JBL gave its Tour Pro 2 earbuds a smart charging case last year, and it was such a hit that they decided to do it again on their 2024 offering: the Live 3 earbuds series. The series consists of the Live Buds 3, Live Beam 3, and Live Flex 3, and they will include a new feature for those in need of more screens in their life.
The big attraction of the new series is the smart charging case’s 1.45-inch display. You can quickly prop it up to catch up on your notifications instead of taking your phone out of your pocket each time because of how much work that takes.
Another feature that JBL repeats on these new buds because it was a success on the company’s 2023 release is the Ear Canal Test. The dedicated earbud companion app makes you take a quick test to learn about what the inside of your ears looks like so it can do a better job at catering to you, especially with Active Noise Cancelation.
The three earphones—Buds, Beam, and Flex—all offer slightly different specs, with a few features that are consistent across the board. For instance, they all sport Bluetooth 5.3, multi-point connectivity, and an IP55 waterproof rating.
Visually, they mainly differ in terms of fit and design. The Buds don’t feature a protruding stick unlike the Beam and the Flex both of which are stick earbuds. Battery life scores look a little different for all three earphones, too. Buds peak at 40 hours, the Beam at 48, and the Flex at 50. The Flex has a slightly larger driver size too compared to the other two buds—12mm instead of 10mm.
The entire Live 3 line is going to be available starting summer 2024.