Check out this “game-changing” trifecta of smart-charging AirPods alternatives!
While not all of the world’s best wireless earbuds look exactly the same these days, it’s definitely starting to feel like they all do basically the same things when all is said and done. That’s obviously because all headphones have an identical main purpose at their core, aiming to play music (and take the occasional call) for as long as possible between charges and in the highest possible audio quality… given their price bracket.
JBL Live Buds 3
But JBL tried something a little different around a year ago, and according to the Harman-owned brand, the Tour Pro 2 buds proved so popular that their gimmicky “world’s first smart charging case” is now expanding to not one and not two but three new true wireless options.
Interestingly, the JBL Live Buds 3, Live Beam 3, and Live Flex 3 are all priced at the exact same $199.95, targeting an identical (and identically vague) summer 2024 release timeline and offering identical pretty similar features.
The battery life is actually a little different between the three members of the JBL Live 3 family, ranging from up to 40 hours of total playtime on the Buds model to 48 hours for the Beam and a whopping 50 hours as far as the Flex is concerned. The Live Flex 3 also packs the largest dynamic driver of the trio, at 12mm, with the Live Buds 3 and Live Beam 3 both settling for a 10mm size.
JBL Live Beam 3
Then there’s the water and dust resistance department, where the JBL Live Buds 3 and Beam 3 manage to edge out their Flex sibling with IP55 certification instead of IP54. Of course, the key distinction is made abundantly clear by those three names, as each Live 3 variant features a different visual style and overall design.
As for their similarities, the list is long and full of premium capabilities worth mentioning, from “True Adaptive” noise cancellation to spatial sound, LDAC support, Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio functionality, and six built-in microphones (for each model).
JBL Live Flex 3
Still, the smart charging case remains undoubtedly the key selling point for all three JBL Live 3 products, and although we’re not sure “game-changing” or “cutting-edge” are the best ways to describe what that can do, it’s certainly nice to have something… unique.
The “smartness” of the case lies in its 1.45-inch touchscreen, which you can use to check messages and view other important stuff from your phone without actually taking said phone out of your pocket. You know, kind of like a smartwatch or fitness tracker… minus the fitness-tracking capabilities.
How about some “dumb” new earbuds at a lower price?
If you don’t think you’ll ever put a “smart charging case” to good, full use alongside your wireless earbuds, you might want to consider the $149.95 JBL SoundGear Sense or even the ultra-affordable $24.95 JBL Tune 310C, both of which are more firmly scheduled to go on sale in March 2024.
JBL Tune 310C
If you’re wondering why those new Tunes are so unbelievably cheap, the answer is pretty simple – they’re not “true wireless” earbuds, featuring instead a USB Type-C cable you should have no problem hooking up to your existing phone.
For just 25 bucks, them wired buds sure look impressive on paper, promising to deliver “high-resolution audio with JBL Pure Bass sound” while including both a handy 3-button remote for easy music playback control and a built-in microphone.
JBL SoundGear Sense
Still, we realize that many of you favor the true wireless convenience and modernity over extreme affordability, which is where the SoundGear Sense come in with a swanky open-ear design, massive 16.2mm drivers, adjustable ear hooks, four built-in microphones, IP54 water and dust resistance, multi-point connectivity, up to 24 hours of total battery life with the bundled charging case factored in, handy quick charging functionality, and a not-so-steep price point. That’s a pretty solid value proposition too, don’t you think?
