Beats Pill review: the first thing I put in my suitcase

The Sun

16-05-2025

THERE'S a song for every season, and that's especially true of summer.
After all, what's the point of sunbathing in the garden or standing by the barbecue if you don't have your "2025 summer bangers" playlist on?
And if you're heading off on a foreign holiday with your friends this year, you'll need some music in the hotel room to get you in the fiesta mood.
That means that a portable speaker is a summer essential.
They don't come much cooler or celeb-endorsed than the Beats Pill. The speaker had a sold-out collaboration with Kim Kardashian last year, and other fans include Lebron James.
Pros
Great sound quality that is super clear even when outside
Long battery life
Durable
Clever capsule design makes it easy to pack
Waterproof enough to withstand a trip to the beach or a shower studio session
Nice trio of colour options available
Super easy set-up (with iPhone, at least)
Can be controlled via an app or manually
Can be paired together for stereo sound or "Amplify Mode" (though I've not tried this)
Cons
Heavier than its size might suggest
There are always better speakers if you're willing to spend the money and do the research
Rating: 9.5/10
How I tested the Beats Pill
I've been using the Beats Pill for over a year now — I've played thousands of songs through it from countless genres.
I use it around the house, in the park — when there aren't too many people around, of course — and it's accompanied me to the beach.
It's also a regular travel companion, having accompanied me to several foreign countries.
Beats Pill review: Quickfire Q&A
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What's new in this model? The latest version of the Pill (which came out in June last year) is — mind-blowingly — the first to have any sort of waterproofing. It's also got better audio chops, has shed 10% of its weight and has better battery life.
How much is the Beats Pill? Its RRP is £149.99, but at the moment you can find it on sale at retailers including Amazon and Argos.
Who's it best for? People who want a great speaker they can take wherever they go.
What we loved: The sound quality is brilliant, with crystal-clear sound and a surprising amount of bass for a small speaker. The IP67 waterproofing provides plenty of peace of mind, and it feels nice and durable, which is key in a portable speaker.
What we didn't: Honestly? Not much. It's a tiny bit heavy if you're aiming to pack really light. But honestly, if you want a high-quality speaker that doesn't blow your budget and doesn't require much research to find, you can do a lot worse than the Beats Pill.
Beats Pill: Key Stats
Dimensions 21.9 x 7.1 x 7 cm
Weight 680g
Battery life Up to 24 years
Connectivity Bluetooth and USB-C
Compatability iOS and Android
Colours available Black, Champagne, Red
Waterproof rating IP67
Speaker type Mono
RRP £149.99
Beats Pill review: The Nitty Gritty
First impressions
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Design-wise, there aren't a lot of surprises here.
This version of the Beats Pill goes down the same route as its predecessors, design-wise — there's the characteristic pill capsule shape, with a mesh speaker spanning the entire 8.6in length of the device at the front, with a grippy silicone material covering the back. There's also a lanyard strap to make it easier to carry.
I like the fact that Beats has kept things pretty spartan and unfiddly on the device itself. There are just four buttons on the top; one for power, two for volume and one multipurpose.
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There are three colours to choose from: Black (which I tested), Champagne and Red.
Red feels simultaneously the most "Beats" and the most tacky; the Champagne is probably the nicest for anyone who wants something a bit different.
It's obvious from reading the press release that Beats has put in the work to make this version of the Pill more practical than the last; it's 10% lighter (although it still feels oddly dense — it was slightly heavier than I expected to be), and crucially, it's rated IP67 dust- and water-resistant.
That means that it can be submerged underwater for up to 30 minutes without sustaining damage.
It doesn't float, so there's little use taking it into the sea, pool or bath with you, but it's good to know that there's scope for accidents to happen — and that it can tolerate even the steamiest shower studio sessions.
Does it deliver?
Sound-wise? Definitely.
Beats has "completely reengineered" the innards of the Pill — it now "displaces 90% more air volume", which has drastically improved its performance at low frequencies.
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Without getting too bogged down in the details, that means that it noticeably creates much fuller bass than ever before, making it very well-suited to my year of almost exclusively listening to Charli XCX's Brat.
However, I have also listened to all the songs that experts say to listen to when testing out audio gear — which strangely seems to comprise a lot of Norah Jones — and performance across the scale is extremely impressive.
Music just feels... bigger, and more expansive from the Beats Pill than any other portable speaker I've used.
It also has a wonderfully clear and precise sound quality, part of which I imagine is down to Beats' decision to tilt the speakers upwards by 20 per cent, making it feel like the sound is fired more accurately at you, even if it's competing with ambient noise.
And it's just as impressive from a practical standpoint.
Case in point — it has a massive 24 hours of battery life, which is better than almost any other speaker I've come across.
While that's a handy feature to have year-round, it's especially handy when you're on holiday — imagine the deflation of getting to the beach, only to be greeted with the dreaded "low battery" beep.
Thankfully, I've found that a full charge before I leave for the airport is usually enough to sustain it through a week's holiday, provided I'm not using it around the clock.
Even the phone call quality is better than it really needs to be — after all, who's taking a phone call through a portable speaker?
A complaint that some audiophiles have is that the Beats only has mono sound, rather than stereo (meaning that it only uses a single audio channel rather than two).
However, if you can find a mate who also owns a Beats Pill, you can pair them up for stereo sound. Apple and Beats really have thought of everything here.
How much is the Beats Pill?
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The Beats Pill has been on something of an interesting journey when it comes to price.
When it first launched in 2012, the Beats Pill retailed in the UK for a smidge under £150, and critics, without having too many issues with the speaker itself, didn't think it justified the price.
The Beats Pill+, which came out in 2015 and was the first Pill made under Apple ownership, was £190, and critics had the same problems: decent performance, high price.
However, the newest model takes the price back down to 2012 prices, which is really impressive for two reasons.
Firstly, the Pill is a much better product than it was 13 years ago. Secondly, thanks to rampant inflation over the last decade or so, £150 in 2012 is equivalent to around £210 in 2025.
So in real terms, with the newest version of the Pill, Beats has made a better speaker for a lower price. I can't think of many other companies that have managed that.
And to make things even sweeter, you can currently get the Pill on sale at several retailers.
Where to buy the Beats Pill
The Beats Pill is available from all the places you'd expect, but there are several retailers currently offering it at a discounted price.
We'd recommend heading to Amazon, where you can get all three core colours for just £109 in a limited-time deal.
Other retailers offering the Pill on sale include:
Currys - £109
Argos - £109.99
John Lewis - £109
Beats Pill alternatives
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It'll come as no surprise that there's no shortage of portable speakers on the market.
One that is often highly rated for its audio qualities is the JBL Charge 5, which, like the Pill, has an IP67 waterproof rating, making it perfect for holiday trips.
It has a slightly shorter — but still impressive — 20-hour battery life, and while its RRP is actually higher than the Beats' at around £170, you can almost always pick it up for less. It's currently around £92.99 on Amazon, depending on which colour you go for.
Another popular option is the Sonos Roam, which at less than half a kilo is even more portable than the Beats Pill. The Sonos Roam also gives users the ability to adjust the EQ settings (unlike the Pill), which will come as good news to audiophiles.
However, the Roam's 10-hour battery life pales in comparison to the Beats' mammoth 24 hours, and it's also more expensive at £179 — although we've found it for £159 at Argos.