Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless  Headphones Review

Reviewed Mar 03, 2020 at 08:13am
Writing modified Sep 14, 2021 at 03:44pm
Tested using Methodology v1.4 
Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless

Track

0.0
Mixed Usage 
0.0
Neutral Sound 
0.0
Commute/Travel 
0.0
Sports/Fitness 
0.0
Office 
0.0
Wireless Gaming 
0.0
Wired Gaming 
0.0
Phone Calls 

Track

 0

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless are the third generation of E8 headphones. These premium in-ear headphones are quite versatile. While they're not as comfortable as the previous model, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 2.0 Truly Wireless 2019, the 3.0 have a much longer single-charge battery life and more charges in the case. Their warm sound profile is also fairly well-balanced and should be well-suited to a wide variety of genres. Whether you're out on a light run or commuting to work, their sleek and small design makes them a solid choice for those on the go.

Our Verdict

0.0
Mixed Usage 

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are decent for mixed usage. These premium, truly wireless earbuds have a warm sound profile. When you're commuting, they won't reduce much noise from engine rumbles. However, in the office, their passive noise isolation will block out some chatter. These earbuds also aren't gaming headphones: you can't use them on the PS4 or Xbox One, and their high latency makes watching videos or playing games on PC frustrating.

Pros
  • Sleek and lightweight.
  • Improved battery life of 6.6 hours with an additional charge in the case.
  • Case supports Qi wireless charging.
Cons
  • Reduced passive noise isolation.
  • Treble-heavy sound.
0.0
Neutral Sound 

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are okay for neutral sound. They're generally balanced, but users may not enjoy the contrasting treble, which is both veiled and sharp. The bass is consistent, but it lacks body, and the mid-range can be a little muddy. However, if you want to customize the default sound profile, you can use the TouchTone EQ in their companion app.

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Commute/Travel 

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are good for commute and travel. They don't reduce low noise like plane or bus engines but fare much better at reducing voices. They're also decently comfortable and are quite portable as they fit into most pockets. Their battery life should also be enough to get you from point A to B if you commute. If you're on a long-haul flight, the charging case provides four additional charges if you need just a little more juice before you land.

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Sports/Fitness 

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are great for sports and fitness. Slightly less comfortable than their previous generation but just as stable and portable, they're a good choice whether you're running outside or working out at the gym. However, just like previous models, they don't have an IP rating for water resistance, although we don't test for that.

0.0
Office 

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are alright for the office. Their passive noise isolation performance might not be great for low rumbling sounds like bus engines, but it does a good job for voices, meaning you can tune out most office chatter. The battery life also requires you to take a break from listening to your audio to recharge them.

0.0
Wireless Gaming 

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are truly wireless earbuds, and you can't use them with either the PS4 or Xbox One. You can use them on PC via Bluetooth, but they aren't recommended for gaming due to their mediocre microphone and high latency that could easily disrupt your MMO raid just before the final push.

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Wired Gaming 

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are Bluetooth-only headphones that you can't use wired.

0.0
Phone Calls 

The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are alright for phone calls. Their microphone struggles to separate your voice from background noise, and overall, your voice sounds thin. However, you should still be understandable to whoever's on the other line.

  • 0.0
    Mixed Usage
  • 0.0
    Neutral Sound
  • 0.0
    Commute/Travel
  • 0.0
    Sports/Fitness
  • 0.0
    Office
  • 0.0
    Wireless Gaming
  • 0.0
    Wired Gaming
  • 0.0
    Phone Calls
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Mar 03, 2020: Review published.
    2.  Updated Feb 26, 2020: Early access published.
    3.  Updated Feb 26, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
    4.  Updated Feb 23, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.

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    Popular Headphones Comparisons

    Comparison picture

    The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 are the third generation of Bang & Olufsen E8 headphones, following the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 Truly Wireless 2018 and the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 2.0 Truly Wireless 2019. Similar to but slightly improving on the 2.0, they have increased battery life and their case includes an additional charge. Their warm sound profile can also be customized using the companion app's 5-band EQ.

    If you're looking for other options, check out our recommendations for the best truly wireless earbuds and best sounding wireless earbuds.

    Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless

    Track

    The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better earbuds than the Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless. The Jaybird are designed for sport and while we don't test this, they have an IPX7 rating for water resistance while the Bang & Olufsen don't have an IP rating at all. However, if you take a lot of calls, the Bang & Olufsen have a better microphone. They also have a longer battery life, although they don't have an auto-off timer like the Jaybird.

    Apple AirPods Pro

    Track

    The Apple AirPods Pro are better, more versatile Bluetooth earbuds than the Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless. The Apple have a more balanced treble reproduction, a great active noise cancelling feature, and a more comfortable design. However, the Bang & Olufsen last longer on a single charge, and they leak less sound but feel less fully-featured overall.

    Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 2.0 Truly Wireless 2019

    Track

    The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 2.0 Truly Wireless 2019 are the previous generation of the Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless. While similar, the 2.0 feel more comfortable and isolate background noise better than the 3.0. Their case feels more stable and is less likely to open on its own. The 3.0 have increased battery life, and their case also includes one more charge.

    Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless

    Track

    The Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless are similar to the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless. While the Bose are smaller, they also have worse controls. If you want a more neutral sound, the Bose are relatively more consistent in sound reproduction. However, you can't customize the Bose's sound, unlike the Bang & Olufsen who have a ToneTouch EQ in their app.

