Beats Pill speaker review: A stylish and powerful audio companion

At Rs 16,900, the Beats Pill sits in a competitive space where both style and sound quality are key factors. It delivers on both fronts. Read the full review to know more.

In Short

• Apple recently announced Beats Pill speaker in India
• The Beats Pill speaker is priced at Rs 16,900
• It is a solid speaker for bass lovers

Beats has finally debuted in India. Beats has largely remained exclusive to the western markets since Apple acquired it in 2014. In India, Beats has launched several audio products, including a speaker, headphones, and wireless earphones. We particularly enjoyed the Beats Solo Buds, and the same goes for the new Beats Pill speaker. But why do we feel this way? Let's dive into the review to find out.

Beats Pill speaker price in India: Rs 16,900

Premium design, solid durability

The moment I unboxed the Beats Pill, its design immediately caught my eyes. With its sleek, cylindrical shape resembling a pill, it's quite an eye-catcher. In fact, it feels premium and luxurious. We got the gold colour for review, but people who prefer bold colours can go for the red shade. A black version is also available for a more understated look.

It has a compact form factor, so many may question the high price tag of the Beats Pill speaker but the company is charging it for the premium design, speakerphone support, sound quality and other things.

The speaker's surface provides a good grip, thanks to the high-quality rubber finish that feels sturdy and durable. It also features rubberised feet to prevent accidental sliding on smooth surfaces like glass or metal. At the front, a grille houses the speaker drivers, with the iconic Beats logo subtly placed in the centre.

I liked the fact that the speaker’s buttons are neatly integrated into the design without spoiling its minimalist appearance. The buttons are clicky and offer good haptic feedback. The power and Bluetooth buttons are conveniently located on top, while the volume controls are easy to access. Around the back, you'll find a USB Type-C port for charging.

You can double-tap the power button to activate your phone's voice assistant, whether it's Siri or Google Assistant. While it's not fully hands-free like the HomePod, which makes more sense for heavy voice assistant users, I didn’t find it that important. I mainly used the speaker for playing music, so the voice assistant feature wasn’t a big deal.

Though not lightweight, the Beats Pill is compact enough to be portable, making it ideal for outdoor gatherings or travel. It comes with a detachable lanyard for easy carrying and is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, so you won't have to worry about it getting damaged from water splashes. Overall, the Beats Pill offers a solid, well-built design that stands out in both form and function.

Good sound quality, Calls support is a bonus

For a speaker this size, the sound quality of the Beats Pill is fairly impressive. It can fill small to medium-sized rooms easily. The speaker delivers crisp highs and a strong bass response, which is typical of Beats products, known for emphasising low-end frequencies.

When playing bass-heavy tracks, the Beats Pill excels. The bass is punchy without being overwhelming, which makes it ideal for genres like hip-hop, EDM, and pop. However, the mids are where the Pill struggles a bit. On tracks that rely heavily on vocals or instrumental clarity, the sound can feel slightly muddled. The highs, while clear, sometimes verge on harshness at maximum volume. This can be noticeable when listening to classical music, podcasts, or anything where dialogue is key. The Beats Pill is best suited for bass lovers. Bollywood fans will love it.

One of the best parts about the Beats Pill speaker is its support for calls. Yes, you can take calls using this speaker and for this, you just need to tap on the middle button once. There is also a noise suppression feature, so the person on the other end of the call is able to hear me clearly in a noisy environment.

You can download the Beats app to change the controls for calls. Additionally, it is a very plain app with minimal features. There is no EQ option, but you will be able to locate the device using the Find My Device feature. The setup process is usual and pretty simple too, using Bluetooth. There is also the ability to pair two Beats Pill speakers for stereo sound effect.

Battery life?

Battery life is a critical aspect of any portable speaker, and the Beats Pill performs reasonably well in this department. On a full charge and volume level at 70-80 percent, the speaker provides up to 15 hours of playback, which should be more than enough for most use cases like parties, day trips, or even a full workday.

Beats Pill speaker: Should you buy it?

At Rs 16,900, the Beats Pill sits in a competitive space where both style and sound quality are key factors. It delivers on both fronts. It offers a premium design and good sound quality for bass lovers. Battery life is solid, and you also get the ability to take calls on it. The speaker is water resistant up to a certain extent, so you don't have to worry about it getting damaged. In short, the new speaker from Apple’s brand Beats is a solid deal and you can consider buying it right now or during festive sales to get it at a lower price.