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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're looking for premium features like active noise cancelling, wireless charging, a smart charging case with an LED touch display, and a longer battery life, you might prefer the JBL Live Beam 3. However, these come at a premium price compared to the JBL Tune Flex, which offers a very good overall sound quality, a low latency mode for gaming, and robust build quality at a lower midrange price. For exercise or being on the go without breaking the bank, the JBL Tune Flex is more suitable. But for an enhanced experience with better noise isolation and added convenience features, consider investing in the JBL Live Beam 3. 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 JBL Live Beam 3
Very good for exercise
Advantages of the JBL Tune Flex
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.8/10
7.3/10
The JBL Live Beam 3 and JBL Tune Flex are both good for music, though the JBL Live Beam 3 is somewhat better.
Gaming
5.4/10
8.5/10
The JBL Tune Flex is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2/10
6.3/10
The JBL Tune Flex is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.9/10
9.0/10
The JBL Tune Flex is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6/10
7.8/10
The JBL Tune Flex is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3/10
6.5/10
The JBL Live Beam 3 is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Tune Flex is only fair.
Battery
12.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The JBL Live Beam 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The JBL Tune Flex has 6.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$216
$60
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The JBL Live Beam 3 has a price of $216 and the JBL Tune Flex costs $60.
"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 JBL Live Beam 3 or the JBL Tune Flex
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.
Jason Lew
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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.