Style matters. Honestly, it probably matters more than we’d like to admit when it comes to tech. For years, headphones were just black plastic or shiny white stems. Then Kim Kardashian teamed up with Beats by Dre, and suddenly, everyone realized that tech doesn’t have to look like tech. The Beats x Kim collection changed the vibe completely. It wasn't about a new chip or better noise canceling—even though the hardware inside is solid—it was about making a pair of earbuds that actually matched your skin tone or your favorite sweatpants.
People obsessed over these. They sold out. They came back. They sold out again.
When Apple first dropped the collaboration, it felt like a weird pivot. Why is a reality TV mogul and shapewear billionaire designing colors for the Fit Pro? But once you see them in person, it clicks. Most tech is designed to stand out in a loud, aggressive way. The Beats x Kim earbuds do the opposite; they blend in. It’s "quiet luxury" for your ears, and three years later, the industry is still trying to catch up to that aesthetic shift.
The Aesthetic Shift: It’s Not Just "Beige"
Let's be real: calling these colors "beige" is an insult to the design process. Kim Kardashian brought her SKIMS palette to the Beats Fit Pro, resulting in three specific shades: Moon, Dune, and Earth.
Moon is a light, creamy off-white.
Dune is a mid-tone tan.
Earth is a deep, rich brown.
The goal was inclusivity. For the first time, people with deeper skin tones could wear earbuds that didn't look like a bright white plastic pebble stuck to the side of their head. It sounds simple, but it was a massive gap in the market. Before this, "flesh-toned" tech basically didn't exist. You had "Rose Gold" if you were lucky, which usually just looked like pink metallic paint.
The texture is different, too. While the standard Beats Fit Pro has a slightly slicker finish, the Kim K versions have a matte, almost soft-touch feel. It makes them feel less like a gadget and more like an accessory. Think of them as the jewelry of the tech world. They aren't meant to scream "I'm a runner," even though they are arguably some of the best workout buds ever made.
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What’s Actually Inside the Beats x Kim Buds?
Strip away the Earth-toned paint and the celebrity endorsement. What are you left with?
You’re left with the Beats Fit Pro.
This is where things get interesting for people who care about performance. Unlike the AirPods Pro 2, which has a stem that hangs down, the Beats x Kim earbuds use a "wingtip" design. It’s a flexible little fin that tucks into the upper fold of your ear. It’s secure. Like, "doing backflips in a CrossFit gym" secure.
Inside, they run on the Apple H1 chip. This gives you all the "magic" features that iPhone users love:
- One-tap pairing.
- Automatic switching between your Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
- "Hey Siri" support.
- Find My integration if you lose one under the couch.
But here is the kicker: they work great with Android. Because Beats is positioned as the "cool, platform-agnostic sibling" to the AirPods, there’s an actual Beats app on the Google Play Store. You get one-touch pairing and custom control remapping on a Samsung or Pixel just as easily as you do on an iPhone. That’s rare for an Apple-owned product.
Sound Quality and ANC
The sound profile is classic Beats, but matured. If you haven't tried a pair of Beats since 2012, forget everything you remember. They aren't just "bass cannons" anymore. The low end is definitely there—it’s punchy and fun—but it doesn't drown out the vocals.
The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is surprisingly beefy. It uses external microphones to listen to the world around you and then creates anti-noise to cancel it out. It’s not quite as eerily silent as the AirPods Pro 2 or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, but it’s close. In a crowded coffee shop, it’ll cut out about 80% of the chatter.
Transparency Mode is the real winner here. It sounds natural. Some earbuds make the world sound like it’s being played through a cheap walkie-talkie when you turn on transparency. With these, it feels like you aren't wearing headphones at all. You can have a conversation, hear traffic, or listen for your flight announcement without taking them out.
Why Everyone Is Still Talking About the Fit
Comfort is subjective, but the "wingtip" is a polarizing piece of engineering. Some people find it incredibly comfortable for hours. Others feel a "pressure point" in their ear after about 45 minutes.
The wingtip is made of a flexible silicone, but it’s not adjustable. It’s a fixed part of the earbud body. If your ear shape matches the curve, you’re in heaven. If it doesn't, you might find yourself adjusting them more than you'd like.
