Beats Solo 4 Wireless Headphones — Matte Black
50-hour battery, balanced sound, and featherweight comfort — the headphones I've been reaching for every morning.
The Beats Solo 4 isn't trying to win a spec sheet war with ANC or 100W charging. It does something harder: it nails the fundamentals — sound, comfort, battery — and gets out of the way. I've been wearing these for three weeks and they've quietly become my default.
The Sound Is Different This Time
Old Beats had a reputation: booming bass, muddy mids, good for EDM and not much else. The Solo 4 doesn't sound like that. The tuning is noticeably more balanced — you can hear the detail in acoustic tracks, the separation in complex mixes. It's not audiophile territory, but for wireless on-ear headphones at this price, the sound quality genuinely surprised me.
Multipoint Bluetooth connects to two devices simultaneously, so switching between my phone and laptop is seamless. No re-pairing, no hunting through settings. It just works — and once you have it, single-device headphones feel like a step backwards.
50 Hours. Actually 50 Hours.
Battery life claims are usually marketing fiction. I've been charging the Solo 4 every 5–6 days with moderate daily use — so the 50-hour number checks out in the real world. The 10-minute Fast Fuel charge gives you 5 hours of playback, which has saved me more than once before a call.
Comfort Over Long Sessions
At 217g these are noticeably light for on-ear headphones. The earcups are soft-padded without being overbuilt. I've worn them through 4-hour work sessions without the jaw pressure or ear fatigue that cheaper on-ear cans give you. If you've given up on on-ear headphones because they hurt — try these before writing off the category entirely.
What Works
- Balanced, detailed sound — not the old bass-heavy Beats tuning
- 50-hour real-world battery with Fast Fuel top-up
- Multipoint: connect two devices simultaneously
- Apple & Android compatible with full feature support
- Ultra-lightweight at 217g — comfortable for long sessions
- USB-C charging — one cable for everything
What to Know
- No active noise cancellation — not ideal for loud environments
- On-ear fit isn't for everyone (try before you buy if possible)
- No companion app for EQ customization
Who This Is For
Anyone who wants reliable wireless headphones for focus work, commuting, or casual listening without paying for ANC they'll rarely use. If your priority is a great everyday listening experience at a fair price, the Solo 4 earns its spot. If you need active noise cancellation, look at Sony XM5 or Bose QC45 instead.
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3 Quick Picks
Products that earned a spot this month — tested and worth the consideration.
TP-Link Deco X55 WiFi 6 Mesh System (3-Pack)
I set this up for a friend dealing with dead zones in a 2,000 sq ft house. Under 20 minutes start to finish. WiFi 6 makes a real difference when you have a lot of devices competing. The 3-pack covers up to 6,500 sq ft — nice to not be cutting it close. Worth it if you're still running a single router and wondering why your signal drops three rooms away.
Check on Amazon
eufy Security 4K Indoor Camera E30
The no-subscription model is what sold me. Most cameras charge $3–10/month for cloud storage — this one doesn't. Local storage, 4K, 360° pan and tilt, HomeKit compatible. AI tracking works without being intrusive. If you've been putting off a home camera because of recurring fees, this removes that friction entirely.
Check on Amazon
Anker USB-C 5-in-1 Hub
This one quietly earns its place on my desk. 4K HDMI, two powered USB-A 3.0 ports, and a powered USB-C data port — all from one compact dongle. If you're on a MacBook and constantly swapping cables, this stops that. No drivers, no setup, just works every time you plug it in.
Check on AmazonWhat I Passed On
Tested but didn't make the cut — and why.
PASSED ON
Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones
These almost made the list. At around $40–50 the value is real, and the 50-hour battery matches the Beats. But side-by-side the sound felt noticeably thinner, the build feels more plastic-y, and the fit wasn't comfortable for longer sessions. For the price gap between these and the Solo 4, I'd stretch the budget.
That said — if $40 is your ceiling and you mostly listen to podcasts, the Sony is a perfectly honest pick. I'm not saying it's bad. I'm saying the Beats is better if you can swing it.
See Sony WH-CH520 on Amazon →