Review: My Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker still rocks one year later

The original Beats Pill popularized the portable speaker category. Its powerful bass output, sleek form factor, and trendy moniker-inspired design set many standards for today’s wireless audio products. Beats even refreshed the speaker a few times, adding stereo playback, USB-C charging, and water resistance to the mix.

However, the Pill series became severely outdated as time passed. It lacked modern technologies that JBL, Ultimate Ears, and other rivals leveraged to dominate the market. Furthermore, it was missing prominent features that other Apple and Beats devices acquired via iOS updates.

I always wondered when a new version would arrive. Then the company surprised me last summer with the 2024 Beats Pill, a model upgraded to compete with the best portable Bluetooth speakers. 

This modernized bass-blaster earned mostly positive reviews when it launched, but it hasn’t gained the same attention as the brand’s headphone releases (e.g., Powerbeats Pro 2, Studio Pro). Sure, you may have seen an ad during the NBA Finals or come across it in guides to the best Apple accessories for iPhone. That’s about it. 

I’ve been using the Pill for over a year, and not only is it a solid legacy sequel, but this speaker is also substantially better than its critics would have you believe. So, is the Beats Pill worth it? I say yes, though I recommend grabbing it on sale, which isn't hard to do.

Beats’ new sound design elevates performance

Listening to music on the 2024 Pill is a much different experience than the previous entries. This iteration comes with a new woofer system built that tweaks bass response with minimal distortion at select volume levels. There’s also a new tweeter for stabilizing mids and treble.

Rock bangers like Rage Against the Machine’s “Guerilla Radio” are actually audible this time around. Kicks and snares remain impactful and prominent without muddying up the midrange; the enunciation on Zack de la Rocha’s boastful vocals is shockingly crisp.  

Jazz records sound more impressive. Dynamic best describes the instrumental separation on Ahmad Jamal Trio’s “Dolphin Dance.” Every drum tap, guitar strum, and piano chord is resonant and transparent.

Hip-hop is the one music genre Beats favors heavily. Whether vibing out to skull-rattling jams like Run the Jewel’s “Out of Sight” or mellow classics like The Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff’s “Summertime,” the Pill’s sound signature emphasizes the low end, which is bold and engaging. Mids and highs are given plenty of shine as well for well-balanced frequency range. Blasting music at max volume will distort sound, so I advise keeping the volume level around 70 percent.

The biggest reason to own this speaker is lossless audio. It’s only available on compatible devices and requires a wired connection (USB-C to USB-C) to enjoy, but the feature brings out more clarity and depth on Dolby Atmos content. The big three music streaming services — Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal — receive a nice boost in mids. 

The Pill is also one of my favorite speakerphones. Clients and friends always rave about how loud and clear I sound on calls. There is some muffling when ambient noise is present. However, the mics capture vocals well enough to recognize words and sentences in rowdy environments.

Digital assistance is just as rewarding. The speaker accurately executes Siri and Google Assistant voice commands — a very noticeable drawback with my favorite party speakers. It would have been awesome if Apple included “Hey Siri” voice activation. A future software update could fix that.

It lasts longer than most portable speakers

Any wireless speaker that provides a full day of playback is a winner in my book. Beats rates battery life at 24 hours, which mostly tracks. High volume and multi-device pairing can bring this down to about 19 hours. My speaker has survived multiple weekend gatherings before recharging. Most luxury speakers will tap out in the middle of a party. Fast-Fuel charging is efficient: a 10-minute charge equates to 2 hours of listening time. 

The Pill has a built-in power bank. Hence, it can be used to charge mobile devices when necessary. My wife uses this feature often when her iPhone is low on battery near the pool.

The few issues I have with the Beats Pill

I never said the Pill was perfect. Bass needs to be refined, and the distortion produced at high volume is painful to hear. Not having spatial audio is a missed opportunity for Beats. Anker and Sony offer it on their speakers. Something else I’m disappointed with is the missing aux-in and aux-out ports from the older versions that let you connect the speaker to wired playback sources (e.g., the iPod Classic, may it rest in peace).

The Pill is hefty at 1.5 pounds. Dropping it on hard surfaces can dent the metal grilles (I learned the hard way). Thankfully, it comes dust-, rust-, shock- and waterproof to protect what’s inside.

Is the Beats Pill worth it?

If the advancements in functionality and sound don’t convince you to purchase the Beats Pill, then the low MSRP should. This is the series’ least expensive entry at $149, and I’ve seen it on sale for as low as $129 on Amazon and $99 on Walmart. (As of this writing, select colors are on sale at Walmart for this price.)

We’re talking about an incredible value for Apple and Android users who want an excellent summertime speaker at an attainable price that also checks the most important boxes. In this case, it is audio, battery life, connectivity, and portability. The setup process is seamless, no matter what device or operating system you’re using. Lastly, the Pill is designed for use in all environments.

You won’t find a more captivating portable Bluetooth speaker deal right now.