If you want a workout-friendly fit with earbuds that stay connected by a flexible neck cable, choose Beats Flex; if you need long battery life and an on-ear design, choose JBL Tune 510. For workouts, the Beats Flex is my more practical pick between these two, while the JBL makes more sense for long listening stretches away from a charger.
This is a comparison of two very different designs, not two interchangeable sets of earbuds. Beats Flex gives you four eartip options, magnetic earbuds, and up to 12 hours of listening time. JBL Tune 510 trades the in-ear format for padded on-ear cushions and up to 40 hours of battery life.
• Beats Flex strength: Four eartip options, a flexible neck cable, and up to 12 hours of listening time. Trade-off: It does not match the JBL’s stated 40-hour battery life.
• JBL Tune 510 strength: Up to 40 hours of battery life, plus two extra hours from a five-minute charge. Trade-off: Its padded on-ear design is bulkier to wear around the neck than small earbuds.
• Beats Flex pick: Better suited to someone who prefers in-ear earbuds and wants them linked by a cable.
• JBL Tune 510 pick: Better suited to someone who prefers on-ear headphones and wants fewer charging interruptions.
• For workouts: I’d choose Beats Flex from these two if the in-ear fit and cable arrangement suit your routine.
Beats Flex is the more natural choice for someone who wants earbuds rather than ear cups. Its Flex-Form cable connects the two earbuds, and four eartip options give you a choice of fit. That makes it worth considering for a workout if you prefer an in-ear style and want the earbuds joined together instead of handling two separate pieces.
The magnetic earbuds add a useful everyday detail: they can trigger Auto-Play/Pause when attached or separated. You also get on-device controls for music, calls, and a voice assistant, plus an Apple W1 headphone chip for seamless connectivity. Class 1 Bluetooth is specified for extended range and fewer dropouts, while Audio Sharing can send audio wirelessly to another pair of Beats headphones or AirPods.
The main compromise is battery life. Beats lists up to 12 hours of listening time, well below the JBL’s stated figure. I’d skip the Flex if your priority is going as long as possible between charges, or if you’d rather have padded ear cushions than earbuds that sit in your ears. The available fit options are useful, but they don’t make an in-ear design the right choice for everyone.
The JBL Tune 510 is an on-ear wireless headphone. Its soft, padded ear cushions and lightweight, foldable design point toward everyday listening, commuting, and carrying it along when you want headphones that fold down. JBL also highlights its Pure Bass sound, so this is the option to consider if that bass-focused presentation appeals to you.
Battery life is the headline advantage: JBL specifies up to 40 hours. A five-minute charge is described as adding two hours of listening time, and charging uses USB-C. Multi-point connections let you switch between Bluetooth devices, which can be convenient if you move between, say, a phone and another listening device during the day. The stated Bluetooth range is 10 meters.
The trade-off is the form factor. These are on-ear headphones, not earbuds, so they cover the ears with cushions rather than using eartips. That can be a welcome difference for someone who dislikes in-ear listening, but the ear cups are a less compact choice for a workout than Beats Flex’s earbuds. The product information also lists no noise control, so don’t choose the JBL expecting a specified noise-control feature.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-21 · 11 min read · Independent comparison
• Best for an in-ear workout option → Beats Flex. Its earbuds and four eartip options make it the closer match if you want an earbud-style fit. The data does not establish sweat resistance or a workout-specific rating, so I wouldn’t treat it as a purpose-built sports model.
• Best for longer battery life → JBL Tune 510. Its stated maximum is up to 40 hours, compared with up to 12 hours for Beats Flex.
• Best for quick battery top-ups → JBL Tune 510. JBL says a five-minute charge provides an extra two hours of listening time.
• Best for a connected, cable-linked earbud design → Beats Flex. The Flex-Form cable joins the earbuds, and the magnetic design supports Auto-Play/Pause.
• Best for switching between Bluetooth devices → JBL Tune 510. Multi-point connection is specifically listed for moving from one Bluetooth device to another.
• Best for sharing audio with a compatible second listener → Beats Flex. Audio Sharing works with another pair of Beats headphones or AirPods.
• Best for on-ear listening and foldable carry → JBL Tune 510. Its padded ear cushions and foldable construction suit someone who prefers headphones over eartips.
• Best on ear headphones for workout → JBL Tune 510, with a caveat. It is the on-ear choice here, but whether ear cups suit your workout is personal. If you want the best open ear earbuds for workout, neither model is described as open-ear.
A couple of labels shoppers may search for need a little care. The phrase “best kids headset for workout” doesn’t tell us whether either product is a good fit for a particular child; the provided specifications don’t give a child-specific fit recommendation. The JBL product information describes its age range as adult, while Beats lists eartip options rather than a child-specific fit. Fit and comfort should be the deciding factors, not the label.
I’d choose Beats Flex for a workout because its earbud format, flexible cable, and four eartip options fit that use case better than an on-ear headphone design. That is a design-based preference, not a claim that it has a workout rating or sweat protection. If my priority were long listening time between charges, I’d choose the JBL Tune 510 instead. Its up-to-40-hour battery life is the clearest advantage in this matchup.
JBL Tune 510 has the longer stated battery life: up to 40 hours, compared with up to 12 hours for Beats Flex. JBL also specifies a five-minute charge for an extra two hours of listening.
