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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize noise cancellation and plan to use your earbuds mainly for air travel, the Apple Airpods Pro 2 are superior, offering better comfort and overall sound quality. However, JBL Live Pro 2 is more affordable and has a better fit for exercise, suitable if you're looking to use them mainly for workouts. Both offer wireless charging and similar battery life. Airpods Pro 2 features better integration with Apple devices, which can be decisive if you're in the Apple ecosystem. The Live Pro 2, on the other hand, provides more customization options through its app, making it a versatile choice for different users. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Airpods Pro 2
Good for music
Good for phone calls
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Live Pro 2
Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
7.0/10
5.9/10
The Apple Airpods Pro 2 is good for music, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Gaming
8.4/10
5.3/10
The Apple Airpods Pro 2 is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Phone Calls
7.8/10
5.2/10
The Apple Airpods Pro 2 is good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.8/10
5.8/10
The Apple Airpods Pro 2 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
TV and Video
7.8/10
5.5/10
The Apple Airpods Pro 2 is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.3 Hours
The Apple Airpods Pro 2 has 6 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Pro 2 has 8.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$199
$90
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The Apple Airpods Pro 2 has a price of $199 and the JBL Live Pro 2 costs $90.
Build Quality
9.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple Airpods Pro 2 has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Pro 2 has good build quality.
"Apple's upgraded H2 chip begets better active noise canceling (ANC) and battery life, while the case's U1 chip and integrated speaker lets you precisely locate it from the Find My app. If you own an iPhone, the new AirPods Pro is an obvious choice."
"The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS occupy an interesting space in the wireless earbuds market. They’re a step up from cheap wireless earbuds and allow you to access better sound quality without having to make the jump to more premium options from the likes of Bose, Sony and Sennheiser. They’re an entertaining listen, easy to use and manage to pack in a lot of useful features. We think they’re well worth a listen."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Pro 2 or the JBL Live Pro 2
About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.