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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want true wireless earbuds for workouts, commutes and all-day phone use, choose JLab Go Air Pop; if you need lightweight wired on-ear headphones for long desk sessions, travel and zero charging anxiety, choose JVC HAS160B. These two aren't really rivals fighting for the same pocket — they're two different answers to the question "how do I want to listen?" One cuts the cord and adds a mic; the other keeps the cord and adds a headband. The right pick comes down to whether you value freedom from cables or freedom from batteries.
• JLab Go Air Pop — biggest strength: Fully wireless with Bluetooth 5.3, Dual Connect (use either bud alone), touch controls, EQ3 sound modes and a built-in mic for calls.
• JLab Go Air Pop — biggest trade-off: It's an in-ear design that depends on battery power, so you'll be charging the case regularly, and the IPX4 rating only covers sweat and light rain — not swimming or heavy downpours.
• JVC HAS160B — biggest strength: A rugged stainless-steel headband with a flat foldable design, 30mm Neodymium drivers and soft on-ear pads for long, comfortable listening sessions.
• JVC HAS160B — biggest trade-off: It's wired with a 3.5mm jack and has no microphone, so it's useless for phone calls and won't pair with phones that lack a headphone jack.
• Who each pick is for: JLab Go Air Pop is for the person who wants wireless convenience and call capability; JVC HAS160B is for the person who wants simple, dependable, charge-free listening.
The Go Air Pop is built around convenience. Bluetooth 5.3 keeps the connection stable across iOS, Android and PC, and Dual Connect means you can pull one bud out and keep listening or take a call with the other ear free. Each bud has a MEMS microphone, so calls are handled without reaching for your phone. The touch controls cover volume, track skipping, play/pause, answering calls and summoning your voice assistant — all without touching the phone itself.
Battery is the headline here. You get roughly 9 hours per earbud plus a USB-C charging case that adds more, for well over a day of listening between charges — enough to cover a full workweek of commutes if you're a moderate listener. The buds are 15% smaller than the previous generation and IPX4 rated, which is fine for sweat and light rain. Three gel tip sizes (S/M/L) let you dial in a secure fit, and the JLab App lets you adjust EQ and remap touch controls. EQ3 gives you three sound signatures — Signature, Bass Boost and Balanced — so you can shift between podcast clarity and bass-heavy playlists. A 2-year warranty rounds it out.
Who should buy it: commuters, gym-goers, students and anyone who takes calls on the move and wants one pair of buds to handle everything. Who should skip it: if you hate charging things, or you want over-ear isolation for long focused work, the Go Air Pop's in-ear, battery-dependent design won't be your favorite.
The HAS160B is the opposite philosophy: no battery, no pairing, no app. You plug the 3.5mm jack into your device and it works. The flat foldable design means it collapses down to slip into a bag, which makes it a genuinely easy travel companion. The stainless-steel headband is adjustable and built to take everyday abuse, so it holds up better than you'd expect from something this light.
Audio comes from 30mm Neodymium driver units with a frequency range of 12–24,000Hz and 32-ohm impedance. In plain terms, that's a dynamic, bass-forward tuning with crisp highs — the kind of sound that suits music, podcasts and video without much fuss. The soft earpads do double duty: they provide sound isolation and stay comfortable for extended listening, which matters if you wear headphones for hours at a desk. Because it's wired, there's no latency and no charging — you just plug in and go.
Who should buy it: desk workers, students, travelers and anyone who wants dependable wired listening without babysitting a battery. Who should skip it: if you need wireless freedom, call capability or a mic, the HAS160B simply doesn't do those things — it's a listening-only, wired product.
• Best for wireless freedom → JLab Go Air Pop. Bluetooth 5.3 and Dual Connect mean no cable tethering you to your device.
• Best for calls and voice assistants → JLab Go Air Pop. Each bud has a MEMS mic, and voice assistant access is built in.
• Best for all-day battery → JLab Go Air Pop. Roughly 9 hours per bud plus case charging beats anything a wired headphone can offer in terms of untethered runtime.
• Best for zero charging hassle → JVC HAS160B. Wired means it never dies on you.
• Best for long desk or study sessions → JVC HAS160B. Soft on-ear pads and a stainless-steel adjustable headband are made for extended wear.
• Best for travel and packing → JVC HAS160B. The flat foldable design slips into a bag easily; the Go Air Pop's case adds bulk but protects the buds.
• Best for workouts and light rain → JLab Go Air Pop. IPX4 sweat resistance and three gel tip sizes give it the edge for movement.
• Best for tuning your sound → JLab Go Air Pop. EQ3 and the JLab App let you switch between Signature, Bass Boost and Balanced.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity → JVC HAS160B. No pairing, no app, no firmware — just a 3.5mm jack.
In my opinion, the JLab Go Air Pop is the better pick for most people in 2026, because wireless convenience, call capability and EQ control cover more everyday situations than a wired on-ear can. But if your priority is battery-free reliability and you mostly listen at a desk or while traveling, I'd choose the JVC HAS160B without hesitation — it does one job and does it simply. If you're torn, buy for your main use case, not for the spec sheet. And before you decide, check the current price on Amazon, since that's often what tips the scales.
They serve different needs, so "better" depends on use. JLab Go Air Pop wins on wireless freedom, calls and EQ customization. JVC HAS160B wins on battery-free reliability, long-wear comfort and plug-and-play simplicity.
JLab Go Air Pop has a battery — roughly 9 hours per bud plus case charging. JVC HAS160B has no battery at all; it runs off whatever device you plug it into, so it never needs charging but always needs a cable.
No. The JVC HAS160B is a wired on-ear headphone with no microphone, so it's for listening only. If you need call capability, the JLab Go Air Pop is the right choice here.
JLab Go Air Pop. It's IPX4 rated for sweat and light rain, comes with three gel tip sizes for a secure fit, and has no cable to snag on equipment. The JVC HAS160B is better suited to stationary listening.
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