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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize noise canceling and sound quality for a premium audio experience, choose the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, especially for activities like air travel and exercise where their active noise canceling and sweatproof features excel. However, keep in mind they come at a premium price and have a moderate battery life and lacking performance on calls. On the other hand, the JBL Tune Flex offers very good sound quality at a lower price, also suitable for exercise with its sweatproof certification and gives you a low latency mode for better sync during videos and gaming, but they may not be as comfortable or provide as effective noise isolation as the Bose.
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Advantages of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Very good for music
Very good for TV and video
Very good for exercise
Advantages of the JBL Tune Flex
Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.6/10
7.3/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the JBL Tune Flex is good.
Phone Calls
5.1/10
6.3/10
The JBL Tune Flex is only fair for phone calls, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0/10
9.0/10
The JBL Tune Flex is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.
Noise Reduction
8.9/10
6.5/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Tune Flex is only fair.
Cost
$249
$60
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the JBL Tune Flex costs $60.
Build Quality
9.0/10
8.5/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the JBL Tune Flex has very good build quality.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and JBL Tune Flex are both very good for gaming.
TV and Video
8.1/10
7.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds to be very good for TV and video, while the JBL Tune Flex is good.
Battery
6.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The JBL Tune Flex has 6.5 hours of battery life.
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How the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the JBL Tune Flex compare to other earbuds and headphones
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."
"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 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or the JBL Tune Flex
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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