Skullcandy Dime 3
JBL Live Buds 3
What Buyers Say
Skullcandy Dime 3
The Skullcandy Dime 3 earbuds receive mixed feedback. Many users praise the clear sound, comfortable fit, and good battery life for the price, with some highlighting the built-in Tile tracker and fast charging. However, recurring complaints include connectivity issues (earbuds staying connected in the case), poor bass quality, and a tendency to fall out of ears. While several reviewers find them a great budget option, others report reliability problems and disappointing audio performance.
Pros
- Clear sound quality
- Comfortable fit
- Good battery life
- Fast charging
- Built-in Tile tracker
Cons
- Connectivity issues (stays connected in case)
- Poor bass quality
- Falls out of ears easily
- Quiet volume on full
- Unreliable pairing
JBL Live Buds 3
The JBL Live Buds 3 receive praise for their excellent sound quality, effective ANC, and comfortable fit. Users appreciate the customizable case screen and useful features like ambient aware and talk-through. However, significant complaints include poor charging case battery life, random disconnections, and misleading battery life claims. Some users also report issues with connectivity to non-phone devices like Garmin watches.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality
- Effective active noise cancellation
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Customizable case screen
- Useful ambient aware and talk-through modes
Cons
- Poor charging case battery life
- Random disconnections and connectivity issues
- Misleading battery life claims
- Ambient aware mode auto-enables
- Case battery drains quickly when idle
Scores
Specifications
| Skullcandy Dime 3 | JBL Live Buds 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| Form Factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Wearing Style | true wireless | true wireless |
| Ear Tips | Small, Medium, Large | XS, S, M, L |
| Weight | 0.05 kg | 0.01 kg★ |
| Audio | ||
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 6 mm | 10 mm★ |
| Drivers | 1 | 1 |
| Freq Min | 20 Hz | 20 Hz |
| Freq Max | 20 kHz | 40 kHz★ |
| Impedance | 16 Ω | 16 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 104 dB★ | 103 dB |
| Max SPL | 104 dB★ | 97 dB |
| Hi-Res Audio | — | ✓★ |
| Codecs | Skullcandy Dime 3 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, Noise Isolating Fit, Up to 20 Hours Battery, Microphone for iPhone Android, Easy Carry with Integrated Lanyard - True Black | LDAC |
| Surround | — | Spatial Audio |
| Noise Control | ||
| ANC | ✗ | ✓★ |
| ANC Type | — | adaptive |
| Transparency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Profiles | — | A2DP 1.4, AVRCP 1.6, HFP 1.8 |
| Multipoint | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wired Connector | — | Bluetooth 5 |
| Range | — | 9.100000381469727 m★ |
| Earbud Battery | ||
| Battery Life | 8 hrs | 10 hrs★ |
| Charge Time | 1 hrs★ | 2 hrs |
| Fast Charging | 10 Minutes for 2 Hours | 10 Minutes for 4 Hours |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Case Battery | ||
| Case Battery | 12 hrs | 30 hrs★ |
| Case Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Wireless Charging | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Capacity | — | 60 mAh★ |
| Microphone | ||
| Microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mic Count | 2 | 6★ |
| NC Mic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features | ||
| Voice Assistant | Siri, Alexa | Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa |
| Touch Controls | ✓ | ✓ |
| App | Tile | JBL Headphones |
| Volume Limiting | ✗ | — |
| Gaming Mode | — | ✗ |
| Bone Conduction | ✗ | ✗ |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IP55 |
Pros & Cons
Skullcandy Dime 3
- Strong connectivity (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong mic (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong build (79th percentile)
- Strong affordability (73rd percentile)
- Below average sound (8th percentile)8th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (12th percentile)12th %ile
- Below average battery (21st percentile)
JBL Live Buds 3
- Strong connectivity (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong anc (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong mic (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong sound (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Below average affordability (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (34th percentile)
Pricing
Skullcandy Dime 3 offers 4.4x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 82 overall, wins 7 of 7 usage categories and 11 of 42 specs.
