The wingtip is the whole idea of the Beats Fit Pro, and it is the thing to think about before you buy. That small flexible fin tucks into the top of your ear and keeps the bud in place during a run. It is also fixed to the bud for good, it decides your comfort on a long call, and it is the part that some owners report breaking. One says Apple would not cover it.
This review covers the first-generation Fit Pro as listed, not the Beats Studio Buds or other Beats models.
Product image from the Amazon listing.
Does the Wingtip Work for You?
For most reviewers, yes. Engadget said the flexible tip is comfortable and that you “hardly know it’s there.” Expert Reviews found them snug and secure in workouts, but warned that some users may find them less comfortable over long sessions.
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The dissent is detailed, and I find it useful. MobileSyrup’s reviewer had smaller ears and used the smallest of the three tips. That reviewer found the “constant pressure of the wingtip” on the ear cartilage annoying over time. The buds sat farther out of the ear, so a mask or a winter hat could knock them loose. The discomfort showed up mainly during long calls.
So there is a real split by ear shape. Because the wingtip cannot be removed, you cannot adjust your way out of a bad fit. If your ears are small, or if you plan to wear these for two-hour meetings, I would buy from a store with an easy return and test them during an actual long call.
Workouts and Everyday Listening
This is where they make the most sense. They carry an IPX4 rating against sweat and splashes, and the secure fit is what buyers pay for. Reviewers across the board treat this as a workout earbud first.
The sound is tuned for energy. Engadget heard “punchier bass” than the Studio Buds, while saying it still fell short of top models from Master & Dynamic, Sennheiser and Sony. Expert Reviews found more bass and less harsh treble than the Studio Buds, which it said suits music, though voices in podcasts came through slightly less clearly. I think that fits the gym well. A listener who cares most about detail should look elsewhere.
Noise cancelling is good and falls short of the best. Expert Reviews called it “Impressive ANC” and said it cut train rumble and air-conditioning hum. Engadget said it was “not as powerful as Bose or Sony.” Both can be true at once. There is a transparency mode too, but Engadget noted that it does not play your own voice back to you, so you may end up speaking louder than you mean to.
Battery claims are up to 6 hours with ANC or transparency on, and 27 hours in total with the case, according to Engadget, whose reviewer got nearly seven hours in mixed use. Five minutes in the case gives about an hour. Those numbers are fine for a long day, and a quick charge before the gym will do the job.
Product image from the Amazon listing.
Work Calls Are a Coin Toss
Reviewers do not agree here, and this matters if you plan to use these at your desk.
Engadget’s reviewer said calls sounded muffled on the other end and picked up background noise. MobileSyrup’s reviewer called the mic strong, a clear step up from the Studio Buds, and said callers had “no problem hearing” them on video calls. Digital Trends praised the call quality except in the noisiest places, and some other reviews rate it close to the AirPods Pro.
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I weigh it this way: in a quiet room, you will likely be fine. In a busy café, I would not bet an important call on them. Do a test with a colleague before you trust them for a meeting.
The button is another small risk. Engadget found the physical controls easy to press by accident when you adjust the fit, and if you often push a bud back into place during calls, you may hang up or pause without meaning to. Reassigning the long press to volume also removes quick access to ANC and transparency, so you have to choose.
Life With Apple Gear
For Apple users, this is the best reason to pick them over a rival workout bud. Engadget lists one-touch pairing, hands-free Siri, Find My, Audio Sharing and spatial audio. Apple’s Beats user guide adds that once you set them up with one device, they pair automatically with your other devices signed in to the same account. So moving from an iPhone to a Mac should need very little effort. I found no owner report on how well the switching behaves day to day, so I will not promise that it is perfect.
Android owners are not left out. MobileSyrup called the Android app “top-notch,” with battery checks, ANC control and button changes, though it said fast pairing saves little. Some features remain Apple only, such as hands-free Siri and Find My.
The charging case has one big omission. Expert Reviews confirms USB-C is the only way to charge it. There is no wireless charging, which may annoy anyone used to dropping AirPods on a pad. It also called the case “finicky to open.”
Product image from the Amazon listing.
The Failures That Worry Me
Now the owner reports. I want to be careful, since there are few of them and forums collect bad news. Still, they share a theme.
In a 2024 Apple Community thread, an owner who bought a pair in February 2022 reported broken wingtips on both buds. Later, both stopped producing sound and only beeped. According to the owner, Apple Support said the broken tips count as physical damage, which voids warranty coverage, and a repair came with a large fee. The poster had no AppleCare and called the product unreliable. That is one person’s account, and there are no replies. It is exactly the risk I raised at the top, though: in this account, the part that makes these special was treated as the owner’s fault when it broke.
A MacRumors thread describes wingtips tearing from the bud body in normal use. The poster there guessed that pressure from the case, or lifting the buds by the wingtips, might be the cause. I would avoid lifting them by the fins for that reason. It costs you nothing.
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A different problem sits in a 2023 Apple Community thread. An owner using the large ear tips said the buds stopped charging when the lid closed, tried to connect to the phone, and drained while in the case. They charged normally with the lid open or the tips removed. The owner suspected that the lid pushes the buds off the charging pins. A specialist suggested contacting Apple Support, and no fix is recorded. If you use the large tips, check that the case’s charge light behaves once the lid is shut.
Some buyers also mention a case that broke early or kept draining, and one complaint describes crackling and static. I can’t say how common these are, so treat them only as a reason to keep your receipt.
My Pick for the Gym, With One Condition
I think the Fit Pro is a strong choice for an iPhone owner who wants one pair for exercise and everyday listening. The fit holds for most people, the Apple features work without extra apps, and the noise cancelling is good enough for a commute.
Skip them if you have small ears and plan on long meetings. Skip them if call clarity in noisy places is your job, or if wireless charging matters to you. And given how the wingtip complaint played out for one owner, I would think about AppleCare if you plan to be hard on them.
If that sounds like your use, the Beats Fit Pro (1st Gen) is worth a look, as long as you test the fit inside your return window. This is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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