Totally wireless earbuds (TWS) are very cool and convenient to use but they still have their share of headaches. They can run out of charge, fall out of ears and get stepped on or lost, and of course, managing them through all those taps and touches can be a task. Which is why so many of us still go back to our trusty wired earbuds for our routine tasks like calling and casual listening. But even that has become more difficult with 3.5 mm audio jacks on their way out from phones. While USB Type-C earbuds do exist, the budget ones generally come with hefty price tags or fiddly controls, so one either has to shell out a fair amount to get a good pair or try to manage with Type-C to 3.5mm jack dongles that tend to get lost easily. Fortunately, there are earbuds like the JBL Tune 310C around, which deliver very good performance at a surprisingly affordable price. A simple, tangle-free design The JBL Tune 310C have an official price tag of Rs 1499, but are available at prices close to Rs 1,000 on different online and offline stores, with some offers. And they are well worth it. They come in a simple, compact package which might seem a little too basic for some, but then these are buds that are more about function than being flashy. The buds are made of plastic and available in three colours - blue, black and red - and come connected to each other with flat, tangle-free wire. The buds come fitted with medium-sized ear tips, and you also get two other pairs of ear tips (small and large) in that rather basic box. There is no magnetic connectivity between the buds so they do not stick to each other, but both have JBL branding on their backs, which looks classy. Just below the right bud is a small flat panel that contains buttons for playing and pausing audio and also for handling calls. The three buttons ( "+", "." and "-") are clearly marked out, easy to not just read but as the buttons jut out a little, easy to feel as well, so you can use them without needing to look at them. This panel also contains a microphone for calls. The buds with wire weigh a mere 14 grams, so are very easy to carry. Thanks to the tangle-free cable, we were able to bunch them and put them into our trouser pockets, with no fear of having to 'sort' them out later. Plug and play…no pairing or control issues Using them is as easy as plugging them into the Type-C port of any device that supports audio over Type-C (almost all phones and tablets do). We used them without any problems with a MacBook Air, an Asus ExpertBook, a OnePlus 13, an iPad (10th gen) and an iPhone 15. There is no software to install, and while computers do take a few seconds to recognise the buds the first time you plug them in, tablets and phones recognise them straight away. There is no additional software to download or use. The buds need to be pushed into the ears for best results and can fall out from time to time, but are generally comfortable to use. Speaking of usage, there are no taps or presses to worry about - the clicky button panel is all you need and it works well. Good, bass-ic audio with great call handling (and ZERO battery blues) It is their audio quality and ease of use that make the JBL Tune 310C real budget stars. In the best budget JBL tradition, they come with a distinct bass signature, which most users will love, although you really need to put the buds deep into your ears to make the most of it. The 9mm dynamic drivers deliver very impressive volume levels and the audio does not break even at high volumes. There is support for high-resolution audio, which makes these very good for mainstream audio listening, ranging from films to music to podcasts. Overall audio clarity is very good (do not expect a wide soundstage, though), and as these are wired buds, there is no latency while watching videos and playing games. The Tune 310C are wonderful at handling calls too - we could hear the people we were talking to and vice versa very clearly indeed (almost EarPods level and certainly better than any TWS). Finally, there is hardly any battery drain from phones or tablets as compared to Bluetooth TWS. It is not all roses, though. Some people might not be comfortable with the need to push the buds deep into their ears. And even when you do so, noise isolation is not the greatest as external sounds will come in from time to time, so immersive listening is out. One also has to deal with the dangling wire while walking, perhaps JBL should have included an option to clip the wire to a part of our clothing (we wrapped it around a jacket button, but that might not work in summer). Finally, as the buds are plugged into the Type-C port, you cannot charge your phone or tablet while using these. But those are very minor niggles when you consider the comfort and quality that the JBL Tune 310C bring to the audio table. You get the reliability of a wired connection, and audio and call quality that beat most TWS by some distance. All for about a thousand Rupees, We would recommend you buy one of these, even if it is just to keep them as a handy backup for those times when your TWS run out of battery or one of them dies (all too often, alas). They just work.
