Customer Ratings & Reviews

The Beats Pill+ was the prior model, but has been discontinued since 2020. Now the newly released Beats Pill has hit the market with a load of refinements and improvements. Some improvements are obvious, such as USB-C charging and charge out, rather than the old standards of Lightning charging and USB-A charge output capacity. Bluetooth refinements are less obvious, but substantial. Battery life has been doubled. There is an attached lanyard for easier, secure handling, but also is easily removable if you prefer a shelf location over mobile toting it around. The only accessory included in the package is a USB-C to USB-C cable, for charging or wired output to other devices. Bluetooth standard has been updated to version 5.3. The most recent Bluetooth protocol is 5.4 (The major difference between 5.3 and 5.4 seems to be technical, in the field of dispersing advertising information to a broad range of low power devices in a commercial setting; not anything that would affect your musical listening or speakerphone utilization of the Pill). So 5.3, introduced widely in 2023, was an important advance for home users. The evolution from Bluetooth 5.0 to 5.3 brought notable enhancements in overall performance, particularly in areas that directly impact user experience. These improvements in 5.3 addressed some of the most common concerns users have had with wireless technology, such as audio quality, connection stability, and latency. So I think 5.3 is going to answer the needs for end users of a portable speaker very nicely for quite a while. The “FindMy” location app will locate your Beats Pill for you, widening the universe of misplaced objects to your search. I didn’t have to do any separate pairing to the Beats Pill; it just showed up on my FindMy under devices tab. 
 Android users will be able to use their location “Find My Devices” as well, since the computer chip in the Beats Pill is built with both iOS and Android capacity. For me and my spouse, the benefit of iOS seamless integration of the speaker with our iPhones made the pairing totally automatic and effortless. We did not need to go to the Bluetooth menu (not a difficult process, of course, but why not have it be automatic). A prompt showed up on the iPhone to one-touch agree to pairing of the Pill. And the same one-touch pairing and auto pairing with Android exists for compatible devices. Older iPhones and Androids may not play well with the auto-pairing, but will require using the established Bluetooth route in your system settings. Compared to the prior Pill+ of a few years ago, this is advertised as being louder output, a bigger bass, and better tonality. The tweeter is housed separately from the “racetrack” bass, so there is no interference between the two. My interpretation of the term “racetrack” is that the perimeter of the bass is not circular, but oval, like a track and field racetrack. This is claimed to provide 28% more motor force, and moving 90% more air volume, with reduction of the low-end distortion. The specifications did not mention the frequency range of output. In my listening, I always try out the opening sequence of Richard Strauss’ tone poem Also Sprache Zarathustra (the sequence utilized by Stanley Kubrick in 2001:A Space Odyssey). That low organ note is 20 Hz, and was not audible with the Pill, so I am assuming the bass range starts higher than 20 Hz… The battery claims a 24 hour charge life (double the Pill+ play duration), and can be used to charge your other small devices, such as your mobile phone, via the USB-C port. Outdoor usage is encouraged, having an IP67 rated dust and water resistance. The prior Pill+ did not even mention such protection ratings. The feel of the speaker is secure in your hand with a grippy matte silicone rubber for about 60% of the perimeter, with the speaker frontage being metal. The speakers themselves are angled up at 20º, so table top placement aim the output towards your ears. The bottom is flattened with 4 small feet to stabilize the speaker on the table or shelf. The lanyard is easily removed, and color matched to your speaker. It weighs about 1.5 lbs. For even more volume, or stereo output, you can add a second Pill. The second speaker can be set to be the same output as the first, or grouped for left and right stereo output. You chose for your desired placement of the two speakers. The Pill will work as a speakerphone for your mobile. The speaker input for your voice is adjacent to the left side on/off button, pinhole size and adjacent to the on/off light. That light also will signal your battery life (green is good, red needs some juice) when you query the Pill. The new Pill adds the champagne gold color, as mine is in my photos, as well as the prior black, white, and red of the Pill+ from 2020. In my listening for about 10-12 hours, I picked eclectic music. As noted above, classical is my first preference, but also included classic rock, New Wave, jazz, a smattering of country. I cannot speak for Rap or Hip-Hop, so your mileage may vary. In summary, and in comparison to several other Bluetooth speakers around the house in a variety of uses, the Beats Pill really clicks all the buttons. Our other BT speakers are in a variety of uses, with mixed results. A largish one in the living room fills the space with better fidelity, but the Pill excels over the smaller speakers that sit on bedside tables and kitchen counter. The only remaining question for us is whether we get a second Champagne color, or a different color so we can identify which is which...

