Review · On-ear, no ANC
Beats Solo 4
The Solo 4 is a fine casual headphone at its ~$100 sale price (approx., Oct 2026) and a poor one at its $199.99 list. Digital Trends credits its long battery life and lossless wired audio, but there's no ANC, the on-ear fit gets tiring, and the sound is just OK. If you want noise cancelling for the same money, the Soundcore Space One is the better buy.
Our take
The short version
The Solo 4 is the only on-ear model on our list and the only one without noise cancelling, so it's a different kind of headphone from everything around it. What it does well is battery and convenience: Beats claims up to 50 hours, a 10-minute Fast Fuel charge gives about 5 hours, and one-touch pairing works on both Apple and Android. It also plays lossless audio over USB-C and has a 3.5 mm input.
Digital Trends' take matches the spec sheet: long battery life and lossless wired audio are the highlights, but the on-ear fit gets tiring and the sound is merely OK. That's the nature of on-ear pads, which press on your ears instead of surrounding them, and without ANC they won't do much against a plane or train.
Price is the whole story. List is $199.99, but it was around $99.95 on Amazon in early October 2026, the sale level where Digital Trends says it's worth buying. At list, it's hard to recommend over the Soundcore Space One (~$84.99), which adds ANC, LDAC, and multipoint.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Up to 50 h battery; a 10-minute Fast Fuel charge gives ~5 h
- Lossless USB-C and 3.5 mm wired audio
- One-touch pairing on Apple and Android
- Light at 217 g
- Personalized Spatial Audio
Trade-offs
- No noise cancelling
- The on-ear fit gets tiring, per Digital Trends
- Sound is just OK
- Only worth it at the sale price, not the $199.99 list
Who it's for
Buy it if…
- Casual listeners who mostly want long battery and easy pairing
- Households split between iPhone and Android
- Anyone who wants lossless wired audio over USB-C on a budget
Skip it if…
- Commuters and flyers: the Soundcore Space One has ANC for less
- Long listening sessions: the Sennheiser Momentum 5 is very comfortable, per reviewers
- Gym-goers: the Powerbeats Pro 2 are the workout pick
Spec sheet
Solo 4 specs
| Battery | Up to 50 h; 10 min Fast Fuel = ~5 h |
|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | No |
| Weight | 217 g |
| Drivers | Not specified |
| Codecs | Not specified |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 (Class 1) |
| Multipoint | Not specified |
| Water resistance | Not specified |
| Wired / USB-C audio | Lossless USB-C and 3.5 mm |
| Microphones | Not specified |
| App / EQ | Not specified |
| Also notable | One-touch pairing on Apple and Android; Personalized Spatial Audio |
From the manufacturer sources listed below. “Not specified” means those sources don't state it.
Watch
Solo 4 on video
Video by Digital Trends on YouTube. Their views are their own.
Cross-shop
Alternatives to consider
Soundcore Space One
- Over-ear ANC (budget)
- ~$84.99
- 2023
- Any phone
Wirecutter's budget pick: real ANC, LDAC, and a 40-hour battery at a fraction of flagship prices.
Pros
- Pro: Wirecutter's budget pick
- Pro: 40 h with ANC, 55 h without; a 5-minute charge gives 4 h
- Pro: LDAC and multipoint at a budget price
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: A 2023 model, the oldest on our list
- Trade-off: Our travel and call scores trail the flagships
- Value
- 5 out of 5
- Travel
- 4 out of 5
- Calls
- 3 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Soundcore Space OneSoundcore Liberty 5
- Earbuds ANC (budget)
- ~$79.99
- 2025
- Any phone
Feature-packed budget earbuds with strong ANC for the money; plan to tame the bass with EQ.
Pros
- Pro: Strong ANC for the money, per reviewers
- Pro: LDAC, multipoint, and Bluetooth 5.4
- Pro: IP55 and a light 4.6 g per bud
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: Bass-heavy tuning needs EQ
- Trade-off: Fiddly stem controls
- Value
- 5 out of 5
- Travel
- 4 out of 5
- Workouts
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Soundcore Liberty 5Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Earbuds ANC
- ~$179
- Sep 2025
- iPhone
The default earbuds for iPhone owners, with ANC SoundGuys ranks among the best of any earbud.
Pros
- Pro: SoundGuys' best earbuds for iPhone
- Pro: ANC that SoundGuys measured among the best of any earbud
- Pro: Heart-rate sensing plus Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and Hearing Protection
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: No user EQ
- Trade-off: Built around the iPhone; MacRumors steers Android owners to the Sony
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Value
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Apple AirPods Pro 3
Related guides and comparisons
Sources
Manufacturer specs
- Beats Solo 4 product page (opens in a new tab) — Battery, Fast Fuel, weight, Bluetooth, wired audio, and pairing
Review consensus
- Digital Trends — Solo 4 review: battery, wired audio, fit, sound, and the ~$100 sale-price verdict
Published reviews and manufacturer specs, researched October 5, 2026. We didn't test these headphones ourselves; judgments credited to an outlet are that outlet's.
Disclosure: Our picks are independent and editorial — a synthesis of published reviews and manufacturer specs, not our own lab measurements. Prices are approximate Amazon prices seen October 5, 2026, not live quotes. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.