Jaybird X2 vs Jaybird X3: Pros & Cons and Verdict

Jaybird is a company that has created a niche market for itself over the last few years, thanks to its wireless headphones designed specifically for the outdoors. These headphones are convenient to use for athletes and for those who like to run, bike or exercise often.

It has released many headphones with minor variations and improvements, but the one that really made an impact on users and brought the spotlight on Jaybird is its product called X2. This became a widely popular product because of the flexibility and convenience that came with it.

To improve on this product and to incorporate the feedback from users, Jaybird introduced its sequel and rightly named it X3.

How different is X3 from X2? What has Jaybird tried to change in this sequel?

We are going to get answers to all these questions in this post.

Jaybird X2 vs Jaybird X3: Pros & Cons and Verdict

X3 and X2 are premium wireless headphones that elevate your listening experiences to new levels. Let’s look at some of their similarities and differences to understand which of the two is better.

Design

Jaybird X2 is a robust product that gives a high quality feel to it. But, there is no metal in these headphones. Jaybird X3, on the other hand, is stronger because the company has incorporated some metal into its design.

If you’re wondering why you need metal, it is just to give more durability to the product. Metals do not break so easily, and this means, the robustness and life are longer.

Another significant difference is the earbuds. When Jaybird X2 was released, it was practically the same as Jaybird X in terms of design. None of the reviews and feedback given by customers was taken into account in the design.

So, that was a little disappointing because the fit needed to be better. Though X2 fitted well in some ears, it was not too comfortable to wear for many others.

This is why there is much excitement around X3 because the design considerations were taken into account. As a result, there is a noticeable improvement in the design of X3. They are much smaller and stronger, so they fit well into your ears, regardless of size and shape.

In terms of design, X3 is a clear winner because the design is a lot stronger and the earbuds fit extremely well when compared to X2. Though X2 is not so bad, it might be hard to get a good fit in smaller ears.

Sound Quality

The sound quality coming from both the headphones makes you feel luxurious and even wrapped around in your favourite music.

Jaybird X2 offers a well-balanced tone with good clarity. There are no visible distortions and the vocals sound natural and clear. One of the highlights of X2 is its high treble presence. Think of cymbals playing. The audio is vibrant and clear, and surprisingly, there are no distortions even if the volume is increased to 75% of the maximum volume.

One of the biggest advantages of Jaybird X3 is that it is compatible with the new app from Jaybird called MySound. On this app, you can control the equalizers, find your earbuds using GPS, adjust volume controls, and do so much more.

You can even have different profiles for different genres of music, such as one for classical, one for rock, one for hip-hop and more. This convenience, control and flexibility take listening to a totally new level.

That said, X3 doesn’t come with noise reduction technology, so it is really difficult to hear if you’re in an exceptionally noisy environment.

Overall, the sound is immersive and enjoyable in both the products. But, X3 is better mainly because of the way you can control EQ through the app and also because of the fact that you can have custom profiles for each genre. Otherwise, the sound quality of X2 is excellent too, and both are comparable in terms of just the sound quality.

Convenience

Both of these headphones score high on convenience, especially if you are moving from a wired headphone to these products.

Though they cost much more than wired headphones, that’s the price you pay for the convenience that comes with having a wireless headphone. You’re no longer worried about the cables dangling from your headphones when you run, hike or workout.

Worse, many people have broken their phones because they messed up with the hanging cables, and this proved to be expensive and tedious. You can do away with all those problems when you opt for these wireless headphones.

Another advantage besides the wires is that you never have to take your phone out to control the tracks or to take calls. You can do all of that and more by simply touching the controls on your remote.

This way, there is no interruption from your workout routine. For many of us, taking a break from the workout to attend a phone call or even to change a track can throw us out of the rhythm. None of those breaks with these headphones, so your workout can be more efficient and enjoyable.

You might argue that these benefits come from all wireless headphones, so what is special about these two?

For starters, they give you a good fit, which means, you don’t have to keep adjusting them or worry about them falling off from your ears. They feel soft and comfortable in your ears, so you can wear them for hours. Both the headphones can be worn under or over your ears, just depends on what is your preference.

That said, which of these two offers better convenience?

X3 is noticeably smaller than X2, and this means, they do not stick out of the ear at all. So, you can wear a helmet comfortable and will not have to worry about your earphones or cords blocking it.

This is why, X3 is often called “hat-proof” because you can wear hats, helmets or ear muffs while still keeping your earbuds plugged into your ears. This makes it ideal to do any outdoor activity in any climate as it will not affect what you wear at all.

In comparison, X2 juts out of the ear a bit. This was something that had been pointed out by many users, and it is gladdening to see that Jaybird has taken this aspect into consideration while designing its next version.

X3 offers a better fit when compared to X2. In fact, the former is slightly smaller and sits well in the ears, and this makes it more comfortable and convenient.

Also, it is “hat-proof”, as you can wear anything you want without worrying about the earbuds jutting out. So, the winner in terms of convenience is X3, though X2 finished a close second. It is convenient as well, except for the design that protrudes out of the ears a bit.

Mobile Application

Jaybird X3 is the first product in this series to have compatibility with Jaybird’s mobile app called “MySound.” This app was originally created for a product called Jaybird Freedom and since then, all releases have been compatible with the app.

This app is well-developed and offers a ton of features that are sure to enhance your usability. The first and probably the coolest feature is the ability to balance your sounds. You can change the EQ to match your preferences. This is similar to what you can do with your audio home system, except that it can be done on your headphones as well through a clean-looking interface.

In addition, the app allows you to save different profiles for different kinds of music. This feature greatly improves your listening experience because you can have your own customized EQ for each genre of music you like.

