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While wireless earbuds can be convenient and allow for greater freedom of movement, Bluetooth earbuds connected by a wire are harder to misplace and are significantly more affordable. The Beats Flex earbuds are Apple’s budget-friendly wired neckband earphones, and right now, they’re just $30.01 (originally $69.95) in black at Walmart—about 57% off the usual price.
If you’re prone to losing your wireless earbuds, the Flex’s earpieces magnetically snap together when you’re not wearing them, allowing you to keep them securely around your neck. When they snap together, audio automatically pauses, saving your battery life. The tangle-free neckband design houses a charging port, microphones, and volume controls.
According to PCMag’s review, which rates them as “Excellent,” they feature a secure in-ear fit with a design that eliminates cable tug and provide balanced sound with powerful bass with 8.2mm drivers. Battery life is around 12 hours on a full charge, and 10 minutes of “Fast Fuel” charging will give you about 90 minutes of listening time.
The earbuds use Class 1 Bluetooth for extended range and Apple’s W1 chip for seamless pairing. Two pairs of Flex can share the same sound source; when a second pair is nearby, you’ll get an onscreen prompt to connect. They’re compatible with Bluetooth 5.0 and support AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs, but not AptX. Charging is via USB-C. They do lack an official IP rating, so you’ll want to be mindful when wearing them in heavy rain.
If you don’t need active noise cancellation, don’t need water resistance, and are fine with USB-C charging, the Beats Flex earbuds are an affordable option with a bass-heavy sound and Apple’s W1 chip, making them a particularly good option for budget-conscious iOS users.