    Show more 
    How We Test Headphones: Over 800 And Counting!
    How We Test Headphones: Over 800 And Counting!

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    You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    TypeLockedIn-ear
    EnclosureLockedClosed-Back
    WirelessLockedTruly Wireless
    TransducerLockedDynamic

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    0.0
    Comfort
    WeightLockedLock lbs
    Clamping Force
    LockedLock lbs

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    0.0
    Controls
    OS Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Ease Of UseLockedLocked
    FeedbackLockedLocked
    Call/Music ControlLockedLocked
    Volume ControlLockedLocked
    Microphone ControlLockedLocked
    Channel Mixing
    LockedLocked
    Noise Cancelling ControlLockedLocked
    Talk-Through
    LockedLocked
    Additional ControlsLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Portability
    LLockedLock"
    WLockedLock"
    HLockedLock"
    VolumeLockedLock in³
    Transmitter RequiredLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Case
    TypeLockedLocked
    LLockedLock"
    WLockedLock"
    HLockedLock"
    VolumeLockedLock in³

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    0.0
    Build Quality

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    0.0
    Stability

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    Headshots 1
    Headshots 2
    Top
    In The Box

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    Sound
    Sound Profile
    Bass Amount
    LockedLock dB
    Treble Amount
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Frequency Response Consistency
    Avg. Std. Deviation
    LockedLock dB

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    Raw Frequency Response
    0.0
    Bass Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Frequency Extension
    LockedLock Hz
    Low-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    High-Bass
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Mid Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    High-Mid
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Treble Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    High-Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Peaks/Dips
    Peaks
    LockedLock dB
    Dips
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Imaging
    Weighted Group Delay
    LockedLock
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    LockedLock

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    0.0
    Passive Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    LockedN/A
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    LockedN/A
    PRTF Distance
    LockedN/A
    Openness
    Locked
    0.0
    Acoustic Space Excitation
    Locked
    0.0

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    0.0
    Virtual Soundstage
    Head Modeling
    LockedLocked
    Speaker Modeling
    LockedLocked
    Room Ambience
    LockedLocked
    Head Tracking
    LockedLocked
    Virtual Surround
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    WHD @ 90
    LockedLock
    WHD @ 100
    LockedLock

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    Test Settings
    Firmware
    LockedLocked
    Power
    LockedLocked
    Connection
    LockedLocked
    Codec
    LockedLocked
    EQ
    LockedLocked
    ANC
    LockedLocked
    Tip/Pad
    LockedLocked
    Microphone
    LockedLocked

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    Isolation
    0.0
    Noise Isolation
    Isolation Audio
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    Overall Attenuation
    LockedLock dB
    Noise CancellingLockedNo
    Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Leakage
    Leakage Audio
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    Overall Leakage @ 1ft
    LockedLock dB

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    Microphone
    Microphone Style
    Integrated
    LockedLocked
    In-Line
    LockedLocked
    Boom
    LockedLocked
    Detachable Boom
    LockedLocked
    MicLockedYes

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    0.0
    Recording Quality
    Recorded Speech
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    LFE
    LockedLock Hz
    FR Std. Dev.
    LockedLock dB
    HFE
    LockedLock Hz
    Weighted THD
    LockedLock
    Gain
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Noise Handling
    Speech + Pink Noise
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    Speech + Subway Noise
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    SpNR
    LockedLock dB

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    Active Features
    0.0
    Battery
    Battery Type
    LockedLocked
    Continuous Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Additional Charges
    LockedLock
    Total Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Charge Time
    LockedLock hrs
    Power-Saving Feature
    LockedLocked
    Audio While Charging
    LockedLocked
    Passive Playback
    LockedLocked
    Charging PortLockedLocked

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    0.0
    App Support
    App NameLockedLocked
    iOSLockedLocked
    AndroidLockedLocked
    macOSLockedLocked
    WindowsLockedLocked
    Equalizer
    LockedLocked
    ANC Control
    LockedLocked
    Mic ControlLockedLocked
    Room Effects
    LockedLocked
    Playback Control
    LockedLocked
    Button MappingLockedLocked
    Surround Support
    LockedLocked

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    Connectivity
    0.0
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth Version
    LockedLocked
    Multi-Device Pairing
    LockedLocked
    NFC Pairing
    LockedLocked
    Line Of Sight Range
    LockedLock ft
    PC Latency (SBC)
    LockedLock ms
    PC Latency (aptX)
    LockedLock ms
    PC Latency (aptX HD)
    LockedN/A
    PC Latency (aptX-LL)
    LockedN/A
    iOS Latency
    LockedLock ms
    Android Latency
    LockedLock ms

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    0.0
    Non-Bluetooth Wireless
    Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
    LockedN/A
    Non-BT Latency
    LockedN/A

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    0.0
    Wired
    Analog Audio
    LockedLocked
    USB Audio
    LockedLocked
    DetachableLockedLocked
    LengthLockedN/A
    ConnectionLockedLocked
    Analog/USB Audio Latency
    LockedN/A

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    PC / PS4 Compatibility
    PC/PS4 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PC/PS4 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PC/PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked

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    Xbox One Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Base/Dock
    Type
    LockedLocked
    USB Input
    LockedLocked
    Line In
    LockedLocked
    Line Out
    LockedLocked
    Optical Input
    LockedLocked
    RCA Input
    LockedLocked
    Dock Charging
    LockedLocked
    Power Supply
    LockedLocked

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