Headphones have come a long way since they were first introduced as a means to listen to music. The many advancements in technology coupled with user input have made these headphones a convenient and an integral part of our lives today.
Over the years, many manufacturers have started making great quality headphones to suit the preferences of different customers. Two such names that are well-known for their top quality headphones are Jaybird and Beats.
Today, we will be comparing two of their products, namely Jaybird 3 and Powerbeat 3 to help you get a better idea of their in-depth features and also to help you choose one, especially if you’re contemplating between these two cool headphones. Both these earphones deliver top-notch sound quality and come with an enviable feature set, so this review is sure to help you make the right choice.
Table of Contents
Jaybird x3 vs Powerbeats3: Pros & Cons and Verdict
In this section, we will be comparing both these headphones across different parameters to understand which of the two scores better in which areas and why.
1. Design
The design is more important than what many of us think. Have you ever realized that your decision is half made when you look at a pair of headphones, even before you try them on? This is because our mind is predisposed to make first impressions as soon as we see something, and this is why design is an important attribute that we will discuss.
Jaybird X3 is significantly better than its predecessor X2. With X2, the company did not take into account the suggestions made for Jaybird X but have incorporated these suggestions in X3 and this is why many people like the design of X3.
The earbuds of X3 are small and strong. The best part is they fit so well into your ears that you can wear a cap or helmet over your ears and nothing will protrude out. This is a cool feature because it gives you flexibility, especially when you like going on long bike rides. It will never interfere with your helmet and will give you a comfortable feel.
Moreover, X3 has a reversible design that gives you the flexibility to wear the cable over or under your ear, depending on your preferences. Also, it comes with six different pairs of ear tips, three sizes of silicone and three pairs made of foam. You can mix and match until you get the most comfortable fit. With both these aspects, it is really hard to not get the most comfortable fit for your ears.
Powerbeats 3, on the other hand, has a slightly different design. They have flexible ear hooks that help to keep the earbuds stay in place, even while doing intense workouts. This gives a lot of stability to your earbuds. But the downside is that they do not give a great seal. There is always a gap between your earbuds and ear canal and this can take some time to get used to, especially if you have always worn fitted earbuds.
Also, Powerbeats 3 comes with a cable that sometimes tends to dangle down from your ears. This form is not the most comfortable to wear and the cable tends to look a little thin and fragile too.
Powerbeats 3 comes with just three silicone ear tips, unlike Jaybird X3 that comes with six. However, they come in four sizes instead of three and that could be helpful for a few users.
Both the earphones though come with different sized earbuds to help you get the right fit. of course, you will have to try on each of them to know which is ideal for you, and this can take some time. If you’re wearing it for the first time, be prepared to spend an extra few minutes to experiment with these different earbuds until you get the perfect fit. After that, putting them on and listening to music is a breeze.
One last thing is that both the earphones are sweat resistant which means you can wear them for both gym and outdoor workouts, and don’t have to worry when you sweat excessively. To top it, Powerbeats 3 is also supposed to be water resistant. Though it is not something that you would need in everyday life, it is still something to keep in mind and an aspect that would give some extra versatility for Powerbeats 3.
Which of the two is the winner when it comes to design? We think Jaybirds X3 is the winner in both design and comfort. The earbuds fit well and it comes with many options to ensure that the earphones fit all ears, regardless of their shape or size. Also, the seal is tight and gives a very comfortable feel to the whole wearing experience.
This doesn’t mean Powerbeats 3 is bad. It is just designed a little differently and may not be ideal for all users, especially if they are used to wearing a pair of tight-fitting earbuds. These earphones come with an ear hook that holds the earphones in place, but the seal isn’t as tight as that of Jaybird X3.
In terms of just design, both look stylish and aesthetic, and so it ultimately depends on which shape you like.
Overall though, our winner in design and the comfort that comes with it is Jaybird X3.
2. Battery Life
Battery life is another critical aspect, especially if you’re one of those people, who prefer to hear music in one form or another throughout the day. Some people prefer to listen to music while they work, study and of course while doing their exercise.
