Back in 2018 I declared that the JLab JBuds Air were possibly the best true-wireless headphones under $50. It is now 2020 and the company has upped the ante with the JLab GO Air true-wireless headphones.
The JLab GO Air are priced under US$30 and are most certainly the best budget true-wireless headphones on the market today, and that’s good enough to earn a Techaeris Top Pick award for 2020. The JLab GO Air delivers value for money in spades.
The tl;dr is basically this. If you’re looking for a pair of true-wireless headphones that are not going to break the bank, have decent sound, good battery life, and are well designed, these are them. Read on for the full review.
Specifications
The JLab GO Air has the following features and specifications:
- Speaker: Φ8mm Dynamic, Neodymium Magnet, 20Hz-20kHz, 32 Ω
- Output: 103±3db
- Microphone: Both Ears, MEMS, – 38dB ±3dB
- Battery Life:Â 5 hours in each earbud
- Input Power:Â DC 5V, 50mA
- Earbud Battery:Â 43mAh lithium polymer
- Earbud Charge Time:Â 1.5 Hours
- Rapid Charge:Â 15 min charging = 1-hour playtime
- Charging Case Battery:Â 370mAh lithium polymer rechargeable
- Case Charge Time:Â 2 Hours
- Version:Â Bluetooth 5
- Range:Â 30+ ft.
- Support Protocols:Â HSP/HFP/A2DP/AVRCP
- Support Codec:Â AAC/SBC
- Weight:Â 5g per earbud, 50g charging case
- IP Rating:Â IP44
- Warranty:Â 2-year warranty
- Colors: Green, Black, Blue, White
What’s In The Box
- JLab GO Air Earbuds
- Charging Case w/ Integrated Charging Cable
- 3 Sets Gel Tips: Small, Medium, Large
- JLab Two Year Warranty and Documentation
Design
The design of the JLab GO Air isn’t earth-shattering. They borrow heavily from their older brothers, but there’s nothing wrong with this. They’re compact and don’t stick out of your ears like other brands. They fit nice and snug and come with 3 sets of gel tips for you to get the right fit.
Each earbud has the JLab logo emblazoned on it, which looks really good. Behind those logos are touch controls for the headphones. Here’s what they do:
- Volume:
- Left bud: One tap decreases the volume
- Right bud: One tap increases the volume
- Track:
- Left bud: Press & hold to go back a track
- Right bud: Press & hold to go forward a track
- Voice Assistant/Playback:
- Left bud: 2-tap envokes Google Assitant/Siri
- Right bud: 2-tap plays or pauses music
- EQ Settings:
- Both buds: 3-tap will cycle through 3 EQ settings
The case design of the JLab GO Air true-wireless headphones is different than the previous cases I’ve seen. It’s an open case, so it doesn’t have a lid to close. You might be worried about your headphones falling out, but the magnets inside do a fantastic job of holding them tight.
There’s a LED indicator on the inside along with L & R indicators. The JLab branding is along the front, and it’s pretty subtle. The best thing about this case is that the USB charging cable is integrated into it. The cable isn’t very long but it does the job, so the only thing you need to remember to bring is either a charging brick or laptop to plug them into.
Overall, the design of the JLab GO Air true-wireless headphones is pretty simple. Our review unit came in blue, which I actually loved. The blue with the black accents make it look like a premium device.
Ease of Use
The JLab GO Air headphones are super easy to use. No apps, no software, just take them out and pair via Bluetooth. I would suggest you plug the case in with the buds to charge first.
When you remove them for the first time they will go into pairing mode. Just choose them from your Bluetooth settings and pair. Once that’s done the headphones will auto-connect to your device every time. These are also auto-on and auto-off. So no need to turn them on or off, removing them from the case will turn them on and putting them back in will turn them off.
Using the touch controls is pretty easy, and these are listed in the Design section for reference. The one thing some people might not like is the sensation of the bud in your ear when touching the controls. It’s not a huge deal for me but some might not like that.
Overall, the JLab GO Air are simple to use and operate. Everyone should be very comfortable using them.
Sound
So what do US$29.99 true-wireless headphones sound like? Well, they sound pretty amazing for this price point. JLab itself admits that you’re not going to get audiophile quality from these headphones but you’re also not paying US$399.99 for them.
The headphones come with 3 EQ settings you can cycle through on the touch controls. The profiles cover the bass-lovers, vocal-lovers, and midrange-lovers. I think most people will find something they like. The bass setting was a bit much for me and I like the midrange level EQ setting.
I’m not going to lie to you. You can absolutely get better sound from other headphones but at a much bigger price. I’ve used a lot of headphones since I’ve been doing headphone reviews and these are absolutely fine. Most people (98%) are going to be happy with the sound here.
Overall, given the tiny US$29.99 price point, these sound amazing.
Reception/Call Quality
No complaints here. Bluetooth reception was solid, there were a few drops but that was when I strayed too far from my phone. Call quality is also top-notch.
Battery Life
20-hours with the case is your expected battery life from the JLab GO Air. 5-hours in each bud and an extra 10-hours in the case. So, there’s plenty of juice to keep you going for a while. Plus, you can get an hour of playtime with only 15-minutes of charge time.
Overall, an excellent battery life for a product that only costs US$29.99. JLab has outdone itself with the battery life here.
Price/Value
The price. This is exactly why people are going to buy the JLab GO Air. Priced at US$29.99, these are easily the best budget true-wireless headphones on the market as of this review. I’m sure there are other brands that have similar products and close to this price point, but…JLab is a trusted brand in my eyes and I’ve loved their products for a very long time. I’d choose these headphones every day of the week over any off-brand lurking on Amazon.
The price is spot on and the value is all there.
Wrap Up
Congratulations if you actually read through this whole review. The wrap up of the review is this, if you’re looking for a pair of true-wireless headphones and don’t want to sell your kidney to get them. Well, the JLab GO Air are the headphones for you. The JLab GO Air is the best US$29.99 you can spend on an audio product.
Currently, the JLab GO Air are available in limited quantities at select retailers through March. The company will make them available nationwide and online in April in larger quantities. Be sure to check out the company’s website for more and to sign up to get informed.
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Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
