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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're looking for value and plan to use earbuds for calls and meetings, the Jabra Elite 4 would be the better choice, offering very good mic quality and call performance at a midrange price. However, if you prioritize battery life, wireless charging, and touch controls via a smart case, and are willing to pay a premium, then the JBL Live Beam 3 might suit you better, despite its sound quality being less optimal for music and video. Both are good for exercise, with sweat and dust resistance, but neither is ideal for gaming due to poor latency. The choice depends on your priorities: cost efficiency and call quality with Jabra, or advanced features and convenience 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 Jabra Elite 4
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Live Beam 3
- Good for music
- Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
6.6
7.8
The JBL Live Beam 3 is good for music, while the Jabra Elite 4 is only fair.
Phone Calls
8.8
5.2
The Jabra Elite 4 is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.6
5.9
The Jabra Elite 4 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
8.3
The JBL Live Beam 3 is very good for noise reduction, while the Jabra Elite 4 is good.
Battery
5.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Jabra Elite 4 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Beam 3 has 12 hours of battery life.
Cost
$100
$216
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The Jabra Elite 4 has a price of $100 and the JBL Live Beam 3 costs $216.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Jabra Elite 4 has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Beam 3 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.4
5.4
The JBL Live Beam 3 and Jabra Elite 4 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
6.0
5.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Jabra Elite 4 to be only fair for TV and video, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
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How the Jabra Elite 4 and the JBL Live Beam 3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Jabra Elite 4 | JBL Live Beam 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$100 | $216 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Jabra | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | June 1, 2024 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.6/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5.5 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3.5 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 21 | 36 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 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 | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.6 Grams | 8.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Jabra Elite 4
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Jasper Lastoria | September 2023
"The Jabra Elite 4 is a good midrange option with solid isolation and aptX codec for Android. It sounds consumer friendly from the box and the app has some EQ to adjust to taste. Some included luxuries include multipoint, sidetone, and Spotify Tap"
Get a great deal on the Jabra Elite 4 or the JBL Live Beam 3
About Jabra
Jabra is a subsidiary of GN Store Nord, a 150-year-old Danish company that specializes in the manufacturing of hearing aids, headsets and earphones. Jabra has a focus on fit and comfort and quality control over everything else. According to Peter Karstromer, Jabras CEO, they “design and engineer technology that frees people to work, live and communicate how and where they want to, equipping them with the tools to live their life to a new rhythm”.
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
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
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