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Live Buds 3
Company ProductName Specs




Live Flex 3
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·

If you prioritize having a more immersive listening experience while exercising or traveling and value active noise cancelling (ANC), the Live Buds 3 would be your go-to as they offer better sound isolation. However, for a more open sound experience that can be beneficial when needing to remain aware of your surroundings, the Live Flex 3 featuring an open design might suit you better. Both are sweatproof and have similar battery lives, but the Live Buds 3 have a closed enclosure which helps in noisy environments, whereas the Live Flex 3 provide only fair noise isolation which might not be ideal for noisier settings. Each has a smart charging case with LED touch display for convenience, and they are optimized for both Android and Apple devices. Keep in mind neither are recommended for gaming or watching TV due to their poor performance in these areas. 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 Buds 3
  • Very good for air travel
Advantages of the JBL Live Flex 3
  • Very good for music

Key similarities

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Music

7.8
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers JBL Live Flex 3 to be very good for music, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is good.

Gaming

5.4
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
5.5
The JBL Live Flex 3 and JBL Live Buds 3 are both poor for gaming.

Phone Calls

5.2
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
5.2
The JBL Live Buds 3 and JBL Live Flex 3 are both poor for phone calls.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

5.9
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
5.9
The JBL Live Buds 3 and JBL Live Flex 3 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.

TV and Video

5.6
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
5.7
The JBL Live Flex 3 and JBL Live Buds 3 are both poor for TV and video.

Noise Reduction

8.3
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
8.3
The JBL Live Buds 3 and JBL Live Flex 3 are both very good for noise reduction.

Battery

10.0 Hours
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
10.0 Hours
The JBL Live Buds 3 has 10 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Flex 3 has 10 hours of battery life.

Cost

$216
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
$216
Product imageProduct image

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

The JBL Live Buds 3 has a price of $216 and the JBL Live Flex 3 costs $216.

Build Quality

8.5
Live Buds 3
Live Flex 3
8.5
The JBL Live Buds 3 and JBL Live Flex 3 both have very good build quality.
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How the JBL Live Buds 3 and the JBL Live Flex 3 compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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JBL Live Buds 3JBL Live Flex 3
JBL Live Buds 3JBL Live Flex 3

GENERAL

Price
$216
$216
Brand
JBLJBL
Release Date
June 1, 2024June 1, 2024
Form Factor
EarbudsEarbuds
Connectivity
WirelessWireless

SOUND

Music Score
7.9/108.1/10
Phone Calls Score
5.3/105.3/10
Gaming Score
5.4/105.5/10
TV and Video Score
5.7/105.8/10
Exercise Score
8.4/108.4/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
10 Hours10 Hours
Wireless charging
YesYes
Charging time
2 Hours2 Hours
Bluetooth version
5.35.3
Case Battery Life
3040

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
YesYes
Noise Reduction Score
8.4/108.4/10
Virtual Surround
YesYes
Android App
YesYes
iOS App
YesYes
Mic Quality
7/107/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
8.5/108.5/10
Comfort score
7/107/10
Size
LargeLarge
Weight (headset or single earbud)
8.8 Grams8.8 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedIntegrated

Get a great deal on the JBL Live Buds 3 or the JBL Live Flex 3

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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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
122,900
Recommendations made
18,435
Consumer hours saved

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

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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