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Earbud comparison

Pixel Buds 2a vs JBL LIVE BUDS 3

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

Compared products
01Selected
Pixel Buds 2a

Pixel Buds 2a

  • In-ear design uses sealing ear tips.
  • 4.7 g per earbud.
  • Bluetooth 5.4 connection.
  • Noise cancellation for listening.
  • Touch controls for everyday use.
KSh 21,500In 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

Beats Powerbeats ProKSh 22,300
CMF Ear (3) B173KSh 21,500
JBL Tour Pro 2KSh 23,500
Marshall Motif II ANCKSh 23,000
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 ProKSh 23,000
Apple AirPods 4KSh 19,500
PS5 Pulse Explore Wireless EarbudsKSh 23,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

The JBL LIVE BUDS 3 has better water and dust protection (IP55), lasts longer between charges (up to 40 hours) and has virtual surround sound, while the Pixel Buds 2a is lighter on the head and has larger 11 mm drivers.

Weight

Pixel Buds 2a
4.7 g per earbud
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
9.2 g per earbud

Connections

Pixel Buds 2a
Bluetooth 5.4 connection
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Bluetooth 5.3 connection

Fit

Pixel Buds 2a
Silicone ear tips, XS/S/M/L
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Ear tips included

Controls

Pixel Buds 2a
Capacitive touch controls
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
Touch controls for playback, calls and listening modes

Water resistance

Pixel Buds 2a
IP54 water and dust resistance
JBL LIVE BUDS 3
IP55 water and dust resistance

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Pixel Buds 2a

  • Newer Bluetooth 5.4 (vs 5.3).
  • Lighter: 4.7 g each (vs 9.2 g).
  • Larger drivers: 11 mm (vs 10 mm).

JBL LIVE BUDS 3

  • IP55 water and dust resistance (vs IP54).
  • Longer rated battery life: up to 40 hours (vs 10 hours).
  • Wireless charging.
  • Virtual surround sound.
  • Lower price: KSh 19,000 (vs KSh 21,500).

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
PriorityPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
Weight4.7 g per earbud9.2 g per earbud
Battery lifeUp to 10 hours / 27 hours with case (ANC off)Up to 30 hours with the case
ConnectionsBluetooth 5.4Bluetooth 5.3
Water resistanceIP54 water and dust resistanceIP55 water and dust resistance
Charging5 minutes provides up to 1 hour with ANCYes - 4 hours runtime from speed charge
SoftwareWorks with the Google Pixel Buds appWorks with the JBL Headphones app

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
BrandGoogleJBL
ModelPixel Buds 2aLIVE BUDS 3
Announced20252024
TypeTrue Wireless In-Ear EarbudsTrue Wireless In-Ear Earbuds
ColorFog, Berry, Iris, HazelSilver, Blue, Purple, Black

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
Weight4.7g per earbud; 47.6g case with earbuds9.2g per earpiece
DimensionsEarbud 23.1 x 16.0 x 17.8mm; case 50.0 x 24.5 x 57.2mm21.8 × 15.9 × 21.2 mm per earbud

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
Battery LifeUp to 10 hours / 27 hours with case (ANC off); 7 hours / 20 hours with case (ANC on)Up to 40 hours; up to 8 hours with ANC on; up to 10 hours with ANC off
Fast Charging5 minutes provides up to 1 hour with ANCYes — 4 hours runtime from speed charge
Charging PortUSB-C (case)USB-C
Wireless ChargingNoYes
Charging Time—2 hours from empty

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
ConnectionBluetoothBluetooth
BluetoothBluetooth 5.4Bluetooth 5.3
App SupportGoogle Pixel Buds app on AndroidJBL Headphones app
Multipoint Connection—Yes
Connector—Wireless audio connection
Cable Length—No audio cable

Features

Features specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
Voice AssistantGemini and Google AssistantYes
SensorsCapacitive touch, IR proximity and Hall sensors—
Special FeaturesGoogle Tensor A1; Clear Calling; Google Fast PairTrue Wireless

Audio

Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
DriversCustom-designed 11mm dynamic drivers10 mm dynamic drivers
Active Noise CancellationActive Noise Cancellation with Silent Seal 1.5True Adaptive Noise Canceling
Transparency / Ambient ModeYesAmbient Aware, TalkThru
MicrophonesTwo microphones per earbud6 microphones
Audio FeaturesGoogle Tensor A1; active in-ear pressure relief; five-band EQJBL Pure Bass Sound, JBL Signature Sound, Voice Aware
Frequency Response—20 Hz - 40 kHz
Impedance—16Ω
Spatial Audio—Spatial Sound

Charging Case

Charging Case specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
Case TypeCharging caseCharging case
Case Battery LifeIncluded in total battery figures aboveUp to 30 hours total playback contribution
Case ChargingUSB-CUSB-C
Case Charging PortUSB-CUSB-C
Case Wireless ChargingNoYes
Case Dimensions50.0 x 24.5 x 57.2mm61 × 51 × 30.8 mm
Case Weight47.6g with earbuds73g
Case FeaturesProtective charging caseSmart case

Design & Controls

Design & Controls specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
ControlsCapacitive touch controlsTouch controls for playback, calls and listening modes
Water & Dust ResistanceIP54 earbuds; IPX4 caseIP55, Water resistant
Ear Tips / Ear CushionsSilicone ear tips, XS/S/M/LEar tips included

What's in the Box

What's in the Box specifications comparison
SpecificationPixel Buds 2aJBL LIVE BUDS 3
Headphones / EarbudsPixel Buds 2a earbudsJBL Live Buds 3 earbuds
Charging CaseCharging caseCharging case
Charging CableNot includedType-C USB charging cable
Audio CableTrue wireless designNot included
Ear Tips / AccessoriesSilicone ear tips, XS/S/M/L4 sizes of ear tips
DocumentationQuick start guide and safety documentationWarranty / Warning (W / !); product QSG/ Safety Sheet (S / i)

Similarities

  • Both work with a companion app.
  • Both have active noise cancellation.
  • Both have an ambient mode to hear your surroundings.
  • Both charge over USB-C.
  • Both have built-in microphones for calls.
  • Both connect over Bluetooth.

In summary

For most buyers the JBL LIVE BUDS 3 is the better buy; the Pixel Buds 2a makes sense if you want a lighter fit.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

CMF Ear (3) B173For Pixel Buds 2aCMF Ear (3) B173View product ↗Marshall Motif II ANCFor Pixel Buds 2aMarshall Motif II ANCView product ↗JBL Live Pro 2For JBL LIVE BUDS 3JBL Live Pro 2View product ↗Shokz OpenFitFor JBL LIVE BUDS 3Shokz OpenFitView product ↗

Related comparisons

Pixel Buds 2aBeats Powerbeats ProPixel Buds 2aCMF Ear (3) B173Pixel Buds 2aJBL Tour Pro 2Pixel Buds 2aMarshall Motif II ANCPixel Buds 2aSamsung Galaxy Buds 4 ProApple AirPods 4Pixel Buds 2aPS5 Pulse Explore Wireless EarbudsPixel Buds 2a
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