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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize active noise canceling and are willing to pay a premium, the JBL Live Buds 3 offer very good noise isolation, suitable for air travel and noisy environments, and a smart charging case with an LED touch display. However, they may not be the best for TV or gaming due to poor scores in both categories. The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick, on the other hand, is significantly cheaper and provides very good mic quality and a very good score for calls and meetings. It also has a low latency mode which may be better for gaming, but lacks active noise canceling and is not the best choice for noisy places or air travel. 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
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.8
6.1
The JBL Live Buds 3 is good for music, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is only fair.
Gaming
5.4
8.1
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2
8.6
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.9
8.4
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
7.5
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3
2.5
The JBL Live Buds 3 is very good for noise reduction, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The JBL Live Buds 3 has 10 hours of battery life. The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$216
$99
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The JBL Live Buds 3 has a price of $216 and the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick costs $99.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick 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 "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Live Buds 3 | "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$216 | $99 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | "Nothing" Brand | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2024 | November 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.3/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 8.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 30 | 22 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 8.8 Grams | 4.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
"Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Jasper Lastoria | December 2022
"If the Ear (stick) fits your ears, its light weight means you can easily wear it until the unimpressive battery life totally drains. The IP54 rating of the buds lends some confidence that it’ll survive some light abuse too. Finally, for the person who only wears earbuds at their desk, the Nothing Ear (stick) with its decent microphone could offer a reasonable Zoom meeting solution."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Buds 3 or the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
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
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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