When you compare both these headphones from the battery life perspective, Jaybird X3 offers a cool 8-hour battery life. But Powerbeats 3 is impressive, as it offers a 12-hour battery life. In other words, for every full charge, you get eight hours from Jaybird X3 and 12 hours from Powerbeats 3. This stellar battery life in Powerbeats 3 is due to the new Apple W1 chip that is known for sipping power while the device is in use, and not chugging it!
In addition, Powerbeats 3 comes with what is called a fast charge. With just a five minute charge, you can get a battery life of about one hour. This feature is particularly great for not-so-well organized people who tend to forget to charge their earphones and realize that only when they are all set to leave. For such people, this feature can be a true blessing.
Either way, Powerbeats 3 scores well over Jaybird X3 when it comes to battery life. Maybe this is something that Jaybird should consider because eight hours has become something of a norm in today’s earphones. So, in order to be truly impressive on this front, it is imperative that Jaybird comes with a much higher battery life.
Overall, our winner in battery life is undoubtedly Powerbeats 3.
3. Connectivity
Connectivity is essential for Bluetooth earphones, and this is why we will test both the earphones against this attribute.
When it comes to Bluetooth connectivity, both earphones are excellent. One aspect with Powerbeats 3 is that it connects extremely well with Apple devices because of the W1 chip. This is something out of the ordinary because you often find that earphones connect well to Android devices than to Apple devices simply because Android uses a different codec when compared to Apple. So, it is heartening for iOS users to know that Powerbeats 3 has been specifically designed to connect well to Apple devices too.
In terms of Bluetooth, there is nothing to complain at all. They offer good connectivity even from about 30 feet from the source and this is thanks to Bluetooth 4.1 technology.
So, when it comes to connectivity, both are winners because both the earphones perform well.
| Jaybird X3 | Powerbeats3 |
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4. Mobile Application
Before going into the comparison of the actual sound quality, it makes sense to talk about the MySound app that Jaybird X3 is compatible with because this app is truly a game changer for this earphone.
Jaybird X3 is the first earphone in this series to have compatibility with the MySound app. This app offers a ton of features that make it easy to customize music the way you want. The highlight of this app is the presence of EQ controls that help to set your own equalizers, just the way you like it. You can balance your sounds with just a few drags and really, it doesn’t get easier than this.
Another cool aspect of this app is that you create different profiles for maybe different genres. For example, you can set certain preferences like EQ for classical songs and you can set a different set of preferences for your hip-hop. This way, you get customized music for every genre you want.
In addition, these profiles can be used across different devices. Let’s say, you have set a particular profile for your smartphone and then you switched to the laptop. You can still access your profile and its settings without any change. This makes your listening aspect independent of the device you are using and this is a cool feature.
Another feature that we personally love is “Find my buds”. This feature uses GPS technology to tell you where the earbuds are located at any time. With this option, you no longer have to spend hours looking for your earphones. You can even use this app to identify the location of someone who is wearing these earphones.
This app is available for both iOS and Android smartphones and that makes it convenient for most users.
As for Powerbeats 3, there is no dedicated app through which you can control the working of these earphones. Though it is one of the few earphones that are compatible with iOS devices, that is more for Bluetooth pairing and not exactly an app for control.
Which of the two is the winner in this category? Jaybird X3 obviously because Powerbeats 3 doesn’t have an app for comparison! The app of Jaybird X3 is fantastic, to say the least. Specifically, we love the EQ controls that make it a breeze to listen to music just the way you want. The profile settings are also cool and add to a clean listening experience.
5. Sound Quality
Now, it is time to move on to one of the most important determinants of the performance of earphones, their sound quality.
The sound quality of Powerbeats 3 is fun and lively. It is meant to be for those who like a little bit of punch to their music. The mids and highs are reasonably good and clear through the vocals sound a little muddled on some tracks.
A salient aspect of Powerbeats 3 is its bass. This is really incredible and is sure to be a treat for any bass lover.
That said, we think Powerbeats 3 has focused so much on bass that it has compromised on the balance and neutrality as a whole. If you want a balanced tone, these earphones are not for you. But if you like to have a peppy feel to your music, go for Powerbeats 3.