Battery life is solid, though not industry-leading. You get 6 hours of listening time with ANC turned on, and the case holds another 18 hours of charge. Totaling 24 hours of juice. If you’re a heavy user, you’ll be charging the case every two or three days. It charges via USB-C—thankfully, Apple killed Lightning here—but it does not support wireless charging.
That’s honestly the biggest letdown. For a "premium" lifestyle product, having to plug it in feels a bit 2019.
Beats x Kim vs. The Competition
Why would you buy these over the standard colors? Or over the newer Beats Solo Buds or Studio Buds+?
Price-wise, they usually sit around $199, though you can often find them on sale for $169 or even $159. The standard colors are often cheaper. You are paying a "Kim tax" for the specific shades of Moon, Dune, and Earth.
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- AirPods Pro 2: Better noise canceling and wireless charging, but they fall out of your ears during workouts.
- Beats Studio Buds+: No wingtip (so less secure), but they have a cool transparent "clear" colorway and longer battery life.
- Sony WF-1000XM5: Way better sound quality for audiophiles, but they look like giant tech beans in your ears.
The Beats x Kim earbuds occupy a specific niche: people who want their tech to be invisible. If you’re wearing a monochromatic outfit, white AirPods look like a glaring error. These blend. They are for the person who treats their tech like an extension of their wardrobe.
The Cultural Impact of a "Skin Tone" Earbud
When this collab launched, it wasn't just a tech story; it was a fashion story. Vogue covered it. Hypebeast covered it. It proved that there is a massive market for tech that honors human diversity rather than just "cool gadget" aesthetics.
Other brands noticed. Since the release of the Beats x Kim collection, we’ve seen a rise in "nude" and "neutral" colorways across the board—from phone cases to smartwatches. Kim Kardashian didn’t invent the color beige, but she successfully argued that tech should be personal.
There’s also the "Kim K effect" on resale value. Even though these are tech items (which usually depreciate faster than a used car), the Kim versions hold their value remarkably well on sites like StockX or eBay. If Apple ever decides to discontinue these specific shades, they’ll likely become collector’s items for hypebeasts and tech nerds alike.
Should You Actually Buy Them?
If you’re an athlete or a runner, yes. The wingtip is a game-changer.
If you’re an Android user who wants the "Apple experience," yes.
If you hate the "white stem" look of AirPods, absolutely.
However, if you need wireless charging or if you have very small ears that might be irritated by the wingtip, you should probably look at the Studio Buds+ or the AirPods Pro.
Buying the Beats x Kim earbuds is a statement. It’s saying you care about the specs and the silhouette. You want the noise canceling, you want the H1 chip, but you also want to look like a person, not a walking Best Buy advertisement.
Moving Forward with Your Purchase
If you've decided to pull the trigger on these, there are a few things you should do to get the most out of them. First, don't just stick with the medium ear tips that come pre-installed. The Beats Fit Pro box includes small and large tips too. Finding the "seal" is critical for the noise cancellation to work properly. If the seal is weak, the bass will sound thin and the ANC won't block out the world.
Next, if you're on an iPhone, go into your Settings > Bluetooth and click the 'i' next to your Beats. Run the "Ear Tip Fit Test." It uses the internal mics to check if sound is leaking out. It’s a 10-second test that drastically improves the audio experience.
Lastly, keep the case clean. Because the colors are light and the finish is matte, they can pick up dye from denim if you toss them in your pocket without a protective cover. A quick wipe with a damp cloth every week keeps the "Dune" looking like Dune and not "Dirty Sidewalk."
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Grab the shades while they are in stock. These collaborations have a habit of disappearing from the Apple Store without warning, leaving you to deal with third-party resellers and inflated prices. If the "Moon" shade is calling your name, it's better to act sooner rather than later.
Next Steps for New Owners:
- Check the Firmware: Once paired, check the Beats app (Android) or Settings (iOS) to ensure you have the latest firmware, which improves ANC stability.
- Test the Spatial Audio: Open a movie on Disney+ or Netflix that supports Dolby Atmos. These buds support head-tracking spatial audio, which makes it feel like you're in a movie theater.
- Remap the Buttons: The "b" button on each bud can be customized. Set one side to toggle ANC and the other to trigger your voice assistant for a more tailored experience.