Nothing Buds 2
JBL Live Buds 3
What Buyers Say
Nothing Buds 2
The CMF Buds 2 are widely praised for delivering excellent sound quality, effective noise cancellation, and a comfortable fit at an affordable price. Users highlight the rich bass, clear vocals, and solid ANC performance that rivals more expensive models. While some note the bass can be slightly overpowering and the touch controls have limited customization, the overall value is considered outstanding. The long battery life, USB-C charging, and premium build further cement these as a top budget choice.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality with rich bass
- Effective noise cancellation for the price
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Long battery life with USB-C charging
- Premium build and design
Cons
- Bass can be slightly overpowering
- Limited touch control customization
- Case lacks functional dial
- Case is somewhat bulky
- No Google Fast Pair support
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
| Nothing Buds 2 | JBL Live Buds 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| Form Factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Wearing Style | true wireless | true wireless |
| Ear Tips | — | XS, S, M, L |
| Weight | 0.04 kg★ | 0.08 kg |
| Audio | ||
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 11 mm★ | 10 mm |
| Drivers | 2★ | 1 |
| Freq Min | — | 20 Hz★ |
| Freq Max | 5 kHz | 40 kHz★ |
| Impedance | 32 Ω | 16 Ω |
| Sensitivity | — | 103 dB★ |
| Max SPL | — | 97 dB★ |
| Hi-Res Audio | — | ✓★ |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Noise Control | ||
| ANC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ANC Type | hybrid | adaptive |
| Transparency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | 5.4★ | 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 | 13.5 hrs★ | 10 hrs |
| Charge Time | 0.16599999368190765 hrs★ | 2 hrs |
| Fast Charging | 10 min for 7.5 hours playback | 10 Minutes for 4 Hours |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Case Battery | ||
| Case Battery | 55 hrs★ | 30 hrs |
| Case Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Wireless Charging | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Capacity | — | 60 mAh★ |
| Microphone | ||
| Microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mic Count | 6 | 6 |
| NC Mic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features | ||
| Voice Assistant | ChatGPT | Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa |
| Touch Controls | ✓ | ✓ |
| App | Nothing X | JBL Headphones |
| Gaming Mode | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Bone Conduction | ✗ | ✗ |
| Water Resistance | IP55 | IP55 |
Pros & Cons
Nothing Buds 2
- Strong mic (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong connectivity (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong battery (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong anc (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
JBL Live Buds 3
- Strong connectivity (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong mic (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong anc (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong build (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (33rd percentile)
Pricing
Nothing Buds 2 offers 5.7x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 90 overall, wins 3 of 7 usage categories and 8 of 40 specs.
