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Earbud comparison

Apple AirPods 4 vs JBL LIVE BUDS 3

Compare sound, battery life, fit, controls and connections.

Compared products
01Selected
Apple AirPods 4

Apple AirPods 4

  • In-ear design uses sealing ear tips.
  • 4.3 g.
  • Up to 5 hours per charge.
  • Uses USB-C for charging.
  • No noise cancellation for listening.
KSh 19,500In Stock
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02
JBL LIVE BUDS 3

JBL LIVE BUDS 3

  • In-ear design uses sealing ear tips.
  • 9.2 g per earbud.
  • Uses USB-C for charging.
  • Can stay connected to two devices.
  • Noise cancellation for listening.
KSh 19,000In Stock
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2 spaces available

CMF Ear (3) B173KSh 21,500
Google Pixel Buds ProKSh 18,000
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 ProKSh 18,500
Pixel Buds 2aKSh 21,500
Sony WF-1000XM4KSh 29,500
Apple AirPods Pro 2KSh 28,500
Sony WF-1000XM5KSh 27,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

The JBL LIVE BUDS 3 is the better buy: it has active noise cancellation and better water and dust protection (IP55) and lasts longer between charges (up to 40 hours).

Noise cancellation

Apple AirPods 4
No noise cancellation
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Noise cancellation

Weight

Apple AirPods 4
32.3 g for the case
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
73 g for the case

Fit

Apple AirPods 4
Open-fit design
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Ear tips included

Controls

Apple AirPods 4
Press once to play or pause media
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Touch controls for playback, calls and listening modes

Water resistance

Apple AirPods 4
IP54 water and dust resistance
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
IP55 water and dust resistance

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Apple AirPods 4

  • Lighter charging case: 32.3 g versus 73 g.
  • Supports spatial audio.

JBL LIVE BUDS 3

  • Active noise cancellation.
  • IP55 water and dust resistance (vs IP54).
  • Longer rated battery life: up to 40 hours (vs 5 hours).
  • Wireless charging.
  • True Adaptive Noise Canceling.
  • Lower price: KSh 19,000 (vs KSh 19,500).

What matters most to you?

Choose any priorities

How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

More topicsFewer topics
6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PriorityApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Weight4.3 grams9.2 g per earbud
Battery lifeUp to 5 hours per charge; up to 30 hours with the caseUp to 30 hours with the case
ConnectionsBluetooth 5.3Bluetooth 5.3
Water resistanceIP54 water and dust resistanceIP55 water and dust resistance
Charging5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening timeYes - 4 hours runtime from speed charge
SoftwareBuilt into supported Apple operating systemsWorks with the JBL Headphones app

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
BrandAppleJBL
ModelAirPods 4LIVE BUDS 3
Announced20242024
TypeTrue Wireless In-Ear EarbudsTrue Wireless In-Ear Earbuds
ColorWhiteSilver, Blue, Purple, Black

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Weight4.3 grams9.2g per earpiece
Dimensions30.2 mm x 18.3 mm x 18.1 mm21.8 × 15.9 × 21.2 mm per earbud

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Battery LifeUp to 5 hours of listening time on a single chargeUp to 40 hours; up to 8 hours with ANC on; up to 10 hours with ANC off
Fast Charging5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening timeYes — 4 hours runtime from speed charge
Charging PortUSB-CUSB-C
Wireless ChargingNoYes
Charging Time—2 hours from empty

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
ConnectionBluetoothBluetooth
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3Bluetooth 5.3
ConnectorWireless audio connectionWireless audio connection
Cable LengthNo audio cable includedNo audio cable
App SupportBuilt into supported Apple operating systems; no separate appJBL Headphones app
Multipoint Connection—Yes

Features

Features specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Voice AssistantSiriYes
SensorsOptical in-ear sensor; Motion-detecting accelerometer; Speech-detecting accelerometer; Force sensor—
Special FeaturesVoice Isolation, Siri (Hey Siri or Siri), Find My support, quick-press controlsTrue Wireless

Audio

Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
DriversCustom high-excursion Apple driver10 mm dynamic drivers
Active Noise CancellationNoTrue Adaptive Noise Canceling
Transparency / Ambient ModeNoAmbient Aware, TalkThru
Spatial AudioPersonalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head trackingSpatial Sound
MicrophonesDual beamforming microphones; Inward-facing microphone6 microphones
Audio FeaturesCustom high dynamic range amplifier; Voice Isolation; Adaptive EQ; Vent system for pressure equalization; H2 headphone chipJBL Pure Bass Sound, JBL Signature Sound, Voice Aware
Frequency Response—20 Hz - 40 kHz
Impedance—16Ω

Charging Case

Charging Case specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Case TypeCharging Case (USB-C)Charging case
Case Battery LifeUp to 30 hours of listening timeUp to 30 hours total playback contribution
Case ChargingWorks with USB-C connectorUSB-C
Case Charging PortUSB-CUSB-C
Case Wireless ChargingNoYes
Case Dimensions46.2 mm x 50.1 mm x 21.2 mm61 × 51 × 30.8 mm
Case Weight32.3 grams73g
Case FeaturesStandard charging caseSmart case

Design & Controls

Design & Controls specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
ControlsPress once to play or pause media; Press once to answer a call or mute or unmute; Press once for camera remote; Press twice to end a call; Press twice to skip forward; Press three times to skip back; Press and hold for Siri; Say "Hey Siri" or just "Siri"to do things like play a song, make a call, or get directionsTouch controls for playback, calls and listening modes
Water & Dust ResistanceDust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54)IP55, Water resistant
Ear Tips / Ear CushionsOpen-fit designEar tips included

What's in the Box

What's in the Box specifications comparison
SpecificationApple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Headphones / EarbudsAirPods 4JBL Live Buds 3 earbuds
Charging CaseCharging Case (USB-C)Charging case
Charging CableUSB-C charge cable sold separatelyType-C USB charging cable
Audio CableNot includedNot included
Ear Tips / AccessoriesOpen-fit design4 sizes of ear tips
DocumentationDocumentationWarranty / Warning (W / !); product QSG/ Safety Sheet (S / i)

Similarities

  • Both have virtual surround sound.
  • Both charge over USB-C.
  • Both have built-in microphones for calls.
  • Both connect over Bluetooth.
  • Same connector: wireless audio connection.
  • Both use In-ear design uses sealing ear tips.

In summary

The JBL LIVE BUDS 3 is the better buy for almost everyone, with active noise cancellation and better water and dust protection.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 ProFor Apple AirPods 4Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 ProView product ↗Google Pixel Buds ProFor Apple AirPods 4Google Pixel Buds ProView product ↗JBL Live Pro 2For JBL LIVE BUDS 3JBL Live Pro 2View product ↗Pixel Buds 2aFor JBL LIVE BUDS 3Pixel Buds 2aView product ↗

Related comparisons

Apple AirPods 4CMF Ear (3) B173Apple AirPods 4Google Pixel Buds ProApple AirPods 4Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 ProApple AirPods 4Pixel Buds 2a
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