When the Beats by Dr. Dre brand first came on the market, I was less than impressed with the sound signature of their products which to me seemed really bass heavy, to the point of sounding muffled and having no clarity. Apple purchased Beats back in 2014 (I had to look that up), but until now I had shied away from their products because of my initial experiences with their product line. I’m not sure how long it’s been, but this latest iteration of the Beats Pill proves my perceptions to now be completely wrong. This current generation of the Beats Pill was released in June of 2024. Being a pharmacist, the name of the product has a special calling for me, as it looks like an oral medication capsule, especially when in the color red. The Pill comes with a generous 4.5 foot long USB-C to USB-C charging/data cable, a detachable, color-matched lanyard, and a minimal amount of printed documentation in the box. Note that there is no charging adapter, like with most modern rechargeable devices. The Pill is IP67 rated for resistance to water, sand, and dust exposure - this and the lanyard make it suitable for on-the-go use outside of the home or office. At 24 ounces, it is probably not something you will want to carry around for extended periods of time though. There is only one port on the Pill, a USB-C jack on the rear of the speaker. This jack serves a couple different purposes besides being how you charge the Pill’s internal lithium-ion battery. The speaker’s battery can also be used to charge other devices such as your cell phone. This USB-C port will also accept a lossless-quality music signal from your source device when using the cable rather than a Bluetooth connection. For users that are part of the Apple ecosystem, pairing the Beats Pill to your products couldn’t be easier. Hold the “Power” button on the Pill for a few seconds and then tap the “Connect” button that appears in the window on your iPhone. Doing that also immediately added the Pill to the Bluetooth list on my MacBook which had Bluetooth turned on, without doing anything additional on the laptop. For Apple users the Beats Pill will also be seen in the “Find My” app. After pairing, you can use the “EQ” tab in your Music app to tailor the sound to your exact preference. Apple has designed the Beats Pill so that you are able to add a second Pill and use them both in “Amplify Mode” or use “Stereo Mode” to have the two Pills play distinct left and right audio channels from your music source. The Pill contains a single separate woofer (oval shaped for a larger cone area) and a single tweeter, meaning one Pill does not play in true stereo. This newest version of the Pill has the drivers angled up at a 20 degree tilt to better aim the sound waves produced to the listener. While the instructions included in the package are a very rudimentary quick start guide, there is a QR code to scan for a link to a complete user guide. However, I could not find a way to download and save this guide for future use, so if you need to refer to it for any reason (and you will need the info in it for instructions on a couple of features), you need to have an internet connection available. Or you could save about 7 or 8 screenshots of the guide for later reference. The controls on the top of the Pill are similar to other wireless speakers. There is a “Power” button, a “Function” button, and “Volume Down” & “Volume Up” buttons, four concave-shaped buttons in total, and all do exactly what you’d expect of them. To turn on the speaker, a simple quick push will not work, you have to press and hold it for a full 1 to 2 seconds before releasing it. Same with turning it off. Hold the power button too long though and it goes into pairing, or “Discovery” mode (the white light by the power button flashes). This same light is green when the speaker is plugged in and charging. When charging is complete, the light turns white for 10 seconds, then turns off. I find the choice of the color green when charging a little odd and confusing as green often indicates a device is fully charged. Two functions that are not intuitive (hence needing the full user guide), are charging the Pill from another device rather than a charging adapter, and enabling lossless audio transmission from the music source. When you connect the Pill to another device, the Pill will charge the other device. If you want to charge the Pill from the device, you have to press the power button on the Pill three times after connecting the cable. If you want to use the included cable for lossless audio, three hands would make things easier as you have to hold down the power button on the Pill at the same time you plug the cable into the other device (such as your phone). The Beats Pill has what I consider to be a great frequency curve for music reproduction and provides, in my opinion, excellent sound quality very close to what I am used to when using Apple AirPods. The Pill has been redesigned to give surprisingly loud music reproduction with a minimum of distortion. However, perceived bass response seems better to me at lower volumes than when the speaker is pushed to extreme volumes. Sound quality when used as a speaker for phone calls was excellent on both ends of the conversation. The center, “Function” button provides answer, mute, end call, and switch call controls, and there is allowance to make some alterations to the number of presses for these functions. While Beats has designed the Pill to fit into the Apple ecosystem effortlessly, it is also compatible with Android devices and should be given serious consideration by those users looking for a wireless, portable speaker. With a metal grille and a rubberized body, this little speaker has a quality feel and heft that imparts a robust build perception to it. Nicely done, Apple.

