Our Verdict
The Jaws are above-average for most use cases except critical listening. They block a lot of noise so they're a decent option for loud environments and they also barely leak which makes them good headphones to use at the office. They have a stable around-the-neck design, and they're quite comfortable for an in-ear model. Unfortunately, they do not have the best sound, and their build quality feels cheap and plasticky.
- Good noise isolation.
- Minimal leakage.
- Subpar sound quality.
- Cheap and flimsy build.
Sub-par for neutral listening. They have a dark and bass-heavy sound that's muddy and a little boomy. The bass and Mid-Range are overemphasized drowning most instruments and vocals which also lack clarity due to the recessed Treble Range. That and the poor Soundstage caused by their small closed in-ear design makes the sound of the Jaws a bit disappointing for most users but especially for neutral listeners.
Above-average for commuting. They're portable headphones that block a good amount of noise and barely leak. They also have a decent control scheme.
Above-average for sports use. They have an around-the-neck design that's stable when running or jogging. They're lightweight, portable and wireless. However, the in-ear tips do slide a little in the ear canal during strenuous activity, which may not be ideal for all sports.
Good for office use. They block a good amount of office chatter and barely leak at high volumes, so they won't bother your colleagues.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
See our recommendations for the best noise cancelling earbuds, the best cheap earbuds, and the best earbuds with a mic.
The Anker SoundBuds Life are a better neckband headset than the Mpow Jaws 4.1 Wireless. The Anker have a much better build quality that looks and feels more premium, although their cables are still pretty thin and fragile. The Anker also have a much better-balanced sound and a longer lasting battery life. On the other hand, the Mpow are cheaper and have slightly better cable management. The Mpow also isolate better in noisy conditions, and their in-ear fit is a bit more comfortable to wear for long listening sessions than the Anker, although not by much.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The Mpow Jaws have an odd-looking around-the-neck design. They have two plastic casings on the tips of the neckband that house all the electronics and a thin wire frame, covered in a loose rubber coating. Unfortunately, the plastic and rubber used feel low-grade, and the overall build quality is flimsy and looks a bit cheap. On the upside, they have a cool, magnetic slot for the earbuds which prevents them from dangling and getting tangled.
The Jaws are comfortable in-ear headphones as long as you don't mind the around-the-neck design. The earbuds are relatively small, and the default tips do not exert too much pressure within the ear canal. This makes them more comfortable than typical in-ear headphones but the parts of the neckband that house most of the electronics is quite large compared to other around-the-neck designs. It doesn't reduce their comfort level by much, but the neckband is a bit more noticeable on the Jaws than on other similar models (see our recommendations for the best earbuds under $50).
The Mpow Jaws have an efficient control scheme. They provide call/music, track skipping, and volume controls. The buttons are easy-to-use and deliver good tactile feedback. The layout, however, is not the most intuitive but it's straightforward enough that it shouldn't take too long to get used to. The headphones also vibrate when powered on or when pairing which is good feedback but the vibrations can be unusually long.
These headphones are moderately portable. They're a lot larger than typical in-ear headphones because of the neckband design. On the upside, they are not as cumbersome to carry around on your person. They easily rest around the neck and can be tucked under your shirt or outfit. The neckband is also flexible enough that you fold the headphones and put them in your pocket. Unfortunately, they don't come with a case.
The Mpow Jaws feel a bit cheap and plasticky. The neckband is flexible enough that they won't get damaged if you fold them often to carry them in your pocket. They're also lightweight and can easily survive a couple of drops. However, the plastic used for the earbuds and the tips of the neckband feels low grade and may crack relatively easily under enough physical force. They also have exposed audio cables leading to the earbuds that are non-replaceable, feel flimsy and highly susceptible to wear and tear.
The around-the-neck design of these headphones makes them considerably stable. They won't fall from your neck if you run or jog with them but depending on how well the in-ear design fits you, the earbuds may get a little loose during strenuous exercise. Also, the neckband is quite large and if placed under your outfit, the audio cables can get hooked or tangled and pull the earbuds out of your ears.
Excellent frequency response consistency. Like most other in-ear headphones, if the user is able to achieve a proper seal/fit, then their experience of the headphones should be very consistent.
Mediocre Bass Range performance. The response is extended down to 10Hz, which is great. However, low-bass and bass are over our target by more than 4dB, and high-bass is overemphasized by about 8dB. This makes the Bass Range of these headphones quite overpowering and boomy.
Decent Mid Range performance. Low-mid shows 5dB of overemphasis, which is the continuation of the high-bass bump. This makes the sound of these headphones noticeably muddy and cluttered. However, mid and high-mid are virtually flat and well-balanced.
Poor Treble Range performance. The response is relatively inconsistent and under our target. Low-treble, which is responsible for clarity and detail is underemphasised by more than 5dB. Also, treble which is responsible for brightness and presence is lacking by more than 6dB.
Good Isolation performance. Although the Jaws isolate only passively, they achieve more than 7dB of reduction in the Bass Range which is above average. In the Mid and Treble Ranges, they achieve 19dB and 43dB of isolation respectively, both values being good.
Excellent Leakage performance. The significant portion of the leakage is between 700Hz and 2KHz which is a narrow range. However, the overall level of leakage is extremely low and barely audible.
The Jaws have decent 10-hour battery life. It's a bit shorter than average, but it should be enough to get you through a day of casual listening. They also charge relatively fast at 1.7 hours, but they have no power saving features so unless you actively remember to turn off your headphones the battery will continue to drain over time.
No compatible app.
Sub-par latency. The Jaws have about 159ms of latency which is about average for most Bluetooth headphones but not ideal for watching movies. Above 150ms the sync issues between video and audio is noticeable enough to lessen your viewing experience.
