Earbuds can be found for incredibly cheap prices these days, but quality can vary wildly between models. That’s why we enjoy getting to test low-priced options, as, occasionally, we come across some that are satisfyingly good for the cost.
This week, I’ve been comparing the Tribit FlyBuds 3 to the JLab Go Pop ANC. Both provided a perfectly pleasant listening experience, but each pair is superior to the other in completely different areas, so the choice comes down to which best suits your needs.
The Tribit FlyBuds 3 are reasonably priced at a list price of $39.99 / £32, and can be found at Tribit and Amazon. On the other hand, the list price of the JLab Go Pop ANC is a tempting $29.99 / £29.99.
Both pairs offer value for money, but have very notable differences. Below, I’ve summarized the strengths and weaknesses I encountered with the Tribit FlyBuds 3 and the JLab Go Pop ANC, which I hope will shed some light on which pair will be right for you.
If you want to check out a wider range of cheaper options, you’ll probably benefit from checking out our pick of the best budget earbuds.
Design
Satisfyingly light and small, the JLab Go Pop ANC earbuds are comfortable to wear, though the combination of their bulbous form and my relatively small ears meant I needed to fiddle a bit to get them in a good position. If you also happen to have rather petite ears, I highly recommend taking a look at our guide to the best earbuds for small ears to see which proved the most comfortable during our testing.
The aesthetic of the black Tribit FlyBuds 3 earbuds is a little quirkier, due to the ear hooks, which are designed to help keep the earbuds in place. I tried the small and medium sizes, and found that I was somewhere in between, so I didn’t get any benefit from them myself. In addition, I found the fit of the earbud itself to feel slightly less secure than the Go Pop ANC buds.
The JLab Go Pop ANC charging case is satisfyingly small and light, easily fitting in the palm of my smaller-than-average hand. It also has a very handy integrated USB-C charging cable, which clips out of the way on the bottom of the case. This means it’s a very short cable, but it’s super convenient. In contrast, the Tribit FlyBuds 3 case is much larger than average, at a size of 3.4 x 2 x 1.2 inches / 85.8 x 52.6 x 31.0mm, and heavier, too, weighing 3.3oz / 93g.
This is somewhat forgivable considering its built-in 2,000mAh battery, which can provide up to 110 hours of battery life and serve as an emergency power bank for a smartphone. I’d rather charge my earbuds case a little more often for the sake of a lighter and more compact case, personally, but it could prove beneficial for the right person.
Features
There’s an impressive number of features packed into the compact JLab Go Pop ANC. They have pleasingly good ANC for their low price, and has an awareness mode, too. They also boast multi-point connection, adjustable touch controls, and a safe hearing feature, which has a slider to adjust the volume limit down as far as 85dB.
The Tribit FlyBuds 3 don’t possess any of these features, which is a shame. However, they do at least have better water resistance, with JLab’s having IP55, and the FlyBuds 3 offering a higher-than-average IPX8. This will offer some reassurance if you’re often in situations where your earbuds are at risk of getting seriously wet, but IP55 is fine for average use.
When it comes to EQ settings, however, the FlyBuds 3 snatch the crown. The Tribit app has six EQ presets, and the EQ customizer is aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly, and allows me to save multiple custom EQs. I also appreciate that I can use one of the presets as a base for editing, so I can easily tweak them to suit. The JLab app, on the other hand, only offers three EQ presets and one customized EQ, and has a less user-friendly customizer.
Sound Quality
Thus far, the JLab Go Pop ANCs had been heading up the race to become my preferred pair. But the tables were turned when it came to comparing their sound quality on their default EQ setting.
The audio quality from the Tribit FlyBuds 3 isn’t perfect, but this is to be expected considering the cost. The mids are decently clear; guitars sound fairly prominent, but vocals weren’t perfectly defined, though this likely won’t be noticeable to non-audiophiles. And, while it’s not ultra clean, the bass is satisfyingly weighty for a pair of budget earbuds.
As with the FlyBuds 3, the audio quality of the JLab Go Pop ANCs has some downsides, but this can be forgiven given their low price. The mids definitely aren’t as rich as they could be, and the overall sound felt a little thin and narrow, but still decently clear. The bass is stronger in these buds, though, proving impressively impactful, making them a good choice if you want a budget pair of earbuds that don’t fall flat on bassier tracks.
Which should you buy?
Both pairs have proven to be great budget earbuds in their own ways. The JLab Go Pop ANC earbuds sound decent considering their ultra-low cost, and the good ANC and satisfying range of features sweeten the deal even more. So, if budget is your main concern, and you’re happy with adequate sound quality and want ANC on the cheap, you won’t be disappointed with these.
If audio quality is your main concern, and you have no need for ANC or extra features on top of EQ adjustment, then the Tribit FlyBuds 3 earbuds are well worth considering. While some elements of the audio quality aren’t perfect straight out of the box, they are more full-sounding than the JBLs, and the extra investment in the audio department is clear.
