There is something to be said about the considerable amount of buzz that these three brands have enjoyed in recent months. The considerable attention they have all generated individually makes one wonder what unique qualities each of them possess to enable them gain this broad level of mainstream appeal. Maintaining brand loyalty and settling on a formula that works is no easy task. It is a testament to a culture of quality and innovation. There is no doubt that they all provide a great listening experience to their fans but how do they stack up against each other?

Ease of use and comfort

Given BeatsX is the first version of beats that has incorporated Apple engineers in its design, I was curious to discover what new features had been included.

• BeatsX features a neckband with two wires that are both malleable and light. The pods are light and comfortable to the extent you forget you are wearing them. I find the wires rather long and uncomfortable though.
• Powerbeats3 features some alterations to the earbud post. They have lengthened and adjusted its angle a bit to make it an easy fit.
• Airpods are far lighter as opposed to earpods. You also get the option of a number of lower sized upgrades for a more accurate fit. There was mixed feelings over them being wireless but they prove to be just as good as established wireless brands.

Functionality

All three headphones feature Apple’s new proprietary W1 low-power bluetooth chip that enables seamless pairing with other apple devices. They also both have a microphone that features a Remote Talk button that shows marked improvement in terms of responsiveness and how tactile it is. You get two hours of battery life after quickly charging it with a lightning charger for only five minutes. All three operate well with non-Apple bluetooth devices. Users, however, cannot access any of the special features.

Sound

For a while now, I have long regarded beats earphones as having plenty of buzz but never quite matching the hype in terms of sound quality; something I can attribute to the bloated bass. Powebeats3 is often guilty of this. BeatsX on the other hand has the right mix of excellent bass and a richer sound. Nevertheless, if one wants a deeper sound, Airpods are always the better option. Airpods have excellent sound quality with an additional airy quality due to the buds not isolating any noise.

The current market costs of all three currently stands at $159 for the Airpods, $149.99 for Powerbeats3 and $150 for the BeatsX headphones. All the three brands maintain the same quality and excellent design that are consistent with their manufacturer. The Airpods may look a tad unusual but their sound quality and functionality is very impressive. The question I ask myself before I buy a set of headphones is whether I am getting value for money. With these three you do get value for your money. The choice you now have to make is what features appeal to you most.