If you’re looking for the best single din head unit, you’ve probably heard about the Jensen JCR 311 10-character LCD single din. This DIN is famous for being quite affordable and for its amazing features.
But is it really worth going after? I got my eyes on this head unit and used it for a couple of days. What did I find? You’ll know just that in our detailed Jensen JCR 311 review.
Let’s have a look at the summary of our review before going into details!
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Key Specs
Phone Integration: Android Auto & Apple Car play| Touch Screen: NO| Radio: Yes | Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB, Auxiliary, RCA | Hands-Free calling: Yes| Speaker: Yes | Back Camera: No| Music Streaming: Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio| Voice Assistant: Siri and Google
Our Verdict
Overall, the Jensen JCR 311 10-character LCD single din is a decent head unit for those on a tight budget. It has enough features to let you enjoy your casual music-listening needs. However, if you’re an audiophile who needs to have the DCA, HDMI, and a number of equalizers to fine-tune the sound, then this head unit isn’t for you. You better get your eyes on any other single DIN.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Easy installation
- Decent sound quality
- Simple user interface
Cons
- Limited features
- No touchscreen display
- No WiFi or NFC connectivity
Related: Is Upgrading The Head Unit Worth It?
Detailed Jensen JCR 311 Review
You have gone through the summary, now let’s dive deep into the review and discuss tiny details that most people miss.
Sound Quality
Starting with the sound quality of the Jensen JCR 311-10, I found it to be very good. I mean, with this price range, I wasn’t expecting the sound to be so good. However, it’s still not very good. But if you’re on a budget and want to listen to songs casually, then Jense is the best.
If I talk about the sound features of this head unit, then the Jensen JCR 311 10-character LCD single radio does have an amplifier built-in, as it is necessary to power the internal speaker. However, it does not have sound processing features, preamps, or a DAC.
The best thing about this head unit is its 7 preset Equalisers which make it easier for me to fine-tune the music to my liking.
- Amplifier: Not available
- Equalizer : 7 Preset EQ
- DAC: Available
- Processing Features: 7 Preset EQ Curves (Pop, Jazz, Classic, Beat, Rock, Flat & User
- Preamps: Rear
- Power Output: 200 wattage
Design & Display
I liked the sleek and compact design of the Jensen JCR 311-10, with its black plastic casing and a simple layout of buttons and dials. The buttons on the head unit are also easy to press, except for the track button, which I found quite hard.
If I talk about the display of the head unit, then it’s not so good, to be honest. It’s not readable at all when the sunlight hits it. You get to see the current time, radio frequency, and other basic information on the screen, though.
The screen looks good on the car, but the display becomes quite unreadable when there is too much brightness. Also, the screen is not touch-sensitive, which is okay for the price range you get this head unit for.
- Touch Screen: Not Available
- Durability : It’s made up of plastic.
- Capacitive vs. Resistive: Resistive Screen
- High Brightness for sunlight: 400 nits
Smartphone Integration
When it comes to Jense 311-10 smartphone integration, there isn’t much to talk about. Unfortunately, the Jensen JCR 311 10-character LCD single radio does not have any smartphone integration features such as Android Auto, Apple Airplay, or screen mirroring.
This means that you won’t be able to connect your phone to the radio and access features like music playback, app integration, or voice control. If you want any of these smart integration features specifically, then you might consider buying any other head unit.
While lacking these smart integration features may be a drawback for some users who want a more advanced radio with smartphone integration features, it’s important to note that the Jensen JCR 311 10 radio is designed to be a simple and affordable option for basic listening.
Despite the lack of smartphone integration features, the radio still has some useful functions, such as a built-in alarm clock and sleep timer. It’s also worth mentioning that the radio does have a headphone jack, which allows you to listen to your favorite radio stations or music privately.
- Android Auto/ Apple Airplay : Not supported
- Voice control: Siri or Google assistant
- Wireless: Bluetooth
- Other app Integration : Not available
- Screen Mirroring: Not available
- 2 GB RAM & RAM: It has a backup memory.
Connectivity
The connectivity of the Jensen JCR isn’t so great either. I mean, it has Bluetooth that you can use to play your songs in your car wirelessly, but if you use it for taking calls, then it’s not so great for them.
It’ll keep getting disconnected, and you won’t be able to take your calls. So, if you’re buying this head unit just for taking calls, don’t buy it and consider buying any other head unit.
But, in terms of streaming music, Bluetooth does a great job of that. However, the Jensen JCR 311 10-character LCD single radio does not have advanced connectivity features like WiFi, NFC, or HDMI.
Moreover, it has a USB port to which you can connect a USB flash drive or other USB storage device and play music or other audio content from the device.
This is a useful feature if you have a large collection of digital music files that you want to listen to on the radio. However, it’s important to note that the USB port is not designed for charging devices, so you won’t be able to charge your phone or other devices through the radio.
- Bluetooth: Available
- USB Connectivity: Available
- WiFi: Not Available
- NFC: Not Available
- HDMI: Not Available
Playback Features
The Jensen JCR 311 10-character LCD single radio is a basic radio that is designed for simple and easy listening. It does not offer advanced features like navigation, camera support, or multi-zone audio, and it does not have a touchscreen display.
However, the radio does have some useful features for basic listening. It supports digital media playback from USB drives, and it has a headphone jack for private listening.
It also has compatibility with steering wheel controls, which is a useful feature for those who want to control the radio without taking their hands off the wheel.
The Jensen JCR 311-10 radio does not have backup camera integration or support for adding a camera to the system. It’s important to note that this radio is not designed for use as a backup camera display, and attempting to use it as such could be dangerous.
- Navigation: Available
- Camera Support: Not Available
- Multi-Zone Audio: Not Available
- Digital Media Support: Not Available
- Compatibility with Steering Wheel Controls: Yes, it’s compatible with Steering Wheels
- Backup Camera Integration: Not Available
Ease of Use
The user interface of Jensen JCR 311 10 is simple and straightforward. It displays basic information such as the current date, radio frequency, and so on. Even though it doesn’t have a touchscreen, it can still get your work done.
The display isn’t very readable when the sunlight hits it, which makes it difficult to use in too much brightness.
However, if I talk about the installation, the Jensen JCR 311-10 is very easy to install. I can bet on that. You won’t have any difficulty installing it.
Value for money
Despite the problems with this head unit, I think the Jensen JCR 311-10 is a quite decent head unit.
Because it’s much cheaper than other head units out there and has enough connectivity features and other basic features that can help you listen to your music comfortably, Jensen 311 10 is thus unquestionably worthwhile.
User Review
Jensen JCR 311 has received a total of 374 ratings overall. On Amazon it has received a rating of 4.1 out of 5 from 386 buyers, a rating of 2.3 out of 5 from Walmart and a rating of 5 out of 5 from ebay, which shows it is a good product.
