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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
For superior sound quality, comfort, and active noise cancelation, choose the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, which are much better during exercise and for air travel, but they are more expensive and have shorter battery life without wireless charging. If you prioritize longer battery life, budget-friendliness, and microphone quality for calls or meetings, the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless is a suitable alternative, although it has lower overall sound quality and noise isolation and lacks active noise canceling. Both options are sweatproof but the Bose offers a slightly more premium build and slightly better app customization features. 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 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Very good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for exercise
Advantages of the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless
- Good for phone calls
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.6
6.6
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless is only fair.
Gaming
8.8
7.3
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless is good.
Phone Calls
5.1
7.8
The JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless is good for phone calls, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
7.3
The JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.
TV and Video
8.1
6.9
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless is only fair.
Noise Reduction
8.9
6.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless is only fair.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.3 Hours
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless has 8.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$249
$30
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless costs $30.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless has very good build quality.
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How the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds | JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$249 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.7/10 | 6.6/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.2/10 | 7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8.4/10 | 6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 6.5 Hours | 8.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.1 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 21 | 16 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.9/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.2/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.7 Grams | 8.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Christian Thomas | October 2023
"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 Vibe Beam True Wireless
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Headphone Dungeon
LaFonda | April 2023
"The Vibe Beam earbuds may not be a sleek as other earbuds in the price range, such as the equally priced Vibe Buds, but they sound great, have a long battery life, and come with an equalizer. And if you just need a solid pair if earbuds to get you through your commute, these will do the trick. I have no complaints here."
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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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