- Lawrence Ng
JBL Tour Pro 2 Earbuds Review: Novel Touchscreen Meets Decent Audio
This is an earbud that takes personalisation to the next level. The standout feature of the JBL Tour Pro 2 is the interactive touchscreen display housed within the charging case - allowing for playback controls, settings adjustments, and notification access directly from the case. And best of all, you can customise it with your favourite pictures or even your own branding.
In terms of design, the earphones fit comfortably in our ears. The charging case is made of a mix of plastic and aluminium, with the 1.45-inch touchscreen on the front. We were first intrigued by the thought of having so much control using the touchscreen on the case, but after a while, the novelty wears off because of the limitations to what you can do compared to what you can do with a mobile phone. You can't, for example, scroll through your music library using the touchscreen. The touchscreen's modest sensitivity didn't help matters either. It appears like we are still using resistive touch screens from yesteryear. While compact, the case does add some extra bulk.
The earbuds are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, SBC and AAC codec support, 6 microphones for voice calls, and adaptive noise cancellation. The case itself boasts an IPX2 water resistance rating and wireless charging support. Battery life is rated at up to 8 hours for the buds and 32 hours with the case, with fast charging via USB-C. The extra juice from the case does stand out among its competitors.
The JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds' performance falls short of the competition in this price bracket. Sound quality is adequate with 10mm dynamic speakers, with emphasis on bass - but not as well-rounded as competitors. Noise cancellation is also fairly effective.
The JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds are not inexpensive, retailing at SGD$349.00. You're basically paying for the one-of-a-kind touchscreen casing, which can be ideal for controlling music and getting notifications without having to take out your phone. The audio quality and noise cancellation are decent but not outstanding.
So in summary - the JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds are ideal for those wanting a unique earbud experience, with extras like the touchscreen case justifying the price. For pure audio performance, you can likely do better at this price point. But if you want earbuds that stand out through innovative design, the JBL Tour Pro 2 are worth considering.