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JLab Go Pods ANC: Two-minute review
I’ll admit that it was with reticence that I agreed to test earbuds clearly angling for the title of ‘cheapest ANC buds’ but let me dispel any similar cynicism you may have: the JLab Go Pods ANC are, for their price, excellent.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, because these new cheap earbuds come from esteemed affordable audio brand JLab, which has a lot of experience with affordable audio options. But anyone who’s tried to save a buck by buying lower-cost tech knows that you can’t take anything for granted, even with legacy brands.
Let’s first address the selling point in the headline: are these the best noise-cancelling earbuds available on the market? No, however should you add ‘low-cost’ to that query, fairly probably. They are low-cost, they do have noise cancellation, and so they definitely are earbuds. Plus, they’re actually good at what they do, and so I can provide them a tick there. But are they the most affordable buds with ANC?
I used to be anticipating to have the ability to discover loads of low-cost Amazon rivals with ANC, however I used to be fallacious; one or two ANC-toting choices from unnamed manufacturers sit on the identical worth because the JLabs right here, however there’s not a lot on supply for much less that additionally has ANC. So from the appropriate angle, the Go Pods ANC tick that field too.
What same-price rivals in all probability don’t supply is respectable audio high quality. For funds earbuds these sound actually good, with (relying on the way you arrange the equalizer) crystal-clear treble, hearty mids or scooping bass, and a broad soundstage that you just don’t usually get in buds twice the worth.
The ANC itself additionally works nicely, plastering over background sounds with little tact however with coronary heart. That stated, the transparency mode is a nightmare which is able to trigger you to listen to each little factor happening round you with horrifying accuracy.
Like all good earbuds, the JLabs are additionally good and light-weight, so you possibly can put on them for ages with out getting earache. Similar might be stated of the tiny plastic carry case, which fully disappears right into a trouser pocket.
I can’t fake that these earbuds are good, and so they do have a couple of issues which irritated me throughout testing. For one, JLab has changed a charging port with a charging cable, so that you plug the case into one thing, fairly than plugging one thing into the case, to energy it up. Good in principle, however functionally I discovered it much less helpful than the usual possibility which each and every different firm makes use of, of merely letting you plug a cable into the case.
The in-box ear ideas additionally didn’t supply a lot in the way in which of grip, so once I walked or ran within the buds they’d a behavior of falling out fairly shortly. This is an issue you possibly can clear up with the added expense of third-party eartips (or utilizing ones you will have left over out of your final earbuds).
But at the same time as earbud shortcomings go these aren’t the most important I’ve ever confronted, and even an enormous situation in any respect within the case of the primary one. Know this: these are fantastic-value earbuds.
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Price and release date
- Released in summer 2025
- Costs $36.99 / £29.99 (roughly AU$60)
The JLab Go Pods ANC were announced in May 2025 and put on sale in the months after. It took them barely any time to go on offer, but more on that in a moment.
The default retail price for these buds is $36.99 / £29.99 (roughly AU$60), so they’re some of the most affordable noise cancelling earbuds you can find, and the few alternatives I can find at this price tag almost all come from unknown brands on Amazon.
I say ‘default price’ because only a few months after release, the Go Pods ANC can easily be found for a discount. In the US I found them for $29.99 and in the UK they’re at £24.99, making these super-cheap buds even cheaper. And that’s before Black Friday.
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Specs
|
Drivers |
10mm |
|
Active noise cancellation |
Yes |
|
Battery life (ANC off) |
7.5 hours (buds) 26 hours (case) |
|
Weight |
4.2g (buds) 27.6g (case) |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.4 |
|
Waterproofing |
IP55 |
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Features
- Battery life of just 5 hours with ANC on
- Good ANC but iffy transparency
- JLab app brings a few useful extras
During my testing time, I didn’t once have any kind of connection issue with the JLab Go Pods ANC, so you don’t need to worry about them having an unreliable Bluetooth link.
