How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a pocket-sized true-wireless in-ear pair with app-based EQ tuning and all-day battery, choose JLab Go Air Pop+; if you need a feather-light clip-on design with a smart touch-screen case and water resistance for workouts, choose Generic M100.
• JLab Go Air Pop+ — biggest strength: An in-ear true-wireless design with Bluetooth 5.3, app-based EQ control, and 9+ hours per bud with 26+ extra hours from the case.
• JLab Go Air Pop+ — biggest trade-off: No active noise cancellation and no water-resistance rating, so heavy sweat and rain aren't its focus.
• Generic M100 — biggest strength: A clip-on earbud with a 16mm driver, IPX5 water resistance, and an LED touch-screen case that shows time, battery, and connection status.
• Generic M100 — biggest trade-off: Only 6 hours per charge (50 hours total with the case), and the clip-on style may not suit people who want a deep in-ear seal.
• Pick JLab Go Air Pop+ if you want customizable sound, a snug in-ear fit, and long single-charge listening.
• Pick Generic M100 if you want an open, pressure-free fit and a smart case you can actually interact with.
The Go Air Pop+ is built around three ideas: a tiny footprint, long battery life, and sound you can shape yourself. The buds and case together are smaller than a credit card, and JLab says the buds themselves are 15% smaller and 40% lighter than the earlier Go Air model. That matters in the real world — this is the kind of case that disappears into a jeans pocket or a running-shorts zip pocket without a bulge. Each bud runs for 9+ hours on its own, and the case adds 26+ more, so a person who forgets to charge for a few days can still get through commutes and workouts without hunting for a cable. The case also has a built-in USB-C cable, which means one less thing to lose.
Sound is where the app comes in. You get EQ presets — JLab Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost — plus touch-control remapping and a Be Aware mode that pipes ambient sound back in so you can hear traffic or a colleague at your desk. The 6mm dynamic driver covers a 20Hz–20kHz range, which is the standard full-range spread. The included Cloud Foam tips are a genuinely nice touch: they expand after insertion to hold a seal, and JLab includes three tip sizes so you can size up or down. A proper seal is what makes in-ear bass sound full, so the tip selection isn't a gimmick.
Who should buy it? Anyone who wants a small, light, true-wireless pair with adjustable sound and enough runtime to stop thinking about charging. Students, commuters, casual gym-goers, and people who take calls — there's a MEMS mic in each bud, and either bud can be used solo. Who should skip it? If you sweat heavily or run in the rain, note that this model lists no water-resistance rating and no noise cancellation. Someone who wants a headphone that clamps onto the ear rather than sealing inside it should look elsewhere too.
The M100 takes the opposite approach. Instead of sealing inside your ear canal, it clips on with a C-shaped hook. At 5.2g per bud, the claim is a pressure-free fit that works across ear shapes — and for people who find in-ear tips uncomfortable after an hour, that's a real advantage. Because the speaker sits outside the canal, you keep more awareness of your surroundings by default, which suits cyclists and outdoor runners.
The headline feature is the case. It has a large LED touch screen that displays the date and time, battery level, and Bluetooth connection status, and you can use it to adjust volume, skip songs, change the equalizer, set an alarm, adjust brightness, take photos, display lyrics, and trigger a find-my-headphones function. Whether you'll use all of that is a personal call — some buyers will love having controls on the case itself, others will find it a novelty. Either way, it's a very different interaction model from a plain flip-top charging case.
Battery is split: 6 hours per charge, up to 50 hours with the case. Bluetooth 5.4 is the newer spec here, which usually means better power efficiency and stability. Each bud houses a 16mm dynamic driver — noticeably larger than the JLab's 6mm — and the M100 adds adaptive noise cancellation plus a 20Hz–20,000Hz range. The IPX5 rating with a nano hydrophobic coating means sweat and light rain shouldn't be a problem, which is exactly what you want for training.
Who should buy it? Gym-goers, cyclists, runners, and anyone who hates the plugged-ear feeling. Also anyone who wants a case they can actually poke at. Who should skip it? If you want maximum single-charge runtime or an in-ear seal for deep bass isolation, the JLab is the better fit. And if you prefer a well-known audio brand over a generic label, the M100 isn't trying to be that.
• Best for single-charge battery life → JLab Go Air Pop+ (9+ hours per bud versus 6 hours on the M100).
• Best for total battery with the case → Generic M100 (50 hours versus JLab's 35+ hours).
• Best for sweat and rain → Generic M100 (IPX5 plus a hydrophobic coating; the JLab lists no water-resistance rating).
• Best for sound customization → JLab Go Air Pop+ (app EQ with Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost presets).
• Best for noise reduction → Generic M100 (adaptive noise cancellation; the JLab has none listed).
• Best for a secure in-ear seal → JLab Go Air Pop+ (three gel tips plus expanding Cloud Foam tips).
• Best for pressure-free, all-day comfort → Generic M100 (clip-on C-shape, 5.2g per bud).
• Best for a smaller, more pocketable case → JLab Go Air Pop+ (case is smaller than a credit card).
• Best for a case with extra controls → Generic M100 (touch screen with time, battery, EQ, and find-my-earbud functions).
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the JLab Go Air Pop+. My reasoning is simple: 9+ hours per charge means I'm not babysitting a battery, the app EQ lets me push bass when I want it, and the Cloud Foam tips plus three tip sizes give me a fit I can actually dial in. The smaller-than-a-card case is the kind of detail that matters every single day. The M100 is the smarter pick if your priority is sweat resistance, a clip-on fit, or a case with a screen — but for general listening and calls, I'd go JLab.
Not universally — they're built for different ears. The JLab wins on single-charge battery (9+ hours), app-based EQ, and a compact in-ear fit. The M100 wins on total case battery (50 hours), IPX5 water resistance, and noise cancellation. Match the design to how you'll actually wear them.
The Generic M100, in my opinion. Its IPX5 rating and nano hydrophobic coating are designed for sweat and rain, and the 5.2g clip-on fit won't seal your ears shut while you're moving. The JLab lists no water-resistance rating, so I'd keep it out of heavy sweat sessions.
Yes — it lists adaptive noise cancellation paired with a 16mm dynamic driver. The JLab Go Air Pop+ lists no noise control at all, though its Be Aware mode is the opposite idea: it lets outside sound in on purpose.
Yes, and the page can't quote it for you. Check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page — the two models sit in different design categories, so the value call depends on what's live when you shop.
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