[rwp-review id=”0″]
The diminutive Philips Flex, spelt Fl3x sometimes, Bluetooth speaker is one of many Bluetooth speakers out there but with one very distinct feature: it has 12 hours of battery life.
Design
The Flex is a small, nifty little device that had me thinking about macaroons the whole time I was reviewing it, so similar in shape (but not dimensions) to the tasty morsel it is. Rather than the bigger BT3500B, the Flex isn’t rectangular in shape; it continues the normal Bluetooth speaker tradition of being circular in shape. The Flex only comes in two colour schemes: bright blue with a lime-green speaker grille and a sleek black and white version. Its small dimensions (it measures at 101mm in diameter and 76mm high) deny it a stand and as result is is designed to rest on its back with the speaker facing upwards to allow for a wider spread of sound. What I found absolutely hilarious about the Flex was that it comes with a strap allowing you to sling it around your arm and carry it around with you like a modern boombox. I assume that was the idea behind it but more oft than not it makes you look like you’re trying to use it as a Iron Man prop. Of course you can choose to instead have it hung from a belt loop, like a pocket watch.
Performance
The speaker only has a single 2 watt driver powering it however the Flex boasts a unique feature in its ability to have its sides expand outwards to add a “sound quality boost” to whatever song you’re playing. However I have to disagree, the difference in audio was negligible, though I don’t deny that pulling out the sides was akin to playing an accordion, humorous but not what you buy a Bluetooth speaker for.
Going through a playlist consisting songs from across the genre wavelength, there’s no question that the Flex can’t handle bass all that well. David Guetta’s “Titanium” was butchered to the point I had to drop the volume down to about 30% so that I could listen to it without blowing up my eardrums. Heavy distortion is something the Flex also suffers from unfortunately despite an internal limiter circuit that’s supposed to prevent this.
Features
Minimalism is what the Flex is about. There are only two buttons on its curving side: the pairing button that puts the speaker in pairing mode and a slider that can alternate between using the Bluetooth connection, using the 3.5mm auxiliary port or switching the speaker off. There is however a distinctive lack of volume control buttons which is a problem if you’re far away from the device that’s streaming to the Flex. There are also no buttons to skip a song or pause denying anyone the chance to be a DJ other than the person who has paired their device to the Flex.
One of the best things about the Flex is its 12 hours of battery life which is even compensation for areas it’s not so stunning in. Charging the battery can be achieved through a micro USB cable provided.
The Flex has a Bluetooth range of around 10 metres
Conclusion
The Flex is a small Bluetooth speaker that adds an element of entertainment, not with it’s audio but with its accordion-like pull out sides. While there are better Bluetooth speakers out there, the cheap price of the Flex, which is around AED 150, makes it quite attractive.
