Beats Pill

The updated Pill is loud, proud, and fully waterproof

One of the good things about releasing products as rarely as Beats does is that the difference between the predecessor and the current product is quite significant. Today's Beats Pill is very different from 2013's Beats by Dr Dre Pill.

The company redesigned the speaker from the ground up, keeping only the shape of the Pill intact. The new Pill is lighter than the Pill+, the speaker's closest predecessor, by 10%. Surprisingly, it's ever so slightly larger. One of the big physical upgrades is the Beats Pill's dust and water rating, its IP67-rating allowing it to cope with some rough handling, including exposure to dust and water.

The Pill's styling is subtle, with a smaller logo on the grill. The cover is made of soft silicone, which is smooth to the touch. The grill looks more solid; you can't really see the speakers hidden behind. The four buttons are depressed and easy to locate, with a single USB-C port at the back. The Pill is now tilted up 20%, and gets a lanyard, making it easier to carry the speaker around.