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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize battery life and regularly engage in air travel, the Beats Solo 3 might suit you better, also offering active noise cancelling which helps in noisy environments; however, they may be less comfortable for long periods. The JBL Tune Flex, being less expensive, provides a very good quality for calls and meetings, and is sweatproof making them a better fit for exercise. Also, if gaming is a significant use case for you, their low latency mode is an advantage, but they lack active noise cancelling which can be a drawback during travel or in noisy settings. Choose based on which features align more closely with your lifestyle needs and budget constraints. 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
- The Beats Solo 3 has no clear advantages over the JBL Tune Flex.
Advantages of the JBL Tune Flex
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
- Good for exercise
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.3
7.3
The JBL Tune Flex is good for music, while the Beats Solo 3 is only fair.
Gaming
5.3
8.5
The JBL Tune Flex is very good for gaming, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Phone Calls
4.7
6.3
The JBL Tune Flex is only fair for phone calls, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
9.0
The JBL Tune Flex is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
7.8
The JBL Tune Flex is good for TV and video, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.3
6.5
The JBL Tune Flex is only fair for noise reduction, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Battery
41.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Beats Solo 3 has 41.5 hours of battery life. The JBL Tune Flex has 6.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$117
$60
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Beats Solo 3 has a price of $117 and the JBL Tune Flex costs $60.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.0
8.5
The JBL Tune Flex and Beats Solo 3 both have very good build quality.
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How the Beats Solo 3 and the JBL Tune Flex compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Beats Solo 3 | JBL Tune Flex |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$117 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Beats | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2016 | September 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 41.5 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 4.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 5.4/10 | 5.1/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 5.7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 213.1 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
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 Tune Flex
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Dig into reviews and images
MajorHiFi
Gabby Bloch | May 2023
"JBL is offering a similar design and arguably better resolution than the more expensive AirPods 3rd Generation. Add to that a comfortable and versatile fit, an equalizer and pretty decent ANC, and you’ve got a quality wireless earphone. I would have loved longer battery life and more crystal calls, but for the price, you can’t complain. A solid deal overall."
Get a great deal on the Beats Solo 3 or the JBL Tune Flex
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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