The buds have some extra features via the JLab app, though it’s mostly just some customization and tweaks rather than anything truly novel.
It took my while to get my head around the Noise Control Modes tool, which lists ANC on, off and Be Aware mode, but with toggles by all of them, so it’s easy to turn two or all three of them on at the same time… right? That’s what I thought, until I realized that toggling these selects whether you can switch to them via the buds via touch controls. The real way to switch ANC modes is to physically select the mode you want, not toggle its slider.
Another option via the app is an equalizer, which comes with three unnamed presets and a custom mode. It’s a 10-band equalizer so it’s pretty advanced, and audiophiles will be able to get a lot of depth in how they customize their tunes.
Running down its list, the app also lets you set a max volume limit for safety, change what touch controls do, switch between a Music Mode and Movie Mode (which seems to increase the sound spread but decrease quality) and… set up a workout interval timer? That’s not exactly a standard headphone feature but it might prove useful to a few people.
The battery life of the Go Pods sits at 7.5 hours, according to JLab – that’s with ANC turned off and, from my testing, you’re looking at about 7.5 hours with it turned off which isn’t exactly a competitive figure. The company puts the extended play time offered by the charging case at 26 hours.
One final thing we probably need to touch on is the ANC itself – is it any good in these cheap buds? Surprisingly, it really is. It hushes your surroundings pretty substantially, and while it obviously doesn’t reach the heights of rivals in the market – a light background hum always got through, and sharper noises weren’t dimmed as much – it’s a lot better than JLab could have got away with for the money.
I wasn’t as impressed, though, with Be Aware mode (JLab’s take on Transparency). While using it I was too aware – not only did it not cancel noise, it seemed to amplify every little thing that occurred around me in a jarring experience overall.
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Design
- Both buds and case are super lightweight
- Case has a built-in charging cable
- Ear tips don’t offer much grip
The JLab Go Pods ANC have one small design difference that sets them apart from the vast majority of other samey wireless earbuds, and it’s built into the case.
The buds’ charging case is a 4.52 x 6 x 2.61cm pebble which opens lengthwise along the side; it’s made of plastic so it only weighs 27.6g (for context, most buds I take a look at have instances double that weight). This is all to say that it’s fairly small and really mild.
While most charging instances are nondescript save for maybe a emblem and a USB-C charging port, JLab does away with the latter and replaces it with its personal USB-C cable; you possibly can plug this right into a port to simply energy up the buds.
In principle I get why JLab would use this as an alternative of a easy port: it means you possibly can energy it up by way of your telephone or laptop computer with no need an additional cable. In apply although I discovered it annoying, because it meant I couldn’t use the usual USB-C charger I deliver for my different devices. I couldn’t energy up the case from my telephone if I used to be additionally charging stated telephone, and I couldn’t plug it into wall retailers on public transport or adaptors at my dwelling (all of which use normal USB).
Onto the buds: these weigh 4.2g every in order that they proceed the Go Pods type of being lighter than the competitors. They’re stem-style buds, consisting of a big physique, ideas angled barely downwards and a flat stem bearing JLab’s emblem.
There are contact controls on every of stated logos, which labored fairly nicely though there have been a couple of mis-touches once I was readjusting the buds or occasions when one press can be picked up as two. Also the default controls are just a little odd so I’d suggest leaping into the app to customise them your self.
I actually respect low-weight buds just like the Go Pods as they have been simple to make use of for lengthy intervals of time with out feeling any ache or put on. That was solely the case if I used to be sitting nonetheless although.
The in-box eartips appear to supply so little friction that they could as nicely be made out of WD40: as quickly as I went for a stroll, or heaven forbid a run, the earbuds started slipping from my ears (sure, I attempted all three choices included within the field). Even placing in or eradicating the buds usually, you possibly can really feel how little they’re inclined to remain within the ear – not nice for energetic folks.
