The Beats 360 is possibly one of the worst kept secrets in recent years, as numerous celebrities, influencers and sportspeople were seen donning the headphones over the summer.

With the promise of Beats’ best ever ANC that’s 1.75x stronger than the Beats Studio Pro, acoustically designed and interchangeable earcups and an IPX4 rating, the Beats 360 look set to be an intriguing pair of headphones. However, with a £299.95 price tag, is it really worth the splurge?

I was luckily able to spend some time with the headphones ahead of today’s launch. Although our in-depth review will arrive at a later date, here are my first impressions of the headphones and whether I think the cans are set to enter our best headphones round-up.

Put simply, I think the Beats 360 looks great. Usually I don’t really like the look of bulky headphones and, aside from on a plane, I generally tend to feel self-conscious when wearing a pair out and about. However, the Beats 360 has a slim design that doesn’t look or feel overwhelming.

Instead, the lightweight headband sits comfortably but not too obviously on top of your head, while the cushions envelop your ears without sticking out awkwardly either – an issue I’ve had with my Soundcore Space One.

Of course, if you actually want a more eye-catching pair of headphones, then it’s worth noting that not only do the Beats 360 comes in a choice between four base colours, Sky, Black, Cloud and Pink, but the headband and earcup cushions are interchangeable too. That means you can choose to either pair your headphones with matching earcups, more subtle shades or even a particularly vivacious yellow if you really want to stand out.

The beauty of the interchangeable cushions isn’t just that you can personalise your headphones, but it also means you can swap them out depending on your day’s plans.

Essentially the Beats 360 is designed to see you through entire days full of meetings, running errands and even workouts, with the idea being that you can change the cushions accordingly. It’s a nifty trick as, thinking about it, you don’t really want to keep your sweaty earcups on after a workout, but still might want to continue listening to music or need to take some calls. 

Swapping the earcups and headbands is easy too, and requires either a slight twist or tug respectively. Beats is also offering an introductory offer where you can purchase separate earcups for just £9.95 – a huge saving on the usual £49.95 price tag.

Beats has promised a major improvement on ANC

As soon as I popped the headphones on, I immediately noticed the noise cancelling prowess. Even before I pressed play on one of the sample songs (It’s All Coming Back to Me by none other than Celine Dion for context), chatter, music playing on speakers and just the general hustle and bustle of the event were all instantly muted.

I should disclaim that I was indoors, so have no idea how the headphones will compete with public transport or a plane, but Beats does claim the 360 has the best and most advanced ANC to date.

Judging from my experience, I’d certainly expect the headphones to work well at cancelling office chatter and a busy gym too. 

When I did press play, music came through clearly and sounded immersive. Even Celine Dion’s ballad managed to retain its detail while still offering a powerful sound. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to listen to any low-frequency or bass-heavy tracks, but Beats promises that thanks to three-layer diaphragms and dual neodymium magnets in every driver, the 360 creates powerful bass and “incredible precision”.

I am an iPhone user so the fact Beats slot so neatly into Apple’s ecosystem is great, as features like one-touch pairing and Automatch Switching make headphones that bit easier to use. However, it’s good to know that the Beats 360 can also be paired with Android phones and enables Android users access to Fast Pair and the Google Find Hub too.

Can it beat the likes of Sony and Bose?

My first impressions of the Beats 360 is that not only do the headphones look great but they offer great noise cancellation too. I really appreciate the sleek design that doesn’t look bulky when in use, nor does it stand out either – although you can choose to brighten up the style if you so wish by opting for more eye-catching earcups. 

While admittedly I didn’t get to spend too much time with the headphones, the ANC still proved impressive. Realistically £299.95 is more than I’d care to spend on headphones, however considering the 360 is versatile, comfortable and sounds great, it certainly is an appealing investment – definitely more so in my opinion than the much more expensive AirPods Max, which I still just don’t really get. 

What I’d be keen to learn more about is the battery life and sound too, but that’s where our full review will come in.