JLab Go Tones+ (EBGTONEPGA50WEB)

The JLab Go Tones+ are budget true wireless earbuds that deliver comfortable fit, decent sound, and 35+ hours of battery life for around USD 25. They're a great value for casual listening and workouts, with skin tone color options that set them apart. Just don't expect great call quality or long-term battery reliability.

Inside each bud is a 6mm dynamic driver with a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz and 16 ohms of impedance. That's pretty standard for this price range. You get SBC and AAC codecs, so iPhone users will get decent audio quality, and Android users will get the same reliable baseline. The sound signature out of the box is JLab's Signature EQ, which leans a bit bass-forward. If that's not your thing, the app lets you switch to Balanced or Bass Boost presets.

In our database, the sound quality sits at the 79th percentile, which is well above average for budget buds. The bass is decent, and clarity is good, though one customer noted they weren't loud enough for their taste. Battery life is a strong point on paper, ranking in the 84th percentile. You get 9 hours from the earbuds and another 26 from the case. The quick charge is genuinely useful, 10 minutes gets you an hour of playback. But here's the catch: several owners report battery degradation after a couple of months, with some seeing playtime drop to around 2 hours. That's a real concern for long-term use.

Stacked against the Nothing Buds Buds 2, the JLab Go Tones+ lose on noise cancellation and call quality. The Nothing Buds have actual ANC, while the Go Tones+ only offer a Transparency mode. But the JLab buds are roughly half the price, and for casual listening, the sound difference isn't dramatic. The Anker Space A40 is a more direct competitor in the budget ANC space, with better battery longevity and stronger call performance, but again, you're paying more.

The Soundcore P31i and EarFun Air Pro TW230B are closer in price to the Go Tones+. The EarFun buds offer ANC at a similar price point, which is tempting if you commute on public transit. The P31i has a similar feature set but doesn't match the Go Tones+ on comfort, which sits at the 94th percentile in our database. If calls are a priority, none of these budget options are great, but the Go Tones+ are particularly weak there, scoring just 60.6 out of 100 in our calls category.

At USD 24 to USD 27, these are aggressively priced. The best deal we're seeing is at the low end of that range, so it's worth checking a few listings before you buy. For comparison, the Nothing Buds Buds 2 and Anker Space A40 both cost significantly more, and while they offer better ANC and call quality, they're not three times better for most people. If you just want a pair of earbuds that sound decent, fit well, and don't cost much, the Go Tones+ are hard to beat on value. The EUR pricing shows a similar spread, from EUR 25 to EUR 30, so European buyers should also shop around.

The JLab Go Tones+ are true wireless earbuds that sit firmly in the budget category, usually landing between USD 24 and USD 27. They're basically the Go Air Pop+ with a different paint job, available in skin tone shades designed to blend in rather than stand out. If you've been searching for cheap wireless earbuds that don't look like glowing white pebbles in your ears, this is a pretty specific niche JLab is filling.

For the money, you get a lot of the modern conveniences. Bluetooth 5.3, Google Fast Pair, a charging case with a built-in USB-C cable, and 35+ hours of total battery life. The case itself is smaller than a credit card, which is a nice touch for pocketability. And with an IPX4 rating, they'll survive sweat and light rain, making them a reasonable pick for gym sessions or runs.

But the real question most people ask is whether these are actually good for everyday use. The short answer is yes, mostly. The sound is solid for the price, the fit is comfortable, and the app gives you some EQ control. The longer answer involves some battery longevity concerns we'll get into below.

Skip these if you take a lot of phone calls. The call quality is the weakest area, scoring 60.6 out of 100 in our testing, and the mic performance just doesn't hold up in noisy environments. Also skip them if you need active noise cancellation for commuting or office use, the Go Tones+ only offer a Transparency mode. If battery longevity is a dealbreaker, the reports of degradation after a few months should push you toward something like the Anker Space A40 or EarFun Air Pro TW230B, both of which offer better long-term reliability and ANC for not much more money.

Should you buy the JLab Go Tones+? If you want cheap, comfortable earbuds for music and podcasts, and you don't care about active noise cancellation, then yes. They're a solid buy at this price. The skin tone color options are a genuine differentiator if that matters to you, and the built-in USB-C cable in the case is a small but thoughtful touch.

But if you take a lot of calls or you're hoping these will last you two or three years, the battery degradation reports are concerning. Several owners say the battery life drops noticeably after a couple of months, which is a big deal for something you use daily. For the price, you could buy two pairs and still spend less than one pair of mid-range buds, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement of longevity.