For someone who prefers earbuds, Beats Flex is the more natural fit between these two because it has an in-ear design with a flexible cable and four eartip options. Neither product’s listed features establish sweat resistance or a workout-specific rating.
The product information lists noise control as none. Based on that specification, don’t choose it expecting a stated noise-cancellation feature.
Consider JBL Tune 510. It uses padded on-ear cushions rather than eartips, while Beats Flex is explicitly an earbud design. The right choice still comes down to which wearing style feels more comfortable to you.
Reviewer
If you want an in-ear design with a flexible cable for workouts, choose Beats Flex; if you need long battery life and prefer on-ear headphones, choose JBL Tune 510. For workout use, I’d lean toward Beats Flex based on its earbud format, while the JBL is the stronger match for long listening sessions between charges.
Beats Flex vs JBL Tune 510 at a Glance
• Beats Flex strength: An in-ear design with four eartip options, a flexible cable, and up to 12 hours of listening. Trade-off: Its stated battery life is shorter than the JBL’s.
• JBL Tune 510 strength: Up to 40 hours of battery life, with two extra hours of listening from a five-minute charge. Trade-off: It’s an on-ear headphone, not a compact earbud.
• Choose Beats Flex if you prefer earbuds joined by a cable and want magnetic earbuds with Auto-Play/Pause.
• Choose JBL Tune 510 if you prefer padded ear cushions, foldable headphones, and longer battery life.
• For workouts: Beats Flex is my pick if you want an in-ear style; neither product’s listed features establish sweat resistance or a workout rating.
Beats Flex: Who It's For
Beats Flex is for someone who prefers earbuds to ear cups. Its Flex-Form cable connects the two earbuds, and four eartip options let you choose among different fits. If you want an in-ear option for a workout, those design details make it the more natural match in this comparison.
The magnetic earbuds can trigger Auto-Play/Pause, and on-device controls handle music, calls, and a voice assistant. Beats also specifies an Apple W1 headphone chip for seamless connectivity, Class 1 Bluetooth for extended range and fewer dropouts, and Audio Sharing with another pair of Beats headphones or AirPods.
The trade-off is battery life: up to 12 hours, compared with up to 40 hours for JBL Tune 510. I’d skip Beats Flex if your top priority is going longer between charges or if you dislike earbuds sitting in your ears. Eartip options offer choice, but they don’t make an in-ear design right for everyone.
The battery advantage is substantial on paper: JBL specifies up to 40 hours of listening time. A five-minute charge is listed as providing two additional hours, and charging uses USB-C. Multi-point connections let you switch between Bluetooth devices, while the stated Bluetooth range is 10 meters.
The compromise is the form factor. The Tune 510’s ear cushions cover the ears, unlike Beats Flex’s in-ear fit. That may be exactly what you want for daily listening, but it’s less compact to wear during a workout. The listed noise control is “None,” so don’t pick it expecting a specified noise-control feature.
• Best for an in-ear workout option → Beats Flex. It has an earbud design, a connecting cable, and four eartip options. The specifications don’t establish sweat resistance or a workout rating.
• Best for longer battery life → JBL Tune 510. It’s rated for up to 40 hours of listening, versus up to 12 hours for Beats Flex.
• Best for a quick charge top-up → JBL Tune 510. JBL says five minutes of charging adds two hours of listening time.
• Best for magnetic earbuds and Auto-Play/Pause → Beats Flex. The earbuds connect magnetically, with playback behavior tied to their position.
• Best for switching between Bluetooth devices → JBL Tune 510. Its multi-point connection supports switching from one Bluetooth device to another.
• Best for sharing audio with a compatible listener → Beats Flex. Audio Sharing works with another pair of Beats headphones or AirPods.
• Best for on-ear listening and foldable carry → JBL Tune 510. Its padded cushions and foldable construction suit people who prefer headphones over eartips.
• Best on-ear headphones for a workout → JBL Tune 510, if you specifically want on-ear headphones. For a more compact earbud style, I’d choose Beats Flex. Neither product is described as open-ear, so neither fits a search for the best open-ear earbuds for a workout.
If you’re looking for the best kids headset for a workout, the listed details don’t establish that either model is specifically suited to children. JBL’s product information describes its age range as adult; Beats lists four eartip options but no child-specific fit guidance. In either case, fit and comfort matter more than the label.
I’d choose Beats Flex for a workout because I prefer its in-ear format and flexible cable for that use. That’s a design-based recommendation, not a claim about sweat protection or a workout rating. If my priority were longer battery life, I’d choose JBL Tune 510: its up-to-40-hour figure is the clearest advantage in this matchup.
JBL Tune 510 has the longer stated battery life: up to 40 hours, compared with up to 12 hours for Beats Flex. JBL also specifies that a five-minute charge adds two hours of listening time.
Beats Flex is the more natural choice if you want an in-ear design with a flexible cable and eartip options. The listed features don’t establish sweat resistance or a workout-specific rating for either product.
The product information lists noise control as none. Don’t choose it expecting a specified noise-cancellation feature.
Consider JBL Tune 510, which uses padded on-ear cushions rather than eartips. Beats Flex is an earbud design, so the main difference is how each product sits on or in your ears.
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