Key Takeaways
- The JLab JBuds Mini are small wireless earbuds that deliver remarkable sound quality at a low price point, making them a great value.
- The earbuds feature Bluetooth multipoint, allowing seamless switching between devices, and have touch controls for easy navigation.
- While the JBuds Mini excel in music and podcast listening, they struggle with call quality, making them less suitable for phone conversations.
The JLab JBuds Mini are tiny wireless earbuds that truly make me proud. I’m serious. For how small the drivers are, I think the JBuds sound remarkable. Plus, you’ll be able to take advantage Bluetooth multipoint, ambient listening, and a top-notch app. Oh, and you get all of this for under $50.
JLab JBuds Mini Wireless Earbuds
A next-level performer, the JLab JBuds Mini are proof that you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get an awesome set of wireless earbuds.
- Battery Life
- Up to 5.5 hours per bud (20 hours w/ charging case)
- Charging Case Included?
- Yes
- Microphones
- Yes
- Brand
- JLab
- Supported codecs
- SBC, AAC
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- Price
- $40
- IP Rating
- IP55
- Solo bud mode?
- Yes
- Driver Size
- 6mm
- Charging type
- USB-C
- Dimensions and weight (earbuds)
- 1.79 x 1.37 x 0.91 inches (45.6mm x 34.7mm x 23.1mm)
- Colors
- Green, Hot Pink, Charcoal Black, Sage, Teal
- Compatibility
- Google Assistant, Siri
- Noise Cancellation
- No
- Frequency response
- 20Hz - 20kHz
- Exceptional sound quality
- Great companion app
- Hassle-free Bluetooth multipoint
- Comfortable fit
- Great price for the features/quality
- No ANC
- Mediocre call quality
- Some distortion at higher volumes
Design: Minuscule Music-Makers
The JBuds Mini are some of the smallest wireless earbuds you can find right now. This isn’t to say that you’ll be dealing with reduced sound quality though. In fact, I’d happily put these tiny in-ear speakers up against wireless buds that are double, if not triple the price. Equipped with 6mm drivers, the JBuds come with three different ear tip sizes.
Spend some time finding the tips that fit you the best, because an improper seal is going to rob you of the excellent audio these little buds are capable of producing. I found the best seal for my ears was with the medium-sized tips, which are already attached to the JBuds.
Like many other wired and wireless earbuds, the JBuds Mini use single and sequential taps and long presses on the back of each bud to perform a series of actions, including volume up/down, play/pause, a toggle on/off for ambient listening (called Be Aware), and track skipping. In my experience, I found these touch commands to work pretty well, but you do have to be pretty precise when tapping the exact center of each bud. When I accidentally touched the edge of the body, my commands usually didn’t work.
The actual earbuds are IP55-rated, but the supplied USB-C charging case isn’t dust or weather-rated. As far as battery life goes, JLab claims the JBuds Mini will deliver up to 5.5 hours per bud on a single charge, and the charging case should provide an additional 20 hours of listening.
Connectivity: Successful Multipoint, Folks
The JBuds Mini use Bluetooth 5.3 and support SDC and AAC codecs. The wireless buds work with Google Assistant and Siri, and they support Google Fast Pair. Also, (and I can’t believe I get to say this) Bluetooth multipoint worked flawlessly. In order to set this feature up, all you have to do is pair your JBuds Mini to your first Bluetooth device and then turn Bluetooth off on that phone, tablet, or computer.
Next, grab another device and open up its Bluetooth settings. The JBuds will have automatically re-entered pairing mode to connect to a second device. Now just turn Bluetooth back on for your first device, and you’re ready to start using multipoint.
While listening to music on my iPhone through Apple Music, I was able to launch YouTube and start playing a video on my MacBook Pro. When the video started, there was a tiny delay in sound switchover, but then my JBuds Mini started playing the YouTube audio (and my Apple Music track automatically paused). When I pressed play in Apple Music, the track immediately started and the MacBook’s YouTube video paused.
This just goes to show that you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get premium features. Many other brands could learn a thing or two from JLabs’ successful implementation of Bluetooth multipoint on a pair of earbuds that cost less than a full tank of gas!
Sound Quality: Getting More than What You Paid For
Truthfully, I wasn’t expecting the greatest sound quality from the JBuds Mini, but based solely on price alone. I’ve tested $70 and $80 earbuds that sounded tinny and weak, which conditioned me into expecting lackluster performance from the JBuds. That being said, I’m happy to report I was mistaken. The JBuds Mini sound really good. They may not be on the same level as something like the AirPods Pro 2, but JLab’s budget buds punch way above their weight class.
Running the JBuds through multiple music genres, I was impressed by how much articulation was present in the treble and mid-range, and holy cow… the bass! Those tiny drivers rocked hard, and even without Bass Boost engaged, I found the low end to be nice and punchy. Overall the soundstage isn’t too immense, but I didn’t find any of my listening sessions to feel overly compressed either.
There are multiple listening presets to choose from, but I preferred keeping things set to “JLab Signature” with “Music Mode” turned on. The “Balanced” preset pulled a little too much bass out of the mix for my liking, and “Bass Boost” tended to push the low end a little too hard, resulting in muddy tones.
You’ll want to be careful with your decibels, too. At higher volumes, the JBuds Mini start sounding distorted, which is particularly prevalent when you’re blasting your favorite hard rock and heavy metal tracks.
Call Quality: Getting What You Paid For
I wish I could say more about the call quality of the JBuds Mini, but unlike the exceptional sound quality you get for music and podcasts, the buds struggle when it comes to making phone calls. Not having ANC is a big miss from the get-go, which I thought would have a bigger impact on music. I actually missed ANC more when having test calls with friends and family.
Whenever I would take a call with the JBuds Mini, I could hear a decent amount of background noise on my end. I also had a hard time focusing on what the person I was talking to was even saying because my own voice was boomy and compressed. I also noticed a lot of hissing and other poor-compression noises when listening to the person on the other end.
I wish I could say better things about call quality, but this is definitely the weak point of the JBuds Mini.
Using the JLab App: Way More Than I Expected
Headphone apps can be pretty hit or miss, but I’m glad to report that the JLab app was one of my favorite things to try out when testing the JBuds Mini. Available for iPhone and Android devices, when you first launch the app, you’ll be asked to pair your JBuds Mini, which is as simple as taking them out of the charging case. Once the app recognizes the buds, they’ll be added to the “My JLab” page. Tap the JBuds Mini icon to head into the customization dashboard.
You’ll see a battery breakdown for both buds at the top of the page, with several different adjustments below. These include a toggle on/off for the “Be Aware” mode, an “Equalizer” for changing sound presets and creating your own custom audio mix, “Touch Controls,” a toggle-between for “Music Mode” and “Movie Mode” listening, a “Safe Hearing” volume limiter, and an “Update Firmware” option for ensuring your JBuds are operating in tip-top shape.
I frankly couldn’t believe how many customizations JLab supplied for a pair of $40 earbuds, but I’m definitely not complaining. I especially loved playing with the equalizer to create my own sound profile and having the ability to change what sequential taps and long presses will do for each bud using the touch controls menu.
Should You Buy the JLab JBuds Mini?
If you're looking for a solid set of wireless earbuds that are perfect for listening to music and podcasts, I give the JLab JBuds Mini a solid two-thumbs-up. If you need earbuds to take phone calls with though, I would look elsewhere.
JLab JBuds Mini Wireless Earbuds
A next-level performer, the JLab JBuds Mini are proof that you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get an awesome set of wireless earbuds.