When comparing Jaybird X3 vs Apple Airpods, the Slant community recommends Jaybird X3 for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Jaybird X3 is ranked 48th while Apple Airpods is ranked 73rd. The most important reason people chose Jaybird X3 is:
Exposure to splashes of rain or sweat won't easily damage these earphones.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Sweat-proof
Exposure to splashes of rain or sweat won't easily damage these earphones.
Pro Detailed highs with punchy bass
The highs are crisp, airy and forward so detail presentation is very good. Bass is fast and controlled instead of boomy, so it does not muddy up the overall sound. The mids sound natural and do not get lost in the mix.
This sound signature works well with a wide range of genres and rock, pop, hip-hop and EDM will definitely sound great with these headphones.
Pro Wing tips improve fit
The X3 comes with wing tips that you can attach to the earpieces. The tips enhance the grip of the headphones in the ear, and will help keep them secure even while you are running
Pro Remote allows basic playback control
The in-line remote will allow you to control music playback, adjust volume as well as answer/end calls.
Pro Allows taking calls
Integrated into the remote is a microphone, so you do not need to pull out your phone should a call come in. Mic quality is pretty decent, and your voice should be easy to understand on the other line.
Pro Many accessories are bundled
You get standard silicone ear tips in different sizes, along with a carrying case, different sized wing tips, premium Comply foam ear tips in different sizes, cable management clips as well as the charging cradle with micro-USB cable.
Pro Light and compact
The older X2 model had bigger and heavier earpieces which made them prone to falling off, and also made it difficult to use the earphones with a helmet or a hat. The X3’s earpieces have been redesigned to be smaller, while the internal batteries have been moved from the earpiece to the remote. This helps keep the X3 in-place inside the ears and at the same time makes these earphones easier to fit under a hat or helmet.
Pro Good battery life
The X3 gets around 8 hours of playback time from a full charge. This battery life is much more consistent compared to the previous model which had spotty battery life.
Pro Stable wireless connection
Signal quality is pretty stable with minimal distortion or drops, even if you are on the move.
Pro Lightweight
These come in at only 4 grams per earpiece. The absence of a connecting cable further minimizes the weight.
Pro True wireless
There is no band or cable connecting the earpieces. You won't have to deal with the noise caused by a cable rubbing against your clothes or body.
Pro Bass-light sound signature with good clarity
These headphones do produce some low-end, but the bass does not come with a lot of power and oomph. The highs and mids are good though. They are not too forward and present a nice level of clarity. Most genres of music will sound good with these, though bass heavy tracks like dance, hip-hop, EDM and the like may sound lacking.
Pro Easy to connect with Apple devices
Thanks to the proprietary connectivity chip used, the Airpods sync to Apple devices without a hitch. This is a noticeable advantage over many third-party wireless headphones where you might need to go through a lot of steps just to get them synced properly.
Pro Signal stability and quality is great
The signal cuts-off only on very few occasions. Generally, you should have a stable wireless listening experience. Also, there is no noticeable lag between what is happening on screen and when you get to hear the sound from these headphones when watching videos.
Pro Microphone sound quality is good
Voices sound clear and full so conversations will not be an issue.
Cons
Con Charging system is fiddly to use
The X3 utilizes a charging cradle which connects to the earphones’ remote via metal pins. The micro-USB charging cable is then attached to the cradle for power. The charging cradle is proprietary though, so you won’t be able to charge the earphones if you forget or lose the cradle.
Con Limited controls
There are only two control gestures (double tap on either one of the two Airpods), which is enough for basic running (where you might only skip a song once in a while), but less than any other headphones with inline controls.
Con If you get sweaty ears, there is a good chance these will fall out
Con Bass may be too light
If you listen to a lot of bass heavy tracks or if you want all of your music to have great low-end punch then the bass reproduction may be too thin for you.
Con Hard to acquire
In most places of the world, you need to wait about 6 weeks to get your hands on these.
