JBL JBL Soundgear Clips Open-Ear Headphones (Purple) Review

The JBL Soundgear Clips have a 99th percentile battery life (32 hours) and a 93rd percentile mic, making them endurance champs for calls on the move. But their open-ear design means sound quality is just okay (68th percentile) and there's no real noise cancellation. Buy these only if staying aware of your surroundings is your top priority.

The JBL Soundgear Clips are a niche product that nails its specific mission: letting you listen to music while staying aware of your surroundings. With a battery life in the 99th percentile—a whopping 32 hours with the case—and a microphone setup in the 93rd, these are built for long, clear conversations on the move. But they're not your typical earbuds. The open-ear design means you're not blocking your ear canal at all, which is a huge win for situational awareness but a trade-off for pure sound immersion.

Our scoring puts these at their best for gaming (71.2/100), which makes sense given the low latency of Bluetooth 5.3 and the ability to hear your own voice and game chat clearly. They're weaker for travel and calls, scoring in the high 50s, largely because they lack the noise isolation you'd want on a plane or in a busy street. At $150, they're asking you to value their unique form factor and marathon battery life over traditional audio performance.

Let's talk about what these things are good at. Battery life is their superpower. A 99th percentile score means you'll almost never find a true wireless set that lasts longer than 32 total hours. The mic quality, sitting in the 93rd percentile, is also excellent for an open-ear design, thanks to those four AI-powered mics. Connectivity is solid too, with Bluetooth 5.3 and multipoint support landing in the 89th percentile.

Now, the compromises. Sound quality scores a 68th percentile. That's decent, but it's not going to blow you away, especially in the bass department. The 11mm drivers and Adaptive Bass Boost try, but physics is physics—open-ear designs struggle to deliver thump. And forget about active noise cancellation; it scores a 36th percentile because, well, it doesn't really have any. That's the whole point. Build quality is also on the lower side at the 32nd percentile, which tracks for a lightweight, clip-on design that prioritizes flexibility over tank-like durability.

At $150, the value proposition is tricky. You're paying a premium for the open-ear form factor and that incredible battery life. If you compare it directly to traditional noise-canceling earbuds at this price—like the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Ultras—you're getting objectively worse sound isolation and bass performance for your money. But if your primary need is to stay aware of your environment while listening, there aren't many great alternatives at this quality level. You're essentially paying for the niche. It's not a bad deal if it solves your specific problem, but it's a harder sell as a general-purpose daily driver.

Stacked against the giants, the choice is about isolation versus awareness. The Sony WF-1000XM5 ($300) and Bose QuietComfort Ultra ($299) will demolish the Soundgear Clips in sound quality and ANC, but you'll be completely cut off from the world. For a similar $150, the Jabra Evolve2 Buds are a better comparison for calls and office use, with superior noise isolation for focus. The Clips' real competition might be bone conduction headphones, but those often struggle with audio fidelity. The Clips offer a middle ground: better sound quality than most bone conduction sets, with the full awareness of open-ear design. If you need to hear your surroundings as a feature, not a bug, the Clips have a clear lane.

Skip the Soundgear Clips if you're a commuter or frequent flyer. The lack of noise cancellation (36th percentile) means you'll be cranking the volume to drown out plane or train noise, which defeats the purpose and isn't great for your ears. Also, if you're on a tight budget, its 48.6 score in that category tells you there are more versatile performers for less money. And audiophiles seeking immersive sound should look at models with higher sound percentile scores, like the Technics EAH-AZ80.

We can recommend the JBL Soundgear Clips, but with a very specific audience in mind. If you're a runner, cyclist, or someone who works in an environment where you need constant situational awareness, these are a fantastic, comfortable option with best-in-class battery life and great call quality. For everyone else—commuters, office workers, or folks who just want to get lost in their music—your $150 is better spent on a pair of traditional noise-canceling earbuds. The data doesn't lie: the Clips excel in their niche but compromise on the core audio experience most people buy headphones for.