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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-22 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• JLab Go Air Pop+ biggest strength: 9+ hours per earbud and 35+ hours total, plus EQ3 sound tuning through the JLab app — a commuter and workday pick.
• JLab Go Air Pop+ biggest trade-off: No active noise cancellation (passive fit only) and IPX4 resistance, which handles sweat and light rain but not heavy splashing.
• RichEast Headphones biggest strength: Dual ANC plus ENC call noise reduction, an ear-hook design for stability, and up to 50 hours total runtime.
• RichEast Headphones biggest trade-off: Shorter single-charge playtime (up to 5 hours per bud) and a bulkier over-ear-hook shape that isn't as pocket-friendly.
• Pick JLab Go Air Pop+ if you want slim, low-profile buds for commuting, calls and all-day listening.
• Pick RichEast Headphones if you want noise cancellation and a secure sport fit for gym, running and cycling.
The Go Air Pop+ is built around stamina and simplicity. JLab rates it at 9+ hours per earbud and 26+ hours from the case, for 35+ hours total. In my opinion, that's the headline number here: it means a full workweek of commutes on a single case charge, which is exactly the kind of routine these buds are designed around. The case is described as smaller than a credit card and charges over an integrated USB-C cable, with 10 minutes of charging buying roughly an hour of playtime.
Sound is customizable rather than fixed. EQ3 gives you three signatures — Signature, Bass Boost and Balanced — and you can switch them and remap touch controls in the JLab app. That's genuinely useful if you bounce between bass-heavy playlists and spoken-word podcasts. Each bud carries a MEMS mic for calls, Dual Connect lets you run either earbud solo, and Bluetooth 5.3 handles pairing with iOS, Android and PC. You also get Be Aware Mode for letting ambient sound in, Google Fast Pair for quick Android pairing, and a 2-year JLab warranty.
Who should skip it: if you want active noise cancellation, this isn't it — the noise control field is listed as none, so isolation comes from the tips alone. And IPX4 covers sweat and light rain, not full water exposure, so it's not the call for heavy outdoor training in the rain. The 6mm dynamic driver and 20Hz–20kHz range are modest on paper; this is a lifestyle bud, not an audiophile one.
RichEast Headphones: Who It's For
The RichEast buds are designed around sport and noise control. The shape is the giveaway: an in-ear bud with an ear hook, so the fit wraps around the ear instead of relying purely on tip pressure. RichEast calls it lightweight and pressure-free, and for running, cycling, gym work and hiking, that hook design is the whole point — the buds stay put when you're moving. It's IPX5 rated for sweat and splash resistance, one step up from IPX4 in water handling, which suits workouts and commuting in wet weather.
The second differentiator is noise cancellation. These have dual ANC for blocking ambient noise plus ENC for call noise reduction, and ANC modes are switchable from the touch controls. If you commute on noisy transit or work out in a loud gym, that's a real functional gap between the two products. Audio is tuned for balanced performance with emphasized bass, running through a 32-ohm impedance and what RichEast describes as 6th-generation directional audio with anti-leak technology for a stereo effect.
Battery works differently here. Each bud gives up to 5 hours on a charge, but the case pushes total runtime to 50 hours, and a full recharge of the case takes about an hour. There's also an LED digital display showing the battery level of both the buds and the case — a small thing, but handy when you're heading out and don't want to guess. Bluetooth 6.0 covers phones, tablets and laptops, and RichEast notes no software download is needed to pair. A 2-year manufacturer warranty applies.
Who should buy it: runners, gym-goers, cyclists and hikers who need a stable fit, want ANC, and care more about total runtime across the case than about hours per single charge. Also a good fit for commuters who want active noise blocking.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for battery life per earbud → JLab Go Air Pop+ (9+ hours per bud vs up to 5 hours).
• Best for total battery with the case → RichEast Headphones (50 hours vs 35+ hours).
• Best for noise cancellation → RichEast Headphones (dual ANC plus ENC; JLab lists no active noise control).
• Best for secure sport fit → RichEast Headphones (ear-hook design built for running and gym work).
• Best for water resistance → RichEast Headphones (IPX5 vs IPX4), though both handle sweat.
• Best for pocketable, low-profile wear → JLab Go Air Pop+ (smaller buds; case smaller than a credit card).
• Best for sound customization → JLab Go Air Pop+ (EQ3 presets and app control vs a fixed tuning).
• Best for quick top-ups → JLab Go Air Pop+ (about an hour of playtime from a 10-minute charge).
• Best for single-bud use and calls → JLab Go Air Pop+ (Dual Connect plus a MEMS mic in each bud).
In my opinion, the right buy depends entirely on where you'll wear them. If your listening happens on commutes, at a desk, on calls and around the house, I'd take the JLab Go Air Pop+ — the 9+ hours per bud, tiny case, EQ3 tuning and single-bud flexibility fit that routine better than anything else here.
If your listening happens while you're moving — running, lifting, cycling, sweating — I'd take the RichEast Headphones. The ear hooks, the IPX5 rating and the active noise cancellation are features the JLab buds simply don't offer. Neither is universally better; they're built for different days.
RichEast, in my opinion. The ear-hook design is specifically made to stay in place during running, cycling and gym work, and it carries an IPX5 sweat and splash rating versus IPX4 on the JLab buds.
RichEast has dual ANC plus ENC call noise reduction. The JLab Go Air Pop+ lists no active noise control, so its isolation comes from the ear tips and its Be Aware Mode is about letting sound in, not blocking it.
Per earbud, the JLab Go Air Pop+ (9+ hours) outlasts RichEast (up to 5 hours). Across the full case, RichEast wins at 50 hours total versus 35+ hours on the JLab.
Both are budget-friendly options, and value depends on whether you prioritize ANC and a sport fit (RichEast) or app-tuned sound and longer per-bud playtime (JLab). Check the current price on Amazon for each before deciding, since that's the number that will tip it either way.
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