JBL Tour Pro 3 review: Premium sound with touchscreen control in your pocket

Time of India

a day ago

Design and Specs
Audio Quality
The Utilitarian Display
Battery Life
Final Thoughts
The JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds arrive with a clear mission: to revolutionize the wireless earbud experience by putting a screen directly on the case. While the core functionality of the earbuds themselves is solid, this new feature, while groundbreaking, comes with both unique advantages and some notable drawbacks.From a design perspective, the JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds and their case are sleek and modern. The earbuds themselves feature a comfortable, ergonomic fit, while the case is compact enough to slide into a pocket. The standout feature is, without a doubt, the small touchscreen display embedded in the case. Under the hood, these earbuds come with a full suite of modern specs, including 10.2mm dynamic drivers for powerful sound, Bluetooth 5.3 for a stable connection, and multiple noise-canceling modes.The audio quality is definitively JBL-level quality and is impressive right out of the box. The sound profile is rich and engaging, with a solid bass presence that doesn't overpower the mids and highs. The headphones feature True Adaptive Noise Cancelling 2.0, which adjusts in real-time to your surroundings, helping you stay focused and undisturbed. For those who like to customize their listening experience, the JBL Headphones app is a powerful tool. It offers a great equalizer that can be tweaked to suit most music settings, allowing you to fine-tune the sound to your personal preference.The tiny display on the case is a game-changer for on-the-go control, moving beyond simple touch gestures on the earbuds. It is undeniably utilitarian, giving you direct access to your music files and allowing you to effortlessly shuffle between playlists without ever having to pull out your phone. The interface is responsive and intuitive, making quick changes a breeze.However, a missed opportunity is the lack of unique visual flair. It would be amazing to see a custom Spotify or Apple Music skin, which could dynamically change the look of the display to match the app you're using, making it feel truly integrated and special.On the bright side, despite its small size, the screen is surprisingly easy to look at even outdoors in direct sunlight. Unfortunately, this is where the main flaw becomes apparent. Since these earbuds are often carried in a pocket with keys or other items, the display is highly scratch-prone. Without a protective film or a more durable cover, the screen will likely be fully scratched up sooner rather than later, detracting from the premium feel of the product.The battery life is satisfactory, offering a competitive amount of playtime. The earbuds provide around 8 hours of playback with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) on, and the charging case holds an additional 32 hours of charge, giving you a total of 40 hours. This is enough to get you through an entire week of moderate use without needing to plug in the case.The JBL Tour Pro 3 is an exciting, innovative product that brings a new level of control to wireless earbuds . The display is a fantastic addition for managing your audio without your phone, and the core performance is exactly what you'd expect from JBL. However, the lack of app-specific visual customization and the highly scratch-prone nature of the screen are significant drawbacks to an otherwise excellent feature. It's a great idea that could use a bit more polish in its execution and durability.