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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're considering overall sound quality, the Beats Solo 3 offers a good experience but at a higher cost, while the JBL 510BT is more budget-friendly with fair sound quality. The Beats Solo 3 is over-ear with active noise cancelling which is better for air travel and noise isolation but weighs more. JBL 510BT, being on-ear and lighter, may be more comfortable for some users. Both support AAC codec for better audio on Apple devices. For calls, JBL 510BT has better mic quality. Neither are ideal for gaming or TV due to latency issues. If portability and longer battery life are crucial, Beats Solo 3 with 40+ hours stands out, yet the JBL has a decent 38 hours. The detachable cable on Beats adds versatility for wired use. Neither are sweat or dustproof, making them less suitable for exercise. Choose Beats Solo 3 for noise cancellation and longer battery life at a higher cost or JBL 510BT for a budget-friendly option with decent performance. 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 Beats Solo 3
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the JBL 510BT
- The JBL 510BT has no clear advantages over the Beats Solo 3.
Key differences
Cost
$117
$30
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Beats Solo 3 has a price of $117 and the JBL 510BT costs $30.
Build Quality
8.0
6.5
The Beats Solo 3 has very good build quality, while the JBL 510BT has only fair build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
6.3
6.2
The Beats Solo 3 and JBL 510BT are both only fair for music.
Gaming
5.3
5.4
The JBL 510BT and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
4.7
5.1
The JBL 510BT and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
5.6
The Beats Solo 3 and JBL 510BT are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
5.6
5.5
The Beats Solo 3 and JBL 510BT are both poor for TV and video.
Noise Reduction
5.3
5.3
The Beats Solo 3 and JBL 510BT are both poor for noise reduction.
Battery
41.5 Hours
38.0 Hours
The Beats Solo 3 has 41.5 hours of battery life. The JBL 510BT has 38 hours of battery life.
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How the Beats Solo 3 and the JBL 510BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Beats Solo 3 | JBL 510BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$117 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Beats | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2016 | February 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.7/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 5.5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.9/10 | 5.8/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 41.5 Hours | 38 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 4.2 | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 5.4/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 5.7/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 213.1 Grams | 158.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Beats Solo 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | May 2023
"The Beats Solo3 Wireless is an old set of headphones but still works reliably well with iPhones, due to W1 chip integration and AAC support. The Beats Solo3 Wireless holds up well today with just a few features showing its age."
JBL 510BT
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Sam Smart | September 2023
"The JBL Tune 510BT is affordable and compact, making it a great companion for a commute, so long as you don't need active noise canceling. If you wear glasses or have ear piercings, the on-ear design might not be comfortable, since the ear cups will squish your ears."
Get a great deal on the Beats Solo 3 or the JBL 510BT
About Beats
Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.
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.
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