TWS true wireless earphones - under $25
4.5 STARS - The Jlab Go Air Pop wireless earbuds have outstanding comfort, battery life, and great sound with three equalizers… for just 25 dollars.
Jlab Go Air Pop features and specs:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC codec
IPX4 waterproof (splash proof)
7,5 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with 3 sizes rubber ear-tips, English manual, built-in USB cable
$25 - Buy on Amazon US, Amazon Germany, or other Amazon countries
Below this Jlab Go Air Pop review, you will find comparisons between the Jlab Go Air Pop vs Earfun Free Mini, QCY T13, Baseus W12, Mpow Mbit S, Edifier X3, 1more PistonBuds, QCY T5, and Haylou GT6.
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Design, comfort and battery life
A lovely thing about the cheapest wireless earbuds: they don't have to show they're expensive. The presentation of the Jlab Go Air Pop is down to the absolute minimum. The packaging is tinier than dodgy wired earphones at your gas station, and the charging case is thin and compact enough to slide into any pocket - slightly larger than the Edifier X3, about four millimeters longer than the Earfun Free Mini.
Still, the Go Air Pop is a funky little thing. Jlab delivers it in different colors like black, white, bright red, or this fresh aqua green-blue. It looks and feels like cheap plastic, and it is. The case has a single red LED light to indicate the remaining battery and doesn't have a USB-C port, but it comes with a short regular USB cable you pull out - like the Haylou GT2.
The earbuds are lovely. They are so compact and light, they're bed-proof and you can wear them for hours comfortably. Thanks to the slight bump on the inside, they fit snugly and stay secure in (my) medium-sized ears. As they disappear well into your ears, they reduce some surrounding noises and leave out a lot of wind noise when you're commuting with them. They're also IPX4 waterproof, meaning you shouldn't be afraid to use them in light rain.
Battery life is solid, too: the Jlab Go Air Pop plays up to around 7,5 hours of music on a single charge. The case can recharge the earbuds fully four times before needing a new charge itself. As a bonus feature, missing on many wireless earbuds, a voice prompt indicates a remaining battery indication every time you put them in.
Connectivity and controls
The Jlab Go Air Pop uses touch controls that respond well to your input - which is especially remarkable since there are many controls right at your fingertips:
Tap R to increase the volume
Tap L to decrease volume
Double-tap R to play/ pause music
Double-tap L to activate the voice assistant
Hold R to skip to the next track
Hold L to return to the previous song
Triple-tap L or R to cycle between the sound equalizers Jlab Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost (introduced with voice prompts)
It's great to have volume controls on the earbuds themselves - a feature affordable competitors like the Edifier X3, QCY T5, and Haylou GT6 lack.
Connectivity on the Go Air Pop is solid, with a strong Bluetooth connection up to 10 meters away from your device. The earbuds pair and connect fast when you take them out of the case, and it's always possible to switch between one or two earbuds - for example, if you want to charge one bud while listening to the other. Take the charged bud out again, and you'll quickly return to stereo listening.
Calling and video quality
Watching videos is easy with the Jlab Go Air Pop, as audio synchronizes well with video flawlessly on Android and iPhone.
There is a noticeable delay in sound effects when you're playing games, on both phone systems. Unfortunately, there's no dedicated gaming mode tor reduce the delay in sound effects. In this regard, Chinese competitors like the Edifier X3s and Baseus W12 fare better.
It's doable to take a phone call with the Go Air Pop. Your voice is a bit thin and metallic, but loud enough. It outweighs noises around you, which are reduced well or even left entirely out of the call. Wind noise is a big threat, though: it can drag your voice away completely.
Video calls like Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings aren't a strength of the Go Air Pop. Your voice is picked up loud most of the time, but there are some volume dips and some audible artifacts, and especially brighter background noises like chatter and keyboard typing, come through loud.
Also read: The best AirPods-like earbuds under $50
Sound of Jlab Go Air Pop: Big Crowd-pleaser
You may not expect to much of the sound of 25 dollars wireless earphones, but here's a surprise: the Jlab Go Air Pop is a real crowd-pleaser.
