Palms-on: The Beats Capsule is again and higher than ever

Following the current launches of the Solo Buds and Solo 4, Beats is again with another factor. This time, it’s the return of the enduring Beats Capsule wi-fi speaker. The brand new Beats Capsule retains the enduring pill-shaped design and packs just a few attention-grabbing surprises inside that make it well worth the wait.

Head under for the entire particulars on the brand new Beats Capsule, plus some first impressions from my first week with it. It’s obtainable to order as we speak for $149.99, a considerable value lower in comparison with its 2015 predecessor.

Beats Capsule specs and options

As a refresher, the Beats Capsule+ was Beats’ final speaker till now. It launched in 2015 for $229 and was discontinued by Apple in 2022. Beats says that the brand new Beats Capsule is “fully redesigned and reengineered” in comparison with earlier variations.

The brand new Beats Capsule measures 21.9 cm x 7.1 cm x 7.0 cm (8.62 in x 2.80 in x 2.76 in) and weighs 681 grams, which is 10% lighter than the Beats Capsule+. Its design is IP67-rated for water and dirt resistance. It’s obtainable in three colours (gold, pink, and black) and encompasses a built-in lanyard for straightforward portability.

Apple says that the Beats Capsule presents 24 hours of battery life and options Quick Gas help. This implies a 10-minute cost can add 2 hours of music playback. The brand new Beats Capsule additionally prices with USB-C as an alternative of Lightning. Notably, the USB-C port additionally permits you to cost one other machine with the Beats Capsule, comparable to your iPhone.

When it comes to connectivity, the brand new Beats Capsule options proprietary Beats silicon inside for cross-compatibility with iPhone and Android. Beats says that Apple customers will get:

• One-touch pairing: simple, one-touch setup
• iCloud pairing: immediately pair with each machine in your iCloud account
• iPhone/Apple Watch pairing: Mechanically hand off audio to Apple Watch when iPhone is out of vary
• Customise the product title or button configuration within the Bluetooth menu
• Discover My: find your misplaced Beats Capsule on a map
• Updates: obtain over-the-air software program updates

Android customers unlock lots of the similar advantages, together with one-touch pairing, Audio Change, and Discover My System integration.

Beats has some massive claims about sound high quality for the brand new Beats Capsule. Right here’s what the corporate says:

The Beats Capsule is designed to sound unbelievable — each inside and outdoors of your house. The upgraded acoustic structure delivers extra highly effective, room-filling sound, greater bass and improved tonality throughout the audio spectrum.

The fully reengineered racetrack woofer with stronger neodymium magnets helps drive 28% extra motor pressure and displaces 90% extra air quantity, whereas its progressive construction with radial ribbing helps decrease low-end distortion — even at excessive volumes. Secured in its personal housing for additional stability to assist cut back distortion, the redesigned tweeter delivers crisp highs and wealthy mid-range tones.

The streamlined Beats Capsule encompasses a 20-degree upward tilt for higher on-axis sound projection, serving to to reduce mirrored sound.

The Beats Capsule additionally presents lossless audio help through USB-C. Beats says this may provide a max pattern fee of 48 kHz/24-bit, “so you may get pleasure from listening to higher audio high quality” along with your Beats Capsule. There’s additionally a built-in microphone for speakerphone help and voice assistant interplay (though you received’t discover ‘Hey Siri’ help right here).

9to5Mac’s Take

I’ve all the time cherished the Beats Capsule design, so I used to be upset to see Apple discontinue the Beats Capsule+ with no substitute. After spending a couple of week with it, I really feel assured in saying that the Beats Capsule is again and higher than ever.

I’m removed from an audiophile, so I don’t have an entire lot to say concerning the Beats Capsule’s audio high quality. It sounds higher and might get considerably louder than the HomePod mini. Nonetheless, it doesn’t have the identical room-filling sound because the full-size HomePod. It sounds on par with different Bluetooth audio system in its dimension and value class, if not a notch above most of them.

I’ve been testing two Beats Tablets for the previous week, which allowed me to additionally check out the Amplify and Stereo Mode options. Right here’s how Beats explains these options:

• Amplify Mode: You’ll be able to pair two Beats Capsule audio system collectively for twice the audio expertise and twice the get together — merely maintain the Heart Buttons on two Tablets concurrently and every speaker will play mono audio output whereas linked to a single supply machine. Use this for greater, higher audio, or to increase the get together to a different room.
• Stereo Mode: Stereo Mode permits for left/proper playback from a synced pair of audio system. To provoke Stereo Mode, maintain the Heart Button and Plus Button on one of many two audio system when they’re synced in Amplify Mode. The Capsule that you simply use to toggle into Stereo Mode will turn out to be the left reference speaker. You need to use the identical interplay to change again to Amplify Mode as soon as once more.

If these options sound acquainted, it’s as a result of they existed on the Beats Capsule+ as properly. I can verify that Amplify Mode will get lots loud sufficient to cowl a giant chunk of your home.

For the entire enhancements and options provided by the brand new Beats Capsule, I can’t assist however want Beats had gone just a bit bit additional and added AirPlay help. To do that, the Beats Capsule would want Wi-Fi connectivity, which it doesn’t have.

The truth is, when Apple first introduced AirPlay 2 at WWDC 2017, it touted Beats as one of many manufacturers that will help the function. When the primary rumors of a brand new Beats Capsule surfaced, I had hopes that this could be the long-awaited transportable Beats speaker with AirPlay help. That ended up not being the case.

Nonetheless, the brand new Beats Capsule presents loads of different distinctive promoting factors. Due to that customized Beats chip inside, it could actually provide deeper integration with Apple platforms than some other Bluetooth speaker available on the market.

The Beats Capsule will get nearly the whole lot proper for a revival of an deserted, fan-favorite product. It stays true to its iconic roots whereas additionally making a number of notable enhancements. That features higher sound high quality, improved battery life, improved connectivity, and USB-C.

And what makes these enhancements all of the extra notable is the pricing. The Beats Capsule prices $149.99, which is $80 cheaper than the launch value of the Beats Capsule+ in 2015. That’s a reasonably vital value drop, particularly for a product that first launched 9 years in the past. It’s obtainable to order beginning as we speak, with the primary shipments starting June 27.

When you’re out there for a Bluetooth speaker, the Beats Capsule is one to take a look at. The worth of one-touch connectivity and pairing for Apple gadgets alone offers it an enormous leg-up on the competitors.

What do you consider the brand new Beats Capsule? Are you planning to purchase one? Tell us within the feedback.