While the case doesn’t have any official safety, the buds have an IP55. This means they’re principally protected towards mud ingress and might face up to low-press jets of water (together with rain and sweat) however aren’t appropriate for swimming.
The JLab Go Pods ANC are available in three coloration variations: black, lilac and inexperienced, and as you possibly can inform I examined the previous.
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Sound quality
- Single 10mm driver
- Can handle regimented bass and clear treble
- High max volume
I’m going to wager that your expectations for the JLab Go Pods ANC’s audio chops probably match what mine were going into the testing: you see the price and shudder at the thought of those cheap buds you bought on Amazon once and know what to expect. But banish the thought.
The JLab Go Pods ANC actually sound pretty good; I’m not sure I’d pick them over something like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro however for the worth, they’re surprisingly succesful.
By default (that’s, with the JLab Signature equalizer mode), music sounds vivid with outlined treble and mids, and a laudable breadth of soundstage so you possibly can hear completely different passages and harmonies within the music surrounding you.
There’s clearly just a little distortion crackling away when too many various devices are enjoying without delay, or when the hi-hat will get going, however solely in mixes that may bother a lot pricer buds too.
I’ll admit that I largely listened with some heavy equalizer tweaks, however I used to be shocked by how a lot bass the Go Pods have been able to when requested. There’s scope for hearty, scooping bass with the appropriate track and proper EQ set-up. But even with out this set-up, lower-register strains felt well-defined.
The buds’ max quantity is admittedly excessive – increased than you’d ever usually want, except you unintentionally held down the ‘volume up’ button in your telephone like me – and doesn’t distort as a lot at louder settings as many different buds do.
JLab Go Pods ANC overview: Value
The JLab Go Pods ANC are principally the most affordable noise-cancelling earbuds which are really price shopping for.
Because of their function set and audio high quality, these aren’t simply ‘good for the price’; they’re good full cease. JLab didn’t want to supply them for such a low worth however in doing so, it’s made them a fearsome worth proposition.
Should I purchase the JLab Go Pods ANC?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Features |
The ANC is nice, as is the overall function set, although the battery life is poor. |
4/5 |
|
Design |
The buds are pretty and light-weight, however the eartips do not stick nicely and I’d have most well-liked a charging port. |
3.5/5 |
|
Sound high quality |
For the worth, the JLabs sound actually good: low-cost and cheerful. |
4/5 |
|
Value |
These supply implausible worth for cash given how low-cost they’re. |
4.5/5 |
Buy them if…
Don’t purchase them if…
JLab Go Pods ANC overview: Also take into account
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
JLab Go Pods ANC |
JLab Go Pop ANC |
Earfun Air 2 |
JBL Wave Beam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Drivers |
10mm |
10mm |
10mm |
8mm |
|
Active noise cancellation |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Battery life |
7.5 hours (buds); 26 hours (case) |
7 hours (buds); 24 hours (case) |
9 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (complete) |
8 hours (buds) 24 hours (case) |
|
Weight |
4.2g (buds) 27.6g (case) |
4.1g (buds); 22g (case) |
4.5g (buds) 45g (case) |
8.8g (buds) 39.5g (case) |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.4 |
Bluetooth 5.4 |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
Bluetooth 5.2 |
|
Waterproofing |
IP55 |
IP55 |
IPX7 |
IP54 |
How I examined the JLab Go Pods ANC
- Tested for 4 weeks
- Tested at dwelling, within the workplace, understanding and on walks
I examined the JLab Go Pods ANC for about 4 weeks, which is longer than the usual TechSwitch testing course of, however is a testomony to their audio chops.
I used the buds whereas they have been linked to my Android telephone, primarily for Spotify but in addition for streaming films, video games and listening to voice notes. I used them whereas at dwelling, on the health club, on runs and on walks round my neighborhood.
I’ve been testing devices for TechSwitch for over 5 years now and in that point have used different JLab merchandise in addition to a few of their largest competitions.
- First reviewed in August 2025