The Pop comes with the fun option to choose between three sound equalizers. After each triple-tap on the earbuds, an English voice prompt welcomes you to the default Jlab Signature, Balanced or Bass Boost equalizer - and the earbuds even remember which equalizer you listened to the last time and starts up with it the next time you connect.
The standard Jlab Signature has a warm sound with strong bass, but still gives enough attention to higher frequencies. The bass is unmistakably the most prominent player in the music: the mid-bass delivers a strong thump to drums and electronic basses in dance, pop, and hip-hop music, with full-bodied strikes that last long - they bloat a bit. On higher volumes, the mid-bass can distort a bit - sadly. The sub-bass (the deepest bass tones you can feel as much as hear) shakes mightily when asked for, offering an impressive rumble and depth in James Blake's test case Limit to Your Love.
Both male and female singers are pushed a bit forward compared to instruments. Vocals and instruments like cymbals or violins sound clear, but treble can have a metallic ring to it, and a sharp edge. Lower mid-tones are elevated, bringing out darker guitars and piano play well.
This highly affordable Jlab fares well in detail retrieval too. There are instruments coming from your left and right, and music has an airy feel. There's space in the sound with good separation between instruments.
The musical performance is not perfect, as you may expect from its price point. It can sound a little dark at lower volumes thanks to the rolled-off highs, and as written, higher-pitched vocals can occasionally appear a bit metallic and sharp.
Jlab's party trick is that there are still two extra equalizers. Balanced reduces lower-mids and mid-bass and gives more room to higher frequencies. Vocals and upper-mids sound clearer, and there's more air in the sound too, but it comes at the cost of added thinness and harshness. Bass Boost adds a lot of strength to the mid-bass, but also bloat and distortion. It's doesn't have the detail of the standard signature, but it's a nice extra to have for those seeking for a heavy, heavy thumping.
With the two extra equalizers and an engaging main sound, the Jlab Go Air Pop is an entertaining performer for a small price.
Jlab Go Air Pop comparisons
Jlab Go Air Pop vs Earfun free Mini
Like the Jlab Go Air Pop, the Earfun Free Mini is a wireless earbuds-triumph for anyone on a budget. It has smaller battery life (5 hours instead of 7,5 hours), but it handles video calls noticeably better than the Jlab, with more clarity in your voice. Therefore, the Earfun Free Mini is more versatile than the Jlab Go Air Pop.
The Earfun case is a tad smaller, but Jlab's earbuds are more compact and comfortable in your ears. The Jlab has a thicker mid-bass and more space in the sound - music feels more around you, and instruments and frequencies are separated better from each other. It's a more engaging listen. The Free Mini has a more balanced sound, however, with better center-mid presence, adding vocal nuances and bringing out instruments like acoustic guitars a bit more naturally.
Earfun Free Mini review ($25)
Jlab Go Air Pop vs QCY T13
The QCY T13 is another strong competitor to the Jlab Go Air Pop. It may not have the same appealing form factor, as QCY's charging case is bigger and the earbuds have stems on them - but its specs are equally impressive. It also boasts 7,5 hours of battery life and handles video calls a tad better than the Jlab. The T13 also has a low-latency gaming mode, which synchronizes sounds in games a little quicker than the Go Air Pop.
The QCY has a more balanced sound, with more presence on the mid-tones, giving vocals more nuanced and - again - bringing instruments like guitars and piano play out more. The T13 also has an airier sound with a wider soundstage than the Jlab. The Go Air Pop has a thicker bass in the Signature Audio and Bass Boost setting. Both models deliver excellent value for money, but the QCY T13 is a bit more of an all-rounder.
QCY T13 review ($25)
Jlab Go Air Pop vs Baseus W12
You can't get it on Amazon at the time of writing, and don't even try taking a phone or video call with the Baseus W12, as you won't be anywhere close to audible. Still: if you're looking for the best sound quality on a low budget, the W12 may be where it's at. It sounds more balanced than Jlab's Signature Audio, with outstanding representation of mid-tones, delivering more detail to vocals and acoustic instruments. The Baseus has a more natural and slightly more open sound, but the Jlab may be more entertaining, with its stronger mid-bass and slightly further boosted lower-mids, which gives drums and darker electric guitar play more power.
