sound score means these are among the absolute best-sounding headphones we've tested, period. The custom 40mm drivers deliver that signature Beats bass but in a more balanced, refined package than older models. Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking adds a fun, immersive layer for movies and supported music, making them surprisingly capable for gaming, too, where they score a 99.8.

The other headline is endurance. That 50-hour battery life isn't just good, it's top-of-the-class, putting it in the 100th percentile. You can forget about charging for a week of normal use. Connectivity is equally impressive at the 98th percentile, with Bluetooth 5.3 and one-touch pairing for Apple devices making setup effortless. The microphone and passive noise control (which isn't active ANC) also score in the high 90s, so your calls will sound clear, and they'll block out a fair bit of ambient noise just by sitting on your ears.

Priced between $130 and $150, the Solo 4 offers a compelling price-to-performance ratio. You're getting sound and battery life that compete with headphones costing twice as much. While the build quality is just okay, the core audio and endurance metrics are exceptional for this price point. Compared to paying full price for last year's flagships from Sony or Bose, the Solo 4 delivers where it counts for a lot less cash.

Stacked against its main competitors, the Solo 4 carves out a clear niche. The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort have far superior active noise cancellation, but they're heavier, often more expensive, and their battery life (around 30 hours) doesn't touch the Solo 4's 50. The Beats Studio Pro, its over-ear sibling, offers ANC and a more premium build but is bulkier and more expensive. The Apple AirPods Max? They're in a different league price-wise. If your top priorities are marathon battery life, great sound, and ultra-portability, and you can live without top-tier ANC, the Solo 4 beats the others on those specific numbers.

Skip the Solo 4 if you're an audio professional or need a flat, neutral sound for critical mixing. It scores a weak 57.7 for studio use. Also, avoid it if active noise cancellation is a must-have for your commute or office, or if you've had issues with on-ear headphones feeling too tight. The average 50th percentile build score also suggests they might not be the best choice for extremely rough daily treatment.

The Beats Solo 4 is a data-backed winner for the listener who prioritizes sound and stamina above all else. Its 99th percentile audio and 100th percentile battery are a killer combo. Just know what you're trading: you're getting an on-ear fit that some find tight, average build quality, and no active noise cancellation. If those are deal-breakers, look at the over-ear competition. But if you want a lightweight, go-anywhere pair that sounds fantastic and almost never needs a charge, this is an easy recommendation.