Review: Beats 360

The Beats 360, I'll admit, didn't click for me until I started thinking of them as over-ear workout headphones. As everyday headphones, I had a tough time ranking these, given the competition, but as gym cans, the Beats 360 are stellar.

It took me a while to come to this conclusion because working out with over-ear headphones has always kind of sucked. They shift around a lot, get warm and sweaty around your ears, and are way, way heavier than earbuds. That last part might not seem like a big deal, but if you’re running a half-marathon, a half-pound weight on top of your head starts to get annoying fast. This stigma made me ignore this attribute about the Beats 360 at first.

Still, the number of people I see working out (and running) with Apple AirPods Max, one of the heaviest popular over-ear headphones around, shows the demand is there. And the Beats 360 fulfill that niche brilliantly, with a secure fit, IPX4-rated water resistance, and swappable cushioning. They may not be the best over-ear headphones for other things (like high-resolution audio), but it’s hard to knock them when they get their main thing (customizable over-ear workout headphones) right.

From Gym to Street

The Beats 360 are, first and foremost, fun headphones. That may not sound like much, but it’s a rarity in the sea of same-y over-ear headphones I’ve reviewed. The 360 have a slim, smooth design that’s appealing, with a soft-touch finish and an adjustable headband with smooth, telescoping metal (similar to AirPods Max or Sonos Ace Ultra).

The main draw of the 360s is the swappable headband and ear cups. With a slight downward pull, the headband comes off, and the ear cups do the same with a satisfying twist. In the box, you get a cushion set (headband and two ear cups) color-matched to the headphones, but mixing and matching colors is a big part of the 360's appeal (and its marketing).

Making them easy to remove also makes them easier to clean and replace—a headache with most other headphones—and I consider that crucial for anything I’m going to exercise with.

The cushions come in two fabric options: Performance Knit, a mesh-like fabric that’s decently breathable and durable, and UltraPlush, a much softer, faux-leather style material akin to what you’d find on other premium over-ear cans from Bose, Sony, and Sonos.

The Performance Knit ear cups are better for working out—they feel more breathable, especially when I start to sweat. For everyday listening, though, the UltraPlush is much softer and more comfortable over time.

To be clear, the Beats 360 didn’t make me suddenly love working out with over-ear headphones. I still think wireless workout earbuds, like Beats’ own Powerbeats Pro 2, are the way to go, but the 360s are absolutely better than other over-ear options. The clamping force is strong enough that the headphones stay secure for most (but not all) exercises, without feeling so strong that they’re uncomfortable. Bicycle kicks and sprints still caused them to shift around a bit, unsurprisingly.

On the scale, the 360 are a middleweight. They are heavier than Sony and Bose over-ear headphones, but lighter than the AirPods Max. It's a good balance. Could they be a little lighter? Sure. Do they feel super heavy? Not really.

I appreciate the physical button controls, especially when working out. I do wish the buttons were a little more distinct and easy to recognize by feel alone. Things like a small tactile dot on the volume up button or a slight divot between the volume up and down would go a long way to helping me distinguish the all-smooth buttons.

I found myself swapping to the UltraPlush cushions whenever I wasn’t working out, and I started calling this “normal mode” and the Performance Knit setup “sport mode." In everyday use, the slightly strong clamping force of the 360s switches from a pro to a con—they get uncomfortable to wear after a few hours of office work.

Noise-canceling and transparency are highlights here. While not as strong as flagship headphones from Sony or Bose, the Beats 360 are close enough, and the ANC plus natural sound isolation did a good job shushing coworkers, cafés, the office cafeteria, and crowded New York City subway cars. With ANC enabled, you get 32 hours of battery life, which is very strong.

Connectivity is also simple and easy. Like other recent Beats headphones, the 360s pair instantly with Apple devices, and they support Apple device swapping, Apple Find My, and Siri. On Android, you get fast pairing, Google’s Find Hub, voice assistant with a button press, a few other Google/Android audio switching features, and the stand-alone Beats app. There's no wired connectivity, which is fine, since a cord is the last thing you want to deal with while exercising.

It’s only when I listen to my favorite playlist in the comfort of my office that the 360s' biggest weakness reared its ugly head: sound quality. Simply put: They sound OK, but not for headphones that cost $350. Unfortunately, they do not sound nearly as good as the $300 Sony WH-1000XM4C, $350 Sonos Ace, or $370 Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen).

The first time I listened to music with the Beats 360 (after testing the Bose QC for weeks), I literally yelled, “Where are the mids?!” Listening on the Beats 360 feels like someone scooped out the midrange—guitars and vocals in certain genres seem weak or lost. On cheaper headphones, this wouldn’t be something I would harp on much, but for a $350 flagship headphone, it’s a miss, especially when the 360s get so much else right. Simply put, I won’t be reaching for the Beats 360 when I want to get lost in my favorite album or soundtrack.

Reliable Workout Buddy

I can see the Beats 360 doing very well for the gym. At $350, they're pricey but significantly less expensive than Apple AirPods Max, making them a good alternative for Apple users. To be fair, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) and Sony WH-1000XM6 are also cheaper than AirPods Max and provide better sound quality than the 360s, but lack the fitness chops. The removable ear cups and headband are downright fun, and mixing and matching colors is a breath of fresh air in headphone land.

These are not the best-sounding over-ear headphones out there. They aren’t best in class at any one metric, actually. But the 360 are an intentional trade-off—OK everyday performance for superior workout performance. If that compromise is where the Beats 360 want to hang their hat, they’ve got next to no over-ear headphones putting up a good fight in the workout space.

Personally, I almost always wear wireless earbuds or open earbuds when I work out. I still find them vastly more comfortable and more convenient for the job. But that’s just me. And if the Beats 360 finally get people to stop wearing AirPods Max to run in, I’m rooting for them.

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