Baseus W12 review ($20)
Jlab Go Air Pop vs Edifier X3
The older $25 Edifier X3 still has an advantage in case size (even more compact) and its simply better call quality. The insides of the earbuds have the same shape, but as Jlab mounts more flexible, rounded rubber ear tips, the Go Air Pop is more comfortable to wear. The Jlab also has all the controls on the earbuds themselves, whereas Edifier only covers pause/play and song-skipping. The Edifier has a brighter, bit cleaner sound with further extended upper-mids and highs. This makes higher-pitched vocals more prominent, but cymbals and highs are splashier than on the Jlab. The Go Air Pop has a stronger, more impactful bass - and of course, two alternative sound signatures on the earbuds. Pricing then? The Edifier is the cheapest option on AliExpress; the Jlab wins on price on Amazon.
Edifier X3 review ($25)
Jlab Go Air Pop vs Mpow Mbit S
The Mpow Mbit S is another ultra-affordable TWS that has a lot going for it. With its high waterproof rating, you can even take it under the shower, and the call quality is miles ahead of the Jlab. The Go Air Pop has an advantage in battery life (+1,5 hours per charge) and sound. The Mpow sounds very warm and smooth, but it's only at high volumes where the bass turns from a bit muddy to energetic and powerful. The Jlab has a more constant sound, with a stronger and more precise bass on both lower and higher volumes, and livelier vocals and higher frequencies. Of course, there's two extra equalizers on the Jlab as well…
Mpow Mbit S review ($20)
Jlab Go Air Pop vs 1more PistonBuds
1more lowered the price of their PistonBuds to 20 dollars, making it another steal for its price. Also sold as Omthing AirFree, the 1more has a comparable smooth and warm sound with rolled-off highs, but it reduces vocals further. The Jlab has a fuller and stronger bass as opposed to 1more's tighter one, and adds more air to the music. The Balanced sound signature is a great addition for podcasts, whereas the 1more can sound a little dark for this purpose. While both earbuds are comfortable, the Jlab wins on specs. It has 4 hours longer (!) battery life each charge, a higher waterproof rating, and comes with more controls. The PistonBuds wins on microphone quality, and handles phone and video calls much better.
Jlab Go Air Pop vs Haylou GT6
The Haylou GT6 is another pair of outstanding wireless earbuds under 25 dollars. The GT6 has an AirPods-like design which many people find more comfortable than full-in-ears like the Jlab, but the GT6 is noticeably larger outside of your ears and captures more wind noise than the Jlab. The Go Air Pop has better battery life per charge (7,5 vs 5,5 hours), the Haylou is a better choice for calling and comes with a low-latency gaming mode. The GT6 sounds more balanced, with more emphasis on the center-mid tones and a tighter, more precise bass. The Jlab has a more energizing character, with fuller lower-mids and much stronger mid-bass.
Haylou GT6 review ($20)
Jlab Go Air Pop vs QCY T5
At $15, the QCY T5 still counts as the very cheapest wireless earphone with good sound quality. While its battery life is only 3,5 hours compared to Jlab's 7,5, there are barely any controls on the earbuds, and the case is charged by micro-USB, it still impresses with its balanced sound. The T5 presents vocals and upper-mids both clear and smooth, with a pleasant warm undertone. The Balanced signature of the Go Air Pop extends upper-mids and highs further, separates instruments better, and gives the highest vocals more body than the T5. If you like your balanced sound without too much bass, the T5 is a better choice: even with the Balanced signature, the Go Air Pop bass is fuller and hits harder.
QCY T5 review ($15)
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Verdict
The Jlab Go Air Pop wireless earbuds have outstanding comfort, battery life, and engaging sound with three equalizers.
4.5 stars - Great
Buy Jlab Go Air Pop/ check current price:
Buy Jlab Go Air Pop on Amazon US
Buy Jlab Go Air Pop on Amazon Germany
Buy Jlab Go Air Pop on other Amazon stores
I received the Jlab Go Air Pop from the manufacturer to test and review it. I test and review all audio products equally - honest and independent. Read about it here.
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Also read:
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