The best part is when you choose a profile, it immediately gets associated with your headphones and not with the device. This way, you can have the same sound profile, regardless of the device you’re using it from. For example, let’s say, you set a particular profile from your iPhone and then you switched to the app installed on your Mac.

You’ll see no difference because the profile is saved in the headphones. This feature makes your listening experience independent of the device on which the app is installed. You can save multiple presets and revert back to them anytime. The flexibility you get from this feature is so life-changing, that you’ll never be able to switch back to any of the older models.

Another important feature that can make life more enjoyable for you with the ability to find your earbuds anytime and anywhere. A feature called “Find my buds” on the app uses GPS technology to know where your earbuds are at any time. This is truly helpful to figure out where you’ve kept your buds or to even locate someone with the earbuds. The convenience that comes from this feature is truly enormous.

This app is available for both iOS and Android operating systems.

The winner? Undoubtedly X3 because this app is simply great. Unfortunately, X2 is not compatible with this app and that’s a bummer for the folks who already use X2.

Connectivity

Jaybird X2 uses Bluetooth 2.1, which is the same as Jaybird X. At the time of X2 release, the company opined that there was not a much difference in terms of the next Bluetooth version, so the company did not find a need to upgrade.

Well, it looks like a lot happened between the release dates of Jaybird X2 and X3.

Jaybird X3 uses the more advanced Bluetooth 4.1 as this offers greater flexibility in terms of connectivity. Using this technology, you can connect to multiple devices from the same headphone or multiple headphones to the same device.

For example, let’s say you have headphone 1 and headphone 2 that are both connected to the same device.  Though you will be listening to the same music, podcast or watching the same movie, you can still connect both the headphones.

This is ideal when you and your partner want to listen to the same audio or watch a movie together, but with your own set of headphones to get the best audio experience.

Likewise, you can connect the same headphone to two devices. Though there is no real-world example for this situation because controlling two devices from the same headphone could be anything but chaotic. Nevertheless, this is a possibility in case you want to try or if something comes up that may warrant you to use your headphones this way.

Another big advantage with Bluetooth 4.1 is its battery efficiency, as this technology consumes only small amounts of battery.

The verdict for this category is fairly clear. X3, because it gives more flexibility in terms of connectivity over X2. Though both Bluetooth versions do not offer signal loss or connectivity problems as such, the presence of more options definitely helps and this is why X3 is better.

Battery Life and Charging

All this while, X3 scored over X2 in almost every aspect.

But in this section, we’re going to see a major downside of X3.

X3 comes with a proprietary charging port and this is required for charging your headphones. Though you can charge it with a micro USB cable, you still need to attach the included clip for compatibility. If you lose that clip by any chance, you’ll never be able to charge your X3 using the micro USB cable.

This is quite a disadvantage because you’re stuck with that charging port for charging. This could be a problem if you’re a frequent traveller or if you forget to take your charging port along. It’s a hassle as that is one extra thing you should remember to take with you every time, especially if you plan to be out for more than a day and you need your X3.

X2, on the other hand, can be charged with a simple micro-USB cable, so you’ll have a lot of flexibility with the charging aspect.

In terms of battery life, X3 is good as the charge comes for a minimum of eight hours. In X2 too, the battery life is good, as the charge comes for eight hours, though sometimes it may fall short because Bluetooth 2.1 consumes way more battery life than Bluetooth 4.1.

That said, the winner here is X2 because of the flexibility in charging. The battery life is not so bad either when compared to X3.

Cost

Cost is an interesting aspect of this comparison because the predecessor actually costs more than the sequel! This is a surprise because X3 is better than X2 in many aspects, and yet is a lot cheaper.

This explains why many online retailers are willing to offer massive discounts on the price of X2 to match that of X3.

But for this comparison, we will go with the original price as the discounts could vary and may not be stable all the time.

Well, who do you think is the winner? Clearly, X3 because it is a whole lot better than X2, and saves you some money as well. No-brainer there!

Advantages and Disadvantages

Let’s get a bird’s eye view of the pros and cons of each product for easy comparison.

Pros and Cons of Jaybird X2

The advantages and disadvantages of Jaybird X2 are as follows; It’s important to note that while this earphones have a lot of strong sides, they also have their shortcomings, too:

These are some of the main aspects of the Jaybird X2 that’ll help to determine wether these earphones are match for you.

Pros and Cons of Jaybird X3

The advantages and disadvantages of Jaybird X3 are as follows; It’s important to note that while this earphones have a lot of strong sides, they also have their shortcomings, too:

These are some of the main aspects of the Jaybird X3 that’ll help to determine wether these earphones are match for you.

The Bottom Line

Now comes the biggest question – which of the two is better?

From the above discussion, it is clear that X3 is the better one of the two products. It comes with a host of new features such as compatibility with the mobile app. This is probably the biggest feature that could make a big difference to your listening experience and usability.

Another major aspect is the use of Bluetooth 4.1 for connectivity, as this opens up a world of opportunities for your connections. You can either connect multiple headphones to the same device or multiple devices to the same headphone.

The third major area is the design, where the X3 is smaller than X2, so fits better into the ears. It allows you to wear anything over your ears and doesn’t really jut out.

Above everything, X3 is cheaper than X2, considering the host of extra features that come with it. Again, the prices of X2 is slashed by many retailers, but for this comparison, we will look only at the MRP of the two products.

With all this, X3 is clearly the better product. If you’re going to buy for the first time, obviously go for X3. But, if you already have X2 and are contemplating an upgrade, think about it again. You’ll end up losing quite a bit of money, especially if you’ve paid the full price for X2.

While the additional features are great, X2 is a good product in terms of the sound quality and audio delivery.

So, unless you’re specific about connectivity and the need for the MySound app, you can ride through the life of X2 and then, maybe go for a more advanced product that would emerge at that point. But, that’s totally up to you.