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Live Buds 3
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JBuds Work Wireless
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·

If you're looking for high-quality sound and active noise cancelling in a more portable and exercise-friendly form, the JBL Live Buds 3 would be a suitable choice. They offer better noise isolation, a smart charging case with touch display, and are optimized for both Android and Apple devices. However, they are less suitable for long listening sessions as their battery life without the case is shorter and they have a higher price. On the other hand, if you prioritize longer battery life, a detachable cable, and superior microphone quality, especially for calls or meetings, the JLab JBuds Work Wireless headphones might be better. They're also designed to handle extended use with comfort and have better build durability. Keep in mind, they might be bulkier and less sweatproof compared to the JBL, making them less ideal for exercise. 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
  • Good for music
  • Very good for exercise
Advantages of the JLab JBuds Work Wireless
  • Good for phone calls
  • Very good for gaming
  • Good for TV and video
  • Good for podcasts and audiobooks

Key differences

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Music

7.8
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
6.8
The JBL Live Buds 3 is good for music, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is only fair.

Gaming

5.4
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
8.8
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.

Phone Calls

5.2
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
7.3
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

5.9
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
7.9
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.

TV and Video

5.6
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
7.9
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.

Noise Reduction

8.3
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
5.3
The JBL Live Buds 3 is very good for noise reduction, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is poor.

Battery

10.0 Hours
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
60.0 Hours
The JBL Live Buds 3 has 10 hours of battery life. The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has 60 hours of battery life.

Cost

$216
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
$79
Product image
Product image

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

The JBL Live Buds 3 has a price of $216 and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless costs $79.

Build Quality

8.5
Live Buds 3
JBuds Work Wireless
9.0
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Buds 3 has very good build quality.
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How the JBL Live Buds 3 and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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JBL Live Buds 3JLab JBuds Work Wireless
JBL Live Buds 3JLab JBuds Work Wireless

GENERAL

Price
$216
$79
Brand
JBLJLab
Release Date
June 1, 2024October 1, 2021
Form Factor
EarbudsHeadphones
Connectivity
WirelessWired + Wireless

SOUND

Music Score
7.9/106.9/10
Phone Calls Score
5.3/107.3/10
Gaming Score
5.4/108.9/10
TV and Video Score
5.7/108/10
Exercise Score
8.4/106.3/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
10 Hours60 Hours
Wireless charging
YesNo
Charging time
2 Hours3 Hours
Bluetooth version
5.35
Case Battery Life
30N/A

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
YesNo
Noise Reduction Score
8.4/105.3/10
Virtual Surround
YesNo
Android App
YesNo
iOS App
YesNo
Mic Quality
7/109/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
8.5/109/10
Comfort score
7/108.4/10
Size
LargeN/A
Weight (headset or single earbud)
8.8 Grams158 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedBoom

Shopping

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JLab JBuds Work Wireless

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Dig into reviews and images

PC Magazine

Tim Gideon | February 2022
"The JLab JBuds Work is an affordable headset-headphone hybrid that you can use to listen to music in stereo and communicate on video calls thanks to a retractable boom mic, and we particularly like its convenient mono and passive wired modes. You won't find any frills here like you will with the costlier Jabra Evolve2 65 or Plantronics Voyager 4220 UC, but for less than half the price, the JBuds Work is an effective lower-cost alternative."

Get a great deal on the JBL Live Buds 3 or the JLab JBuds Work Wireless

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
123,500
Recommendations made
18,525
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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