The Beats Pill offers a compact and portable audio experience that packs just the right punch for its size. With its racetrack-style woofer, the Pill delivers solid bass, complemented by crisp mids and decent highs, making it ideal for casual listeners who enjoy a balanced sound signature. While it lacks features like an adjustable EQ and multipoint connectivity, the speaker’s seamless integration with both iOS and Android ecosystems is a major plus, allowing users to locate and manage the device easily. At ₹16,900, the Pill competes well in its segment, though audiophiles might seek more customisation options.
Beats by Dre audio products have officially arrived in India. Starting September 4, Apple is making the Beats Solo 4, Beats Solo Buds, Beats Studio Pro, and the Beats Pill available through their website and retail stores, targeting the burgeoning Indian audio market. I got my hands on these devices and immediately kicked off my tests, starting with the Beats Pill portable speaker.
The Beats Pill claims to be “Seriously Loud”, and it packs a host of premium features like IP67 dust and water resistance, lossless audio via a USB-C cable, Find My (Apple) and Find My Device (Android) support, Beats app support, and much more, in a portable and compact package. Priced at ₹16,900, it competes against formidable competitors like the JBL Flip 6 and Bose SoundLink Flex. Will it make its mark in the cutthroat Indian audio market? Here’s what I think:
Beats Pill Review: Build and Design
Aptly named the Beats Pill, the speaker’s oblong pill-like design is eye-catching. Available in Champagne Gold, Statement Red, and Matte Black colours, even the most basic of the colours – the Matte Black variant – looks striking. It features a metallic grille on the front and a matte silicone material wraps the rest of the speaker. The diminutive Beats logo sits in the centre of the metallic grille and looks discreet yet classy.
The speaker also comes with a removable lanyard on the right side; extremely convenient for outdoor use. Plus, the lanyard is colour-matched which is a nice little touch. The bottom of the speaker houses four small anti-slip feet, which provide excellent grip on most surfaces where the speaker is propped.
At the top, you’ll find the control panel, which includes the power button on the left and a status LED indicator beside it. There’s also a pinhole microphone for speakerphone calls. Next, you have the multifunction button, followed by dedicated volume buttons. Pressing the power button twice activates your phone’s voice assistant.
The controls are generally intuitive, although the power button was initially a bit confusing. You need to press and hold it for 2-5 seconds to turn the speaker on or off; holding it for longer doesn’t do anything, which is what I mistakenly did when I first used the speaker. The buttons have indents, making them easy to locate in most situations, except in low-light conditions, where a backlight would have been a helpful addition.
The Beats Pill also impresses with an IP67 build, meaning it’s dustproof, and has water resistance of up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. The speaker isn’t buoyant though, so keep that in mind when you take it to your pool parties. At 680 g, the Pill is easily portable and is a great choice even when you’re doing outdoor activities or treks.
What features do you get?
Priced at ₹16,900, the Beats Pill packs a fair number of features – it’s on par with similarly-priced portable speakers like the popular JBL Flip 6 and even the Sony SRS-XE300. One of my favourite features is the ability to play high-resolution, lossless audio by connecting the Beats Pill to your source device directly using a USB-C cable. It’s one of the few speakers on the market that supports USB playback. I also found that the low-end got a bit richer when playing music via USB-C. The Pill lacks auxiliary input though, which is a shame.
You can also use the USB-C port to charge other devices, like a pair of TWS earbuds or your phone! To reverse the charging direction, you will need to press the power button three times in quick succession.
The Beats Pill, being part of the Apple family, offers fast pairing with iOS devices and even includes ‘Find My’ support, which is a lifesaver if you ever misplace the speaker. Moreover, it integrates smoothly with the Android ecosystem, featuring Google Fast Pair and Find My Device support, allowing you to easily pair and locate the speaker across both platforms.
The Beats Pill gets its own dedicated section in iOS Settings, similar to AirPods, where you can adjust audio options, update firmware, and more. On Android, you can download the Beats app to access these same settings. However, I was disappointed with the app’s lack of essential features, such as EQ customisation.
While the Beats Pill is a mono speaker, you can elevate the experience to stereo sound by pairing two Pills in Stereo Mode. Although this requires purchasing a second speaker, it’s a nice option to have. For louder playback, you can use Amplify Mode to connect two Beats Pill speakers and boost the volume. One notable omission is multipoint connectivity, a feature that is becoming increasingly essential for users with multiple devices.
Beats Pill Review: Sound quality and performance
The Beats Pill stands out from other portable speakers by forgoing passive bass radiators and instead relying on its internal drivers to deliver its sound. Despite its compact size, the Pill manages to pack a decent bass punch. While it lacks an adjustable EQ, its out-of-the-box sound quality outshines many competitors in its price range, like the JBL Flip 6, and the sound matches the quality of the Bose SoundLink Flex.
The Beats Pill features a racetrack-style neodymium woofer paired with a single neodymium tweeter. Beats hasn’t provided official frequency range specifications. The drivers are positioned at a 20-degree upward angle. This new arrangement enhances air displacement, contributing to its improved sound performance. The speaker supports Bluetooth 5.3 and is compatible with both AAC and SBC codecs. However, it lacks support for aptX and other Android-optimised codecs, which is a shame.
On tracks with heavy bass, the Pill provides solid low-frequency response but there is slight distortion at maximum volume. It has a punchy mid-bass that enhances the overall listening experience. Its mid-range reproduction is one the best at this price with excellent clarity and detail. The Pill delivers a balanced performance with rich sound, allowing vocals and high-frequency elements to shine, while maintaining a full-bodied sound.
The Pill’s newly engineered woofer system helps boost its bass and overall sound clarity. While it doesn’t reach the depths of larger speakers, it does a commendable job for its size, especially in genres like hip-hop and EDM. However, the treble range can sometimes sound too sharp, particularly with cymbals and high-frequency elements. This is where the absence of an EQ is felt the most, as it limits customisation.
Overall, the Beats Pill is a solid option for those seeking a portable speaker with good sound quality, although its mono output and lack of customisation features might leave some audiophiles wanting more.
Beats Pill Review: Battery Life
The Pill boasts a battery life of up to 24 hours, though actual performance may vary depending on the volume at which you listen to music. At 50% volume, the speaker lasted for 21 hours and 45 minutes, which is excellent. Furthermore, there’s fast charging support too, so a quick 10-minute top-up will net you 2 hours’ worth of playback time.
The speaker also charges to full from an empty battery in about 2 hours and 30 minutes, but you need to have a 45 W PD charger to get those speeds. Additionally, you can reverse charge smaller devices via the speaker using USB-C.
Should you buy it?
The Beats Pill offers a compact and portable audio experience that packs just the right punch for its size. With its racetrack-style woofer, the Pill delivers solid bass, complemented by crisp mids and decent highs, making it ideal for casual listeners who enjoy a balanced sound signature. While it lacks features like an adjustable EQ and multipoint connectivity, the speaker’s seamless integration with both iOS and Android ecosystems is a major plus, allowing users to locate and manage the device easily. At ₹16,900, the Pill competes well in its segment, though audiophiles might seek more customisation options. For those looking for a sturdy, stylish speaker with decent sound quality and portability, the Beats Pill delivers a satisfying dose of audio.
Beats Pill Key Specs, Price and Launch Date
| Release Date: | |
| Market Status: | Launched |
Key Specifications
Dimensions
21.9 x 7.1 x 7.0 cm
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Dhriti Datta
Perpetually sporting a death stare, this one can be seen tinkering around with her smartphone which she holds more dear than life itself and stuffing her face with copious amounts of bacon. View Full Profile
