Our Verdict
The JBL TUNE 220 are mediocre truly wireless headphones for neutral sound listening. Their sound profile is very bright and they don't have a dedicated companion app to access any EQ settings. On the upside, both their mid and treble ranges are quite accurate and neutral, but unfortunately, their bass is almost non-existent.
- Earbud design may be good for people who dislike the fit of in-ears.
- Decently stable fit.
- Very short battery life with long charge time.
- Sound profile is almost completely lacking in bass.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Fairly cheap look and feel.
The JBL TUNE 220 are sub-par headphones for commuting and travel. Their 2.3-hour battery life is very short, and they take over 1.5 hours to recharge. They also block almost no background noise, so they won't help cut out the rumble of bus or plane engines or block out the chatty person in the seat next to you.
- Earbud design may be good for people who dislike the fit of in-ears.
- Decently stable fit.
- Very short battery life with long charge time.
- Sound profile is almost completely lacking in bass.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Fairly cheap look and feel.
The JBL TUNE 220 are very good sports headphones. Despite not having stability fins, they feel quite stable in the ear and shouldn't fall out during most light workouts or runs. They also block out almost no background noise, which could be good if you like to stay aware of your surroundings while working out. Unfortunately, their sound profile is completely lacking in bass so it won't do much to help keep you pumped up at the gym.
- Earbud design may be good for people who dislike the fit of in-ears.
- Decently stable fit.
- Very short battery life with long charge time.
- Sound profile is almost completely lacking in bass.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Fairly cheap look and feel.
The JBL TUNE 220 are poor headphones for office use. They won't block out chatty coworkers, and they can leak a fair bit of audio if you play music at higher volumes. Their battery life also only lasts 2.3 hours, and they take over 1.5 hours to fully charge, so you'll need to take long breaks without music during your day.
- Earbud design may be good for people who dislike the fit of in-ears.
- Decently stable fit.
- Very short battery life with long charge time.
- Sound profile is almost completely lacking in bass.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Fairly cheap look and feel.
The JBL TUNE 220 aren't recommended for wireless gaming. They aren't compatible with PS4 or Xbox One, and while you can connect them to a Bluetooth-enabled PC, their latency is likely too high for gaming.
The JBL TUNE 220 are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used wired.
The JBL TUNE 220 are sub-par headphones for phone calls. They have an integrated microphone, which means you can easily take calls while on the go, but like most Bluetooth headphones, their microphone's quality is only alright overall. It will also be difficult for the person on the other end of the line to hear you if you're in moderately noisy environment.
- Earbud design may be good for people who dislike the fit of in-ears.
- Decently stable fit.
- Very short battery life with long charge time.
- Sound profile is almost completely lacking in bass.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Fairly cheap look and feel.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 01, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Mar 27, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Mar 23, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Mar 19, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
Unlike most truly wireless in-ears, the JBL TUNE 220TWS have an earbud design similar to the Apple AirPods but feel quite a bit more stable in the ear as they don't slide around as much. Overall, however, there isn't much to make them stand out much over other truly wireless offerings. Check out our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds and the best Bluetooth earbuds.
The Apple AirPods (2nd generation) are better headphones than the JBL TUNE 220TWS Truly Wireless. The Apple are much more comfortable, look and feel much more premium, have a more accurate sound profile with a bit more bass, have a much better battery life, and have some customization options on iOS. On the other hand, the JBL's controls are easier to use and provide better feedback, and they feel much more stable in the ear.
The Apple AirPods Pro are much better truly wireless headphones than the JBL TUNE 220TWS Truly Wireless. The Apple are much more comfortable, have better controls, look and feel much more premium, have a much more accurate and balanced sound profile out of the box, isolate way better thanks to their ANC, have a better battery life, and have some customization options available on Apple devices. On the other hand, the JBL are available in a wide range of colors and have a better microphone.
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 are better wireless earbuds than the JBL TUNE 220TWS Truly Wireless. The Razer have a much more bass-heavy sound profile, though some people may find this overwhelming. They also have a better battery life, a dedicated app with EQ presets, and lower latency. On the other hand, the JBL come in a wider range of colors and have a much better microphone.
The Skullcandy Indy Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the JBL TUNE 220TWS Truly Wireless. The Skullcandy are a bit more comfortable and have a better case, a more balanced and accurate sound profile, much better noise isolation, and a better battery life. On the other hand, some people may prefer the earbud design of the JBL as they don't enter the ear canal as deeply.
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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.
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