Great product been using for 3 weeks now and I’m not disappointed! Will recommend

I love it, the only down side would be that the battery doesn't last as long as advertised.

Beats - Pill Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speake Summary: High performance mobile speaker. Use: We listen to music everywhere we go. We have had many mobile speakers over the years from low budget speakers to much higher budget speakers. We have this one unit from a competitor that has been in the sound and speaker space for a long time and make some of the best hardware out there. We thought we'd never find anything that matches its sound. Until recently, we haven't had a need to, either. We've purchased Beats products before for our nieces and nephews for Christmas. They always swear by them. So when the Pill came along, we decided to give it a go. I'm glad we did. This unit has remarkable sound featuring a very nice and deep bass and does so right out of the box without use of the app! So not only mobile, we also use our speakers when task oriented while in the garage, or soaking in the tub, or cleaning a room where we don't want the whole home filled with sound. We've even taken it with us while on walks so that we can listen to music while sitting at a park and relaxing. Pros: * Svelte. This unit looks great! It won't have any problems fitting in because it is meant to pop! * Well-built. Something I care about a lot and mention frequently. This unit has some heft. The unit weighs about as much as you'd expect and the material and feel seem well crated/selected. * Controls. The controls are clear cut and pretty standard. Easy to pair and use quickly. * Sound. The sound is amazing. These little units infrequently surprise me, but I really enjoy the audio from this unit. The bass is surprisingly present and rich. * Portability. It is just large enough to carry around without difficulty and the lanyard makes that even easier. * Brand. Beats has built up a brand over the years. I've only experience with it through gifting the brand to my family, but this unit definitely delivers. I hope they keep it up - it definitely gives competing brands and form factors a run for their money. * App. The app seems unnecessary, but it does provide some value-add. You can link multiple Pills to create a stereo pair, setup a DJ mode to have multiple sources, and to check battery level. You don't need it, though, you can use your phone (if iOS, at least) equalizer to control audio. Cons: * Connectivity. The unit does disconnect randomly. I haven't found a reason for this yet. It's annoying, but it may also be something I'm doing and/or the number of Bluetooth devices I connect to (i.e. my phone is disconnecting from the speaker to favor another device rather than the Pill disconnecting from my phone).