Jaybird X3, on the other hand, is super versatile. Its MySound app makes it convenient to have different profiles for different genres, so everything sounds just like how you want it to sound. This is really a unique feature and a major selling point for Jaybird X3. Otherwise, the lows, mids, and highs are clear and crisp and there is an even balance that makes it a wonderful experience listening to any genre.
One aspect that we would like to mention is that Powerbeats 3 sounds much better on Apple devices than on Android devices, while it is the other way around for Jaybird X3. As explained, this has to do with the codec format used in both the devices.
So, which is the winner? Jaybird X3 is the winner for its balanced tone and its versatility. But if you’re a bass head or if you use iOS devices, go for Powerbeats 3.
6. Cost
Cost is another important factor that determines the choice of users. Everyone out there wants value for their money, so it is common for users to pick the one that offers a big bang for their money, even if those earphones tend to be expensive.
On that note, Jaybird X3 costs less than Powerbeats 3. You may be able to get them at much lower prices on Amazon where there is some kind of a deal going on all the time. You just have to keep watching the item of your choice, so you can buy it when there is a big discount.
So, are these earphones good value for their money? First off, we think both the earphones are reasonably priced for the features they have. Out of these two, Jaybird X3 is on the cheaper end of pricing considering that it is compatible with an amazing app and comes with many interesting features.
Now, the question is whether it is worth spending more for Powerbeats 3? Well, the answer depends on your preference for bass. As explained before, Powerbeats 3 has one of the best bass output in this price range and its price is justified if you are someone who loves bass or prefers to listen to many bass-heavy genres.
Another reason to pay extra is for the design of Powerbeats 3. They are stylish and come with ear hooks that make it ideal for the gym workout. So, if you like this design, then the price difference is justified.
In all other cases, Jaybird X3 is the better choice and the price difference between the two is not justified. In other words, it is not worth paying extra money, if you are not really particular about bass or Powerbeats 3 design. In fact, we think Jaybird X3 offers a good value for the price you pay as the earphones have everything you need, including a great app, for all your musical needs and preferences.
So, our winner in this category is definitely Jaybird X3 for the host of features that it offers for a mere price.
7. Jaybird x3 vs Powerbeats3 – Pros and Cons
The above comparison was in-depth and this section is aimed to give you a quick bird’s eye view on the advantages and shortcomings that come with each headphone.
Powerbeats 3 Pros
The advantages of Powerbeats 3 are as follows:
- Bass is impactful, and this makes it the perfect choice for all bass lovers out there.
- Excellent battery life of 12 hours.
- Designed for workouts, both at the gym and outdoors.
- Connectivity is excellent and there are rarely any drops.
- The design is sleek and stylish.
Powerbeats 3 Cons
The drawbacks of Powerbeats 3 are:
- The cord design could have been better, as it does not score well on the comfort aspect.
- High notes sound a bit colored and this sometimes masks the natural tone.
- There is no seal in your ear canal, as the earbuds do not go deep.
- No noise cancellation.
Pros of Jaybird X3
The pros of Jaybird X3 are:
- Reasonably priced, considering the many features it has.
- Great set of features.
- Rightly called the “hat earphones” because they sit well into the ears to give a comfortable fit. Most ideal if you want to wear a hat or a helmet over your earphones.
- The MySound app, the proprietary app is simply awesome.
Cons of Jaybird X3
The cons of Jaybird X3 are as follows:
- The charging dock is proprietary and this could be an issue while replacing.
- You will have to try different options before you can get the right fit.
- No noise reduction.
We hope these quick pros and cons help you to choose the product that best fits your preference.
Jaybird x3 vs Powerbeats3 – Final Verdict
Finally, we have come to the end of this review and it is time to decide which of the two is better.
Comparing across different features, we think Jaybird X3 scores over Powerbeats 3 in most aspects, ranging from design to comfort and cost.
While Powerbeats 3 is not necessarily a bad choice, it is just that it does not score so well when compared to Jaybird X3, as the latter is highly versatile, offers good sound quality that is balanced and neutral and gives a good fit to the ears.
Above everything, they are priced much lower than that of its competitors, it is a sure steal for your money.
Due to all these factors, Jaybird X3 is the winner.
| Name | Jaybird X3 | Powerbeats3 |
| Amazon | | |
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