Plantronics 3100 vs 3150 (2021): Which Wireless Earbud Should You Choose?

Plantronics, or Poly, is a manufacturer of some of the best true wireless earbuds in the market. They have made a name for themselves in the market and their products are well-regarded. The Plantronics 3100 and the Plantronics 3150 are two earbuds from the brand that are quite popular. In this comparison, we’ll take a look at both of them to see how they differ and find out which one is the better choice. We’ll look at their design, sound quality and other features.

Plantronics 3100 vs 3150 Comparison Chart

Design

When it comes to design, they are very similar.

The Plantronics BackBeat Fit 3100 and 3150 are true wireless earbuds that are great for athletes and people that regularly do outdoor physical activities. The hooks are designed so that they go around your ear for a secure fit. Even if you do intensive workouts, you won’t have a problem with the earbuds falling out. They are comfortable to wear so they are great for long sessions in the gym or outside.

As for the ear tips, they both feature the Always Aware ear tips. These tips have an open design, similar to the Apple AirPods. Due to the design, your ear canals are not sealed, allowing you to hear outside noises, thus you are “Always Aware.” If you are using these earbuds outside, this is a great feature because you are not putting yourself in danger by being aware of your surroundings. However, a downside to this is that it doesn’t have the best sound quality.

Sound Quality

The sound for both earbuds are good, there’s not much difference.

The sound that you get with these earbuds, while not exactly great, are still good. Since the ear tips do not seal your ear canal, low frequencies may be lacking but not to the point that they are missing. Bass is still there, its just not as strong as other earphones that have noise isolating ear tips, such as the BackBeat Fit 3200. Mids and highs are clear as the ear tip design does not affect them too much.

Overall, sound quality is still good. If you like your music to be bass-heavy, you will not be satisfied with either the 3100 or the 3150. However, if you don’t particularly care about too much bass and you can settle for a more neutral sound, these two are great.

Connectivity

The 3150 has a more reliable connection.

Both the Plantronics 3100 and 3150 operate via Bluetooth 5.0. They both have an effective range of 30 meters but when it comes to real world performance, the 3100 is lagging behind the 3150. The Plantronics 3150 was able to maintain connection even at 30 meters while the 3100 had some trouble, with one earbud slightly losing connection. However, it did not lose connection completely. The 3150 performs better in this area.

For controls, they feature the same scheme. The left earbud has touch controls for volume. A tap increases the volume while a tap and hold decreases it. You can also change the settings via the BackBeat app if you want to. The right earbud has an analog button. It’s for taking calls and for playback.

Battery Life

The Plantronics BackBeat 3150 has a longer battery life.

Battery life is where these two earbuds are in different leagues. The Plantronics 3100 has a battery life of 5 hours while the 3150 gives you 8 hours. This is a significant difference in battery performance so if you want an earphone that can last longer, the obvious choice is the 3150. As for the soft-shell case, the 3100 case gives you 10 more hours and the 3150 case gives you 16 hours. Again, the 3150 outperforms the 3100.

A quick charge of 15 mins. in the case gives an hour of playback for the 3100. In contrast, a 15 minute charge for the 3150 gives you an hour and a half. If you value a longer battery life, there is no question that you should get the 3150 over the 3100.

Both of these earbuds are compatible with the BackBeat app from Plantronics. If you buy either one of these earbuds, you should definitely download the app as it allows for some customization options.

Verdict

The Plantronics BackBeat 3150 is the better choice.

Looks-wise, there is not much difference between the Plantronics 3100 and the 3150. They are both comfortable and they have a secure fit. Sound quality is also the same as they feature the same drivers as well as ear tips. The Plantronics 3150 separates itself from the 3100 when it comes to connection reliability and battery life. The 3150 has a better Bluetooth connection and a longer battery life. Needless to say, the 3150 is the better choice if you are looking at these two models.

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