JLab Jbuds Pods EBJBPODSRBLK124
CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172
What Buyers Say
JLab Jbuds Pods EBJBPODSRBLK124
The JLab JBuds Pods ANC earbuds are highly praised for their excellent value, offering a rich feature set at a budget-friendly price. Users consistently highlight the comfortable fit, long battery life, and good sound quality, though some note the ANC is decent but not top-tier. The JLab app adds customization options like EQ and touch controls, and features like wireless charging and multipoint Bluetooth are well-received. A few users mention the need to select the right ear tips for optimal sound and a minor app pairing quirk.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Comfortable fit
- Long battery life
- Good sound quality
- Wireless charging support
Cons
- ANC is decent but not top-tier
- Earbuds may fall out during activity
- App pairing quirk on iPhone
- Short USB-C cable included
- Need to select correct ear tips for optimal sound
CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172
These CMF Buds deliver impressive sound quality with dual drivers and LDAC support, often compared favorably to much pricier competitors. Users praise the comfortable fit, long battery life, and useful case controls, though noise cancellation is noted as merely decent and the build feels a bit plasticky. A few minor complaints include the lack of a USB-C cable and a 5% battery display granularity, but overall they are seen as excellent value for under $60.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality with dual drivers
- Great value for under $60
- Comfortable fit for long sessions
- Long battery life
- Useful case controls
Cons
- No USB-C cable included
- Battery display only in 5% increments
- Noise cancellation mediocre for loud sounds
- Build feels plasticky
- Spatial audio is static, not head-tracking
Scores
Specifications
| JLab Jbuds Pods EBJBPODSRBLK124 | CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| Form Factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Wearing Style | stem | true wireless |
| Ear Tips | 3 sets of gel tips | S |
| Weight | 0.12 kg | 0.10 kg★ |
| Audio | ||
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 11 mm | 11 mm |
| Drivers | 1 | 2★ |
| Freq Min | 20 Hz★ | — |
| Freq Max | 20 kHz★ | 5 kHz |
| Impedance | — | 32 Ω |
| Sensitivity | — | 50 dB★ |
| Hi-Res Audio | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | LDAC |
| Surround | — | Fast Charging, Microphone Included, Noise Cancellation, Surround Sound, Touch Control |
| Noise Control | ||
| ANC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ANC Type | hybrid | adaptive hybrid |
| Transparency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | 5.4★ | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wired Connector | — | Bluetooth |
| Earbud Battery | ||
| Battery Life | 10 hrs | 10 hrs |
| Charge Time | 0.16699999570846558 hrs★ | 0.17000000178813934 hrs |
| Fast Charging | 10 min for 2 hours playback | 10 min for 3 hours playback |
| Charging | USB-C★ | — |
| Case Battery | ||
| Case Battery | 56 hrs★ | 43 hrs |
| Case Charging | USB-C★ | — |
| Wireless Charging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microphone | ||
| Microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mic Count | 6 | 6 |
| NC Mic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features | ||
| Voice Assistant | Google Assistant | voice assistant |
| Touch Controls | ✓ | ✓ |
| App | Jlab App | Nothing X |
| Gaming Mode | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bone Conduction | ✗ | — |
| Water Resistance | IP55 | IP55 |
Pros & Cons
JLab Jbuds Pods EBJBPODSRBLK124
- Strong mic (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong connectivity (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong battery (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong anc (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172
- Strong connectivity (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong mic (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong anc (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong build (91st percentile)91st %ile
Pricing
CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172 offers 1.2x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 87 overall, wins 6 of 7 usage categories and 7 of 37 specs.