Beats really knocked it out of the park with this reboot of the Pill. I had a Beats Pill waaaay back in 2015, the last year that they made them. Fast forward to 2014, and Beats has released a new Pill, one that adds a ton of cool features that make it one of the best portable speakers on the market. When you factor in the low price, the great sound, and incredible battery life, it is even more impressive. The Beats pill easily connects wirelessly to either Android or Apple phones, has the ability to connect a USB C cable from speaker to phone (in case you’d rather have lossless wired vs. lossy wireless sound), and can be connected in a stereo pair to a second Beats Pill, increasing output and imaging. I didn’t have a second Pill to test the stereo capabilities, but I will say that a single Pill has great volume output. In my 100+ square foot office, I don’t even come close to testing the limits of the Beats Pill output (and I have it up loud at times!). Syncing to my iPhone was easy. I turned the Pill on, went to my iPhone, selected the Pill, and voila, I was listening to music. Looks like only one device can be synced at a time to each Pill, but this was no biggie. Press and hold the power button for five seconds and it is ready to sync with a new device. Beats has generally been known for their emphasis on bass and treble, but this Pill is nicely neutral, with a warm midrange and defined, yet subtle bass. All genres of music sounded pretty good on it, but for me, electronic, acoustic, and jazz really performed well on the Pill. The battery life of the Pill will wow you. I got the Pill several days ago and have been playing music for several hours a day and have barely touched the battery capacity. I am astonished that a unit that gets this loud has the kind of extensive battery life this one does. Just a couple of other thoughts: The Pill is well-built, feels substantial in the hand, is compact but loud, and came packaged very nice. It is a component that has a luxury feel, is easy to use, sounds great, and comes with some great options (such as syncing with a second Pill for stereo). Highly recommended.

Overall i am disappointed it bottoms out and (3 weeks after i bought it) its has a crackling sound at high volume. Junk.

After using the Beats Pill for about a week, I was left disappointed with it. To be honest, they didn't live up to their name and quality that I was used to. Sub par sound and a very useless App. Price point doesn't match the value. Again, my opinions. In the box was the speaker, USB C cable to charge it and a paper with basically a QR code to get started. Build quality gets some top marks and feels heavy (not too heavy) and premium in the hands. Setup was as simple as any other Bluetooth speaker on the market. After that you can just get to jamming out. They have a Beat App to download, but I found it severely lacking in any options. One thing I found I hated is how they did the Power Button. Click it and it turns on. You would think, ok hold it and it turns off, right? Wrong. It goes straight to pairing. You have to time it perfectly for about 2 seconds for it to turn off. Any shorter it does nothing, longer it goes to pairing mode. The design though is fairly small for you to travel with it anywhere and pretty useful outside with it's IP67 rating. Sound and performance To me, anything I played on the Pill sounded flat with no life to it. Bass was mid to heavy and you can actually feel it when holding the speaker. Sure it'll fill the whole room with sound but, unless you download a 3rd party app, there is absolutely no type of EQ for you to personalize your music. Also for the Audiophiles, there is no support for any aptX codecs, just the standard AAC codec. Battery life claims about a day of usage and found it to be quite true. I have used the Pill about 7-8 hours a workday and had to charge it on the 3rd day. App is worthless. No EQ settings....nothing. You can basically rename the speaker and change the tone volume for sound effects. That's about it. To me, this is just an average Bluetooth speaker with no customizations and should have a better price to performance ratio. There is so many better options out there.

Beats Pills fulfilled all my expectations and more. I wanted a reliable portable speaker with great sound and long battery life that I could use indoors and outdoors. The sound that comes out of this small speaker is outstanding. Battery lasts up to 24 hours which is amazing. It’s dust and water resistant which makes it perfect to use when we go camping, to the beach, or anywhere! And Apple’s reputation for building super high-quality products makes me feel confident that Beats Pills will last a very long time. Connecting to it through an iPhone was super easy as expected. Right out of the box, I just pressed and held the power button for a few seconds and my iPhone immediately recognized it, prompting me if I wanted to connect to it. Given the connection is through Bluetooth, Beats Pill can be connected to any phone or computer, not just to Apple products. As for the extras that I was not looking for but are very welcome: - It automatically gets added to the “Find My” app which allows you to find it if you ever misplace it (the app shows the last known location, which I believe it’s the last time beats Pill was powered on) - It has a built-in mic! That means you can use it for phone calls - Ability to sync two Beats Pill in either Amplify or Stereo Mode - Ability to charge other devices Something odd is that, when charging, the LED turns “green” instead of the typical red. And it’s confusing because typically green means that a device is fully charged. I wonder why they made this decision… oh well, this is trivial in comparison to everything this wonderful device has to offer!

