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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize active noise cancelling for frequent air travel and desire an immersive sound experience with very comfortable over-ear headphones, the Bose 700 will serve you well, especially with their longer battery life without a case and the convenience of both wireless and wired connectivity options. However, the JBL Live Flex 3, being more affordable, offer a unique touch display on the case for easy control, a stem design for earbuds which is great for exercise, and water and dust resistance, making them versatile for outdoor activities, although they may not isolate noise as effectively for travel and have a shorter battery life without their charging case. 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 Bose 700
- Very good for phone calls
- Best in class for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Live Flex 3
- Very good for music
- Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
7.5
8.0
The JBL Live Flex 3 is very good for music, while the Bose 700 is good.
Phone Calls
8.3
5.2
The Bose 700 is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Flex 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.8
5.9
The Bose 700 is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Flex 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
8.3
The Bose 700 is excellent for noise reduction, while the JBL Live Flex 3 is very good.
Battery
20.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Bose 700 has 20 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Flex 3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Cost
$299
$216
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose 700 has a price of $299 and the JBL Live Flex 3 costs $216.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Bose 700 has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Flex 3 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.3
5.5
The JBL Live Flex 3 and Bose 700 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.6
5.7
The JBL Live Flex 3 and Bose 700 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Bose 700 and the JBL Live Flex 3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose 700 | JBL Live Flex 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $216 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2019 | June 1, 2024 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.5/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 20 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2.5 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 40 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 263 Grams | 8.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose 700
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Adam Molina | June 2023
"Bose took active noise canceling and made it mainstream but eventually, the market caught up. Well, it seems like Bose was listening, because the Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is a complete redesign of its iconic product. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have a new design, improved sound quality, a touch-sensitive gesture pad for playback controls, and even USB-C charging."
Get a great deal on the Bose 700 or the JBL Live Flex 3
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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