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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
For the best noise isolation and comfort during air travel or extended listening sessions, the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 headphones excel, also offering superior battery life. However, if you need something compact for exercise, the JBL Live Buds 3 are sweatproof and have a secure fit, although with less battery life. JBL's earbuds support LDAC for high-quality audio over Bluetooth, a feature Bose lacks, making them more suited for audiophiles with compatible devices. Bose headphones have an edge with active noise cancelling for quieter environments. While both have good built-in controls and mic quality, consider your primary use – quiet comfort and better calls with Bose, or exercise and advanced Bluetooth codec support with JBL. 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 Quiet Comfort 45
- Very good for phone calls
- Best in class for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Live Buds 3
- Good for music
- Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
6.4
7.8
The JBL Live Buds 3 is good for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Phone Calls
8.0
5.2
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
5.9
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
8.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is very good.
Battery
22.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Buds 3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Cost
$260
$216
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the JBL Live Buds 3 costs $216.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.5
5.4
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and JBL Live Buds 3 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.8
5.6
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and JBL Live Buds 3 are both poor for TV and video.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and JBL Live Buds 3 both have very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the JBL Live Buds 3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | JBL Live Buds 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $216 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | June 1, 2024 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 5.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 22.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 30 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 8.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort 45
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | November 2022
"If you want a set of wireless over-ear headphones you can put on, deploy noise-cancelling on your commute or at your desk and largely extinguish the outside world for up to 24 hours, the Bose QC 45 has the edge over most of the competition at the price."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the JBL Live Buds 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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