TechRadar Verdict
The Jlab Go Air Sport punch above their $30/£29 weight and give rivals three or four times its price a hard run for their money. These workout headphones are definitely making some of the greats sweat, and we’re absolutely here for it.
Pros
- +
Secure, comfortable fit
- +
Great sound quality for the price
- +
Impressive battery life
- +
Volume control (Hallelujah!)
Cons
- -
No ANC
- -
Mic is its weak link
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Jlab Go Air Sport: One-minute review
The Jlab Go Air Sport headphones are one of those workout headphones that might easily get overlooked. After all, just how good can a pair of sub-$50/£50 be? Historically (and understandably), they are simply unable to compete with the greats, despite their appealing price tags.
But then, the Jlab Go Air Sport came charging on the scene to prove history wrong. According to them, wireless earbuds and headphones do not need to cost a fortune to sound good and deliver on more than just the basics, and now our idea of the best workout headphones is changed forever.
In fact, we’re so impressed with them, we now prefer using them over our former favorites, the Beats Fit Pro. And, that’s saying a lot considering those might have just single-handedly ushered the Beats headphones line into a new era.
The Jlab Go Air Sport may not have the Fit Pro’s ANC prowess. However, they have superior comfort, fit, controls, and battery life – that’s while costing 3/20th of the Fit Pro. Need we go on?
Jlab Go Air Sport: Price and availability
- How much does it cost? $30 (£29, AU$69)
- Where is it available? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available in the US, the UK, and Australia
At only $30 (£29, AU$69), the Jlab Go Air Sport are certainly for the budget-minded listeners and economizing fitness fanatics.
To be clear, these aren’t the only budget headphones or earbuds that are worth your consideration. However, these probably give you the best bang for your buck out of all of them. Their battery life alone, which is way above industry standard, already offers a reasonable return on investment.
In comparison, you’ll have to shell out a hefty $199 (£199, AU$299) to take the Beats Fit Pro home, spend $149 / £112 for the Amazfit Powerbuds Pro, and pay an eye-watering $279 (£250, AU$449) for the Sony WF-1000XM4.
- Value: 5 / 5
Jlab Go Air Sport: Design
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Touch controls are intuitive
- There’s volume control! ‘Nuf said!
They have to stay in place even during intensive sessions, and they shouldn’t hurt our ears (workout is hard enough!) – these are the two design features we expect from our go-to workout earbuds. But, true to its overachieving nature, the Jlab Go Air Sport don’t just tick those two big things off our list of demands. It goes above and beyond.
The fact that both earbuds are incredibly lightweight definitely adds to their comfort, but we have to give credit to those earhooks, which are comfortable even after hours of wear (unlike the wing tips on the Beats Fit Pro that hurt our outer ears even after 30 minutes) and effective at keeping the earbuds secure. We’ve ran, hiked, climbed stairs, and done dance workouts with these on, and they haven’t fallen off or even slipped out of place once.
If you aren’t used to such a design, there might be a bit of a learning curve – meaning you’ll have to use both hands to put them on in the early days. But, trust us, you’ll be putting these on one-handed in no time.
For a pair of cheap headphones, the touch controls here are surprisingly reliable and accurate. They’re intuitive as well, making these earbuds effortless to control during workout sessions. These touch sensors also let you select among three sound profiles: JLab Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost.
The best part about these controls, however, is the fact that they include volume control — that’s something even the top earbuds on the market do not offer. Press and hold the right earbud, and your volume goes up. Do the same on the left, and the volume drops. Simple, effective, brilliant.
One other thing the Jlab Go Air Sport offer that their pricier rivals don’t is the built-in USB cable. For obvious reasons, the case doesn’t offer wireless charging. However, the built-in USB cable, which you can snap back in place and out of your way in its own garage, kinda splits the difference. You don’t need to remember to bring your own charging cable, as it already comes with the case.
Speaking of the case, it’s larger than others, so not by much – and that’s really mostly to accommodate the earbuds’ earhooks. It definitely keeps things pocket-sized still.
Finally, if you’re tired of the same bland black or off-white shades, you’ll be happy to know that the Jlab Go Air Sport comes in six different attractive colors. There are no pink or purple options, sadly. (You need to get on that, Jlab!) However, there’s light blue, yellow, and teal.
- Design: 5 / 5
Jlab Go Air Sport: Sound quality
- Great sound quality for the price
- Mic is slightly muffled; no ANC
- Impressive battery life
You wouldn’t think that a pair of earbuds at this price range would sound very good, but the Jlab Go Air Sport yet again punch above their weight. The sound quality isn’t just good; it’s actually pretty great considering how much you’re paying.
There’s lots of bass to keep you motivated and moving even when you’re sore or just about ready to give up, but not too much bass that it overwhelms everything else. There’s also surprisingly good treble for the price, and the mid-range is well-represented as well.
Listening to Florence and the Machine’s new album, Dance Fever, on these is a great audio experience, even if they aren’t the most detailed-sounding earbuds we’ve used. The violin towards the end of King isn’t as prominent as it should be, for example. However, Florence Welch’s voice comes out clear and rich, and all the other instruments are well-represented.
Unfortunately, the built-in mics are slightly muffled, as if there’s a veil over your voice as it comes through to the other end of your calls. However, the person on the other end shouldn’t have a hard time hearing you clearly. There’s no background noise rejection, though.
Nor is there active noise cancellation, though when it comes to workout headphones, that’s a bit of a double-edged sword. When you’re running on a trail in the woods, you obviously want to be aware of your surroundings. Same if you’re jogging on a busy street. The tips of the Jlab Go Air Sport should give you some level of noise cancellation, albeit passive, and for us, that’s more than enough for when we’re working out.
Since they are made for workouts and activities, they boast an IP55 sweat-resistance rating, which means that while they’re not completely sealed, they have a high level of dust and water jet protection. We’ve drenched these in sweat during midday and early afternoon workouts outdoors in the middle of a hot SoCal summer, and they haven’t failed yet.
Last but certainly not least is their impressive battery life. While the Beats Fit Pro only give you up to six hours of listening per charge, the Jlab Go Air Sport beat them by two more hours, boasting around 8+ hours per charge, which is pretty accurate during our battery tests. Additionally, you’re getting up to 32 hours of battery life with the case, which again beats the Beats Fit Pro’s 24-hour rating.
Do you need that long of a battery life per earbud if you’re just using them for workouts? Well, that depends. If you’re running a marathon, a pro athlete, or a long-distance hiker like yours truly, then absolutely.
- Performance: 5 / 5
Should I buy the Jlab Go Air Sport?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
Jlab Go Air Sport: Report card
| Value | With that sub-$50/£50 price tag, this is the best in value workout headphones you'll find. | 5 / 5 |
| Design | Comfortable, secure, with touch controls that are intuitive and the ability to control the volume, what more can you ask for? | 5 / 5 |
| Performance | The sound quality is good. There's lots of bass without being overbearing. And, there's surprisingly good treble for the price. | 5 / 5 |
| Total | The Jlab Go Air Sport earbuds are the complete package. | 5 / 5 |
- First reviewed September 2022
How we test
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
