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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If active noise cancelling is important to you, especially for air travel, the Soundcore Life Q20 would be a better choice, and they're also favorable if you're on a budget. However, the JBL Tune Buds are more portable, offer a stemless design which some find more aesthetically pleasing, and they're sweatproof and dustproof, making them more suitable for exercise. Keep in mind that the Soundcore Life Q20 headphones provide a longer battery life, which could be significant if you often forget to charge your devices. The JBL Tune Buds are optimized for both Android and Apple devices and include app equalization for sound customization which the Soundcore lack, but they're not as comfortable for longer listening sessions. 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 Tune Buds
- Good for exercise
Advantages of the Soundcore Life Q20
- Good for music
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Music
6.2
7.0
The Soundcore Life Q20 is good for music, while the JBL Tune Buds is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
4.7
The JBL Tune Buds and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the JBL Tune Buds is somewhat better.
TV and Video
6.1
5.3
The JBL Tune Buds is only fair for TV and video, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.7
8.7
The Soundcore Life Q20 is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Tune Buds is only fair.
Battery
10.4 Hours
32.3 Hours
The JBL Tune Buds has 10.4 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Life Q20 has 32.3 hours of battery life.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.4
5.2
The JBL Tune Buds and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
4.9
4.9
The JBL Tune Buds and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for phone calls.
Cost
$50
$50
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The JBL Tune Buds has a price of $50 and the Soundcore Life Q20 costs $50.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The JBL Tune Buds and Soundcore Life Q20 both have very good build quality.
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How the JBL Tune Buds and the Soundcore Life Q20 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Tune Buds | Soundcore Life Q20 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | November 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.9/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6.1/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.6/10 | 5.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10.4 Hours | 32.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.8 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 30 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 10.8 Grams | 258.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
JBL Tune Buds
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PC Mag
Tim Gideon | September 2023
"JBL’s Tune Buds stick with the company’s signature bass-heavy sound by default, but a quality in-app EQ lets you sculpt the audio to taste. These noise-cancelling true wireless earphones also mitigate environmental distractions fairly well for the price and offer good battery life. If you're specifically seeking bold, bass-tuned audio out of the box, the Tune Buds are worth a listen."
Soundcore Life Q20
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2022
"As far as headphones that cost under $100 go, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a really solid option. Like any good tool, it does the job well without much guff, and it’s affordable to boot. Sure: it’s not going toe to toe with any of the higher-end models of ANC headphones out there—but the headphones do well enough for commuters that it’s a good stand-in if you were never planning on spending a bunch of money anyway."
Get a great deal on the JBL Tune Buds or the Soundcore Life Q20
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.
About Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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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