Useful, reliable, accurate. In my search for computer speakers for my gaming set up I came across the beats pill line. These speakers speak true to the brands legacy. Long lasting battery, amazing sound, clear & full of bass. The connectivity via Bluetooth quick and easy. Waterproof design for Kitchens, bathrooms, pools. You can even link two pills together quickly by holding down the center button on 2 pills close to each other. This product was so well thought through when planned that they even built in a mode to designate the speaker on the left for full stereo sound. So you can pick which of the linked speakers will be the “left” speaker. I use these all over my house and they work flawlessly. 10/10 recommend!

I recently purchased the Beats Pill speaker and I'm really impressed with it. The sound quality is excellent for its size – it delivers clear highs and surprisingly deep bass without distortion, even at higher volumes. The design is sleek and portable, making it easy to take anywhere. The battery life has been solid, lasting through several listening sessions before needing a recharge. I also appreciate how easy it was to pair with my devices via Bluetooth – the connection has been stable and reliable. The build quality feels premium and durable. It's become my go-to speaker for everything from background music while working to outdoor gatherings with friends. Overall, I'm very satisfied with this purchase and would recommend the Beats Pill to anyone looking for a portable speaker that doesn't compromise on sound quality.

Beats this pill has the sound that fills a room up with bass. A clear clean sound comes out of this little speaker. I had a Beats pills speaker years ago and used this on my bike this will not fit on that bike anymore. They have really got this speaker down to an art form with the sound as clear as it is and the size. It's clean looking all black not lights on the speaker that stick out. It comes with a handle strap to take with you. It's not heavy at all for the big sound it puts out. I have around 6 other bluethooth speakers and this one has to be one of my new favorite one's. Tis has a app you can load to work the speaker the only thing is that it's for Apple Products so it's not on android. This will connect to all of our apple products. That is the only bad thing i can say about this you can still work on your bluetooth devices just fine. I just can't tell you what all you can do on the app made for Apple products. Overall a great speaker it fills the room with a big sound as if it was a big speaker. Now the buttons on top of the speaker are all soft touch with no color writing on them so its kinda hard to see what you a touching with very little light. Great speaker another hit for BEATS.

I bought this speaker on sale thinking it would be just as good as my old jbl flip. Not even close. Its sounds average, its bass is of poor quality. Doesnt even last 24 hours.

This is a strong portable Bluetooth speaker with big, bassy sound, long battery life, and great Apple integration, but it lacks an EQ and faces tough competition from JBL and UE at similar prices. ​ Sound and performance: The new Beats Pill has a more balanced tuning than older Pills, with stronger bass, clearer mids, and bright treble that can sound a little sharp on some tracks. ​ For its size, bass is impressive and hits harder than popular rivals like the JBL Flip 6, though it can distort slightly at very high volumes or on heavy kick-drum tracks. ​ ​Battery, durability, and features: Battery life is rated up to around 24 hours, which is longer than many similarly sized speakers, and a 10‑minute “Fast Fuel” charge can give roughly 2 hours of playback. ​ The speaker includes USB‑C for charging, wired audio, and reverse charging so it can act as a small power bank for your phone on the go. ​ ​ It has a tougher, more water‑resistant design than the old model (IP rating and rugged build), making it suitable for outdoor use like parks, pools, or beach days. ​ ​ Connectivity and ecosystem The Pill pairs quickly with iPhones and supports Apple features like one‑tap pairing and easy switching between Apple devices; it also works fine with Android but shines more in the Apple ecosystem. ​ ​ It does not offer Bluetooth multipoint or a rich customization app; the companion app is very basic and missing an in‑app EQ that competitors like JBL provide. ​ Voice pickup is clear for calls and voice assistant use through your phone, and the built‑in mic array does a good job in normal environments.

