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Updated April 10, 2024·
If sound quality for music and calls is a priority and you're an Android user, Google Pixel Buds A Series offer good music playback with low latency for videos and gaming and work well for calls. However, if you're looking to save money and need earbuds that are sweatproof, dustproof, and have a longer battery life, JBL Tune Buds could be the better option despite their lower call, gaming, and music sound quality. For frequent travelers or anyone needing stronger noise isolation, neither may be ideal, but Pixel Buds' Adaptive Audio adjusting volume to noise levels might slightly edge out. Neither supports wireless charging, but consider Pixel Buds for a shorter charge time. If having a secure fit during exercise is important, Pixel Buds come with silicone fins, whereas JBL doesn't provide additional fit accessories. 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 Google Pixel Buds A Series
Very good for phone calls
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Tune Buds
Very good for air travel
Key differences
Gaming
8.6/10
5.4/10
The Google Pixel Buds A Series is very good for gaming, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
Phone Calls
8.5/10
4.9/10
The Google Pixel Buds A Series is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.4/10
5.8/10
The Google Pixel Buds A Series is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
TV and Video
7.8/10
6.1/10
The Google Pixel Buds A Series is good for TV and video, while the JBL Tune Buds is only fair.
Noise Reduction
4.6/10
6.7/10
The JBL Tune Buds is only fair for noise reduction, while the Google Pixel Buds A Series is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.4 Hours
The Google Pixel Buds A Series has 5 hours of battery life. The JBL Tune Buds has 10.4 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The JBL Tune Buds has very good build quality, while the Google Pixel Buds A Series has good build quality.
"For the person who doesn’t want to think about their earphones while using them, Google has created the Pixel Buds A-Series. For a reasonable price, Google packs in a bevy of features like touch controls and a good fit into this Android-friendly set of earbuds to make productivity and life easier."
"JBL’s Tune Buds stick with the company’s signature bass-heavy sound by default, but a quality in-app EQ lets you sculpt the audio to taste. These noise-cancelling true wireless earphones also mitigate environmental distractions fairly well for the price and offer good battery life. If you're specifically seeking bold, bass-tuned audio out of the box, the Tune Buds are worth a listen."
Get a great deal on the Google Pixel Buds A Series or the JBL Tune Buds
About Google
Mainly known as the most popular search engine on the planet, Google is a multinational technology company that also offers a variety of audio-oriented products. Beside their smart speakers under the Nest product line, Google offers several models of true wireless earbuds under the Pixel line, some of which happen to be an affordable but very powerful option for those already in the Android ecosystem.
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.
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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.