Beats Pill x Pokemon review: peak portable audio with a splash of Pikachu's charm

If you can find it, the Beats Pill featuring Pikachu and Mimikyu is a cute addition to anyone's collection, even if you already own the non-Pokemon one.

I've rolled my eyes at many brand collaborations, but one that never fails to attract my attention is Pokemon. Sure, it's the same Beats Pill under a coat of cute paint, but that's enough for the fans.

The Beats Pill made in collaboration with Pokemon is adorable, but it doesn't add any flair to your portable music listening beyond some visual flair. That said, I knew I immediately wanted one even though I already have the latest Beats Pill in black.

I've been a Pokemon fan since that fateful day the show debuted in the United States in 1996. 5-year-old me caught it on TV and was instantly hooked.

While I'm not as avid a collector as some, my home is peppered with Pokemon memorabilia. I always love the chance to grab something that can represent my love of Pokemon without being yet another plush.

As an Apple fan and someone that has enjoyed Beats for the past decade, a Pokemon collaboration is a match made in heaven. Let's get into this model and what Beats Pill offers in case you're unaware of the 2024 reboot of the classic product.

Beats Pill x Pokemon review: Design

The Beats Pill was revived by Beats in 2024 with a new design that was more refined, had a single USB-C port in the back, and that signature "b" on the front. It is a dust and water resistant design rated at IP67 and has minimal on-device controls.

The Pokemon model is gray to pair with the grayscale Mimikyu prominently displayed on the speaker grille. The yellow electric mouse Pikachu appears next to the ghostly Pokemon, looking a little concerned and rendered in full color.

Beats included some charms with the speaker for the first time. The lanyard has a charm featuring the Beats logo on one side and a Pokeball on the other.

There are also raised electric sparks radiating from Pikachu on the speaker grille. I wonder if these will break, wear down, or pop off over time, especially when used in more harsh environments.

One of my main use cases for the Beats Pill has been taking it with me to places like the lake or beach. It hasn't shown any damage or scratching, and if anything, still looks basically new.

I have some concern about this painted surface and the lightning charms, but I suppose I'll baby this one a bit more than the other.

I have really enjoyed the 2024 version of the Beats Pill. It's more rounded and easier to hold than the previous Beats Pill+, plus it has that lanyard.

My single complaint about the Pokemon release is limiting it to a single colorway. There are 1,025 Pokemon total, and Beats gave us two on a single speaker.

At a minimum, I would have liked to see the gray model with Mimikyu and a yellow one with Pikachu as two separate speakers. That could have made quite the cute stereo pair.

Beats Pill x Pokemon: Features

The Beats Pill can be paired with a second one by holding the center button on both for a few seconds. This Amplify Mode just plays the music from both.

Stereo mode can be enabled after entering Amplify Mode by holding the center and volume up button until the light blinks blue on the speaker you want to be the left one. It's a bit cumbersome managing these modes via button presses versus an app or the AirPlay interface, but it gets the job done.

If you listened to a Beats Pill or Beats headphones about a decade ago and decided you hated the audio signature, give it another try today. Apple's ownership of Beats seems to have had some influence over time.

Beats isn't quite Bose, but the highs are much more rich in recent years, and the Beats Pill showcases this with its upgraded tweeter. Don't worry though, Beats is still all about the bass featured in a lot of modern music, so the woofer can really push some air.

In my testing these speakers as a stereo pair, I've noticed just how loud and bass-heavy they can get. I'm quite happy with the audio performance, though audio is a very personal thing and your miles may vary.

The woofer is powerful enough to vibrate the air in front of the speaker noticeably, even at lower volumes. Of course, the speaker is still portable and won't compete with something like the large-size HomePod with its giant woofer and multiple tweeters.

At the same price as a HomePod mini 2, some customers might be choosing between them. They serve very different purposes, but I'd say the Beats Pill is the better speaker.

The HomePod mini 2 is part of Apple's whole-home audio system and smart home control via Siri. There isn't any "Hey Siri" support in the Beats Pill.

Also, since Beats is a popular brand outside of the Apple ecosystem, the proprietary chipset allows equally easy pairing with iPhone and Android smartphones. Beats does such a good job on Android that some Android users don't realize it's an Apple subsidy.

You'll get about 24 hours of audio in a single charge of the Beats Pill. It can also provide some battery to a connected iPhone in a pinch.

That USB-C connection is also useful because it can handle hi-res lossless audio. There is some perceptible difference in the audio quality of the music between standard, lossless, and hi-res lossless, especially at high volumes.

This isn't a high-end audio system, but the speaker performs well. Realize you'll need to go into Settings -> apps -> Music to enable lossless or hi-res lossless audio playback when streaming or downloading music.

Also, if you've already downloaded music, you'll have to delete it and redownload it in the higher quality. Only then will you notice the difference in audio, and honestly, it is hard to tell with some songs.

I'm not an audiophile, but I do appreciate the option exists for Beats Pill and that it works with Apple Music.

The best there ever was

The 2024 Beats Pill is by far my favorite portable speaker I've ever owned. I'm very happy to see a Pokemon-themed collaboration and hope that Beats and Pokemon can do more in the future.

I've saved the nerdiest stuff for the end, so here goes. Don't think I forgot about the Pokemon themselves.

Pikachu is quite possibly the most recognizable mascot on Earth, beating out even Mario. It is an electric mouse that stores electricity in its cheeks.

I've always loved Pikachu, but I prefer the older fat Pikachu design. The new one is a little too cutesy.

Mimikyu is a more recent Pokemon from the Sun and Moon generation. It is a ghost that hides underneath a costume made from a rag it designed to look like Pikachu.

Mimikyu chose this disguise in the hopes it would make more friends — it's a bit jealous of Pikachu's popularity. Anyone who has tried to peek under the disguise mysteriously dies within hours.

I like that Beats and Pokemon picked October for this product release, as it is a little nod to the ghostly nature of Mimikyu. Though, the timing of the release was hilariously overshadowed by Apple's "Welcome Home" press releases.

That didn't seem to matter though, since the Beats Pill sold out immediately. I can easily recommend this Pokemon collaboration, that is, if you can find one.

At the least, go pick up a Beats Pill or two, they're great portable speakers.

Beats Pill x Pokemon - Pros

• Excellent audio that gets loud without distortion
• Hi-res lossless support over USB-C
• Stereo Mode with two speakers
• This one has Pokemon

Beats Pill x Pokemon - Cons

• There are portable speakers with comparable audio at a lower price, but those won't have Pokemon

Rating: 4 out of 5

It's a Beats Pill with Pokemon painted on it. What more can I say?

Where to buy the Beats Pill x Pokemon collaboration

The Pokemon-themed Beats Pill sold out immediately, but it will presumably be restocked over time. The Beats Pill can be purchased from the Beats website and from Target for $149.99.