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Earbud comparison

JBL Live Beam 3 vs Apple AirPods 4

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

Compared products
01Selected
JBL Live Beam 3

JBL Live Beam 3

  • In-ear design uses sealing ear tips.
  • 5 g per earbud.
  • Charging case uses USB-C.
  • Can stay connected to two devices.
  • Noise cancellation for listening.
KSh 18,800Out of Stock
02
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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2 spaces available

Sony WF-1000XM4KSh 29,500
Apple AirPods Pro 2KSh 28,500
Sony WF-1000XM5KSh 27,000
Apple AirPods 4 ANCKSh 26,000
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FEKSh 12,000
Powerbeats FitKSh 34,000
Sony WF-1000XM6KSh 50,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

The JBL Live Beam 3 is the better buy: it has better water and dust protection (IP55) and active noise cancellation and lasts longer between charges (up to 12 hours).

Connections

JBL Live Beam 3
Charging case uses USB-C
Apple AirPods 4
Uses USB-C

Noise cancellation

JBL Live Beam 3
Noise cancellation
Apple AirPods 4
No noise cancellation

Weight

JBL Live Beam 3
72 g for the case
Apple AirPods 4
32.3 g for the case

Fit

JBL Live Beam 3
Three silicone ear-tip sizes
Apple AirPods 4
Open-fit design

Controls

JBL Live Beam 3
Earbud touch controls and case touchscreen
Apple AirPods 4
Press once to play or pause media

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

JBL Live Beam 3

  • IP55 water and dust resistance (vs IP54).
  • Active noise cancellation.
  • Longer rated battery life: up to 12 hours (vs 5 hours).
  • Wireless case charging.
  • Smart Ambient and TalkThru.
  • Case wireless charging.

Apple AirPods 4

  • Case type: Charging Case (USB-C).
  • Lighter charging case: 32.3 g versus 72 g.
  • Supports spatial audio.

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
PriorityJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
Weight5 g per earbud4.3 grams
Battery lifeUp to 48 hours with the caseUp to 5 hours per charge; up to 30 hours with the case
ConnectionsBluetooth wirelessBluetooth 5.3
Water resistanceIP55 water and dust resistanceIP54 water and dust resistance
Charging10 minutes for 4 hours5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time
SoftwareJBL HeadphonesBuilt into supported Apple operating systems

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
BrandJBLApple
ModelLive Beam 3AirPods 4
AnnouncedJanuary 20242024
TypeTrue Wireless In-Ear EarbudsTrue Wireless In-Ear Earbuds
Color—White

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
Weight5 g per earbud4.3 grams
Dimensions22.51 x 31.04 x 23.74 mm per earbud30.2 mm x 18.3 mm x 18.1 mm

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
Battery LifeUp to 12 hours ANC off; 10 hours ANC on; 9 hours adaptive ANCUp to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge
Charging Time2 hours—
Fast Charging10 minutes for 4 hours5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time
Charging PortUSB-C on caseUSB-C
Wireless ChargingWireless case chargingNo

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
ConnectionBluetooth wirelessBluetooth
BluetoothEarbuds 5.3; case 5.1Bluetooth 5.3
Multipoint ConnectionYes—
App SupportJBL HeadphonesBuilt into supported Apple operating systems; no separate app
Connector—Wireless audio connection
Cable Length—No audio cable included

Features

Features specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
Voice AssistantVoice assistant configured through JBL Headphones appSiri
Sensors—Optical in-ear sensor; Motion-detecting accelerometer; Speech-detecting accelerometer; Force sensor
Special Features—Voice Isolation, Siri (Hey Siri or Siri), Find My support, quick-press controls

Audio

Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
Drivers10 mm dynamicCustom high-excursion Apple driver
Frequency Response20 Hz–40 kHz—
Impedance16 ohms—
Active Noise CancellationTrue Adaptive ANCNo
Transparency / Ambient ModeSmart Ambient and TalkThruNo
Spatial AudioJBL Spatial SoundPersonalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking
MicrophonesSix microphonesDual beamforming microphones; Inward-facing microphone
Audio FeaturesHi-Res Audio WirelessCustom high dynamic range amplifier; Voice Isolation; Adaptive EQ; Vent system for pressure equalization; H2 headphone chip

Charging Case

Charging Case specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
Case TypeSmart Charging Case with 1.45-inch touchscreenCharging Case (USB-C)
Case Battery Life36 additional hours ANC off; 48 hours totalUp to 30 hours of listening time
Case ChargingUSB-C and wirelessWorks with USB-C connector
Case Charging PortUSB-CUSB-C
Case Wireless ChargingYesNo
Case Dimensions61 x 51 x 30.25 mm46.2 mm x 50.1 mm x 21.2 mm
Case Weight72 g32.3 grams
Case FeaturesTouchscreen music, volume, calls and EQ controls; lanyard loopStandard charging case

Design & Controls

Design & Controls specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
ControlsEarbud touch controls and case touchscreenPress 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 directions
Water & Dust ResistanceIP55 earbudsDust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54)
Ear Tips / Ear CushionsThree silicone ear-tip sizesOpen-fit design

What's in the Box

What's in the Box specifications comparison
SpecificationJBL Live Beam 3Apple AirPods 4
Headphones / EarbudsJBL Live Beam 3 earbudsAirPods 4
Charging CaseSmart Charging CaseCharging Case (USB-C)
Charging CableUSB-C cableUSB-C charge cable sold separately
Audio CableTrue wireless designNot included
Ear Tips / AccessoriesThree ear-tip sizesOpen-fit design
DocumentationQuick-start guide, safety sheet and warranty/warningDocumentation

Similarities

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

In summary

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

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

Beats Studio BudsFor JBL Live Beam 3Beats Studio BudsView product ↗JBL Live Flex 3For JBL Live Beam 3JBL Live Flex 3View product ↗JBL LIVE BUDS 3For Apple AirPods 4JBL LIVE BUDS 3View product ↗Google Pixel Buds ProFor Apple AirPods 4Google Pixel Buds ProView product ↗

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