Beats introduces the Beats 360, a premium over-ear headphone featuring swappable cushions, a removable headband pad, and IPX4 water resistance, signalling a shift towards personalised, workout-ready audio gear in the high-end segment.
Beats has tried to rethink what a premium over-ear headphone can be with the launch of the Beats 360, a model built around swappable ear cushions and a removable headband pad. The design is intended to let owners change both the feel and the look of the headset without replacing the whole unit, while also widening its appeal beyond a single use case. Beats is pitching it for commuting, work, travel and exercise, and in India the headphone is priced at ₹42,900, with in-store availability beginning on 24 September.
The key idea is modular comfort. The Beats 360 ships with Performance Knit cushions for more active use and UltraPlush cushions for a softer, all-day fit. According to launch details reported by multiple outlets, the headphone can identify which cushion set is attached and adjust its tuning accordingly. That approach is unusual in the premium ANC category, where comfort changes usually mean buying a different model rather than changing parts. It also creates a practical maintenance benefit, since worn cushions can be replaced separately.
Beats has also given the 360 a more workout-friendly profile than its earlier over-ear products. The model carries an IPX4 rating, which protects against sweat and splashes rather than immersion, and it is the first over-ear Beats headphone to do so. Tom’s Guide said in its review that the design feels gym-ready, although it noted that the feature set is not aimed at heavy water exposure. The same review also said the headphones are not best-in-class for noise cancellation, even if they are the strongest Beats has made so far.
Noise control remains a central part of the pitch, but much of the performance language still comes from Beats itself. The company says the acoustic architecture delivers up to 1.75 times more combined active and passive noise cancellation than the Beats Studio Pro. Tom’s Guide and TechSpot both suggest the result is solid rather than class-leading, while also pointing to some trade-offs, including the lack of wear detection and, in TechSpot’s case, a tighter fit on larger heads. The headset also supports Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ and personalised spatial audio with head tracking for compatible content.
Battery life is competitive. Beats rates the 360 for up to 32 hours of listening with ANC enabled, or up to 24 hours in Transparency mode, with a five-minute Fast Fuel top-up delivering around an hour of playback. The headphones charge via USB-C and support both Apple and Android ecosystems, with Apple users getting features such as one-touch pairing, iCloud pairing, automatic device switching, Audio Sharing, Find My and Siri, while Android users get Fast Pair, Audio Switch and Find Hub support. Apple’s product page also highlights call quality and the IPX4 rating.
The most obvious limitation is the absence of a wired audio option. Reports from 9to5Mac noted that there is no 3.5mm connection and that USB-C does not support wired playback, which will matter to people who want to use the headphones on flights, with consoles or with older equipment. Beats is not replacing the Studio Pro, either. The Studio Pro remains on sale at a lower price, and that makes the 360 a more specialised flagship rather than a direct successor. In India, the 360 is being sold through Apple’s online store, with extra cushion kits priced separately, so the total cost of ownership can rise quickly for buyers who want to customise colour or material over time.
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