Sound Performance: Punchy Bass, Clear Highs Honestly, Beats nailed the sound this time. I was worried it would be all bass, but they engineered it brilliantly. The new woofer and tweeter deliver exactly the sound profile I love: the rich, full bass is still there for a solid thump—it’s punchy, not muddy—but the crisp, detailed highs mean I can actually hear the intricate guitar work or clear vocals. And that 20-degree upward tilt? It really works. I just set it down on my patio table, and the music fills the space perfectly without me having to crank the volume to distortion levels. Portability and Durability Portability is non-negotiable for me, and this is where the Pill truly shines. The soft-grip silicone backing feels great and the removable carry lanyard is genius—I clip it right onto my backpack for hikes. I even accidentally knocked it into the pool last weekend (don’t ask), but thanks to that rugged IP67 rating (dust-proof and water-resistant!), I just fished it out, dried it off, and the music kept playing without a skip. No more worrying about rain or sand; this speaker is as tough as my adventure plans. Seamless Features and Battery Life The convenience features are where this speaker truly shines, especially for both iOS and Android users: 24-Hour Battery: The Pill boasts an impressive battery life of up to 24 hours on a single charge, which is fantastic for long weekends or extended listening sessions. The Fast Fuel feature provides two hours of playback from a quick 10-minute charge. Portable Charger: The USB-C port is not just for charging the speaker; you can use the Pill to charge your phone or other devices on the go, turning it into a handy power bank. Lossless Audio: For audiophiles, the USB-C connection also supports high-resolution lossless audio when connected directly to a source like a laptop. Dual-Speaker Modes: You can pair two Beats Pills together for two dynamic listening experiences: Amplify Mode doubles the volume for parties, and Stereo Mode splits the audio into dedicated left and right channels for a true surround-sound feel. Universal Compatibility: Thanks to its proprietary chip, it offers instant one-touch pairing for both iOS and Android devices, as well as support for Apple Find My and Google Find My Device. The Verdict For me, the 2024 Beats Pill has become an essential piece of tech. It’s got the incredible 24-hour battery life that actually lasts through my busiest weekends and the rugged build I need for my outdoor life. While it technically has one speaker, the sound is so rich that it feels bigger. I genuinely recommend this: if you need a dependable, great-sounding, stylish speaker that can handle everything you throw at it, the new Beats Pill is absolutely the one to get.

I’m very happy with the Beats Pill Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker. The sound quality is impressive for its size, with clear vocals and strong bass. It connects quickly and stays stable, making it easy to use with my phone and other devices. The build feels solid and premium, and the portable design is perfect for travel, outdoor use, or just moving around the house. Battery life is good, and the speaker performs consistently at both low and high volumes. Overall, this is a great portable speaker with excellent sound and quality. Highly recommended for everyday listening.

Dose not stay charged at all. Compared to my inline which this replaced. I’m super unhappy

I love my Beats Pill. It’s got the perfect mix of clean sound, punchy bass, and sleek design. Super easy to carry around, and it fits right into any vibe — whether I’m chilling, working out, or having people over. The battery life holds strong, and the Bluetooth connects fast with no hassle. If you’re looking for a speaker that’s stylish, portable, and actually sounds good, this is it. I’m real picky about quality and energy — and this speaker just fits my lifestyle perfectly.

I'm blown away by the Beats Pill sound quality. it gets so loud without distortion and has deep, fuller bass for its size. The build quality is outstanding; I love the premium feel and IP67 water resistance.

I went in on Presidents week to look for a portable speaker. There were many to choose from, but I wanted something small and powerful to bring to the job site. I clean houses so it's indoors. I have expirience with Beats headphones so I knew the quality would be great with the Pill. I absolutely love it. Small and compact, but loud and full of bass! I have to turn it down to hear someone next to me when I stand near it. Great purchase and I highly reccommend!