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AI-generated summary
The Jabra Elite Active 65t are here to replace my old AirPods, which gave up the ghost after just over two years. My main uses for this type of earphone are sport, the office, and out and about. They’re paired with my iPhone X and generally within the Apple ecosystem — including the iPad — though I haven’t tested them with other devices. I haven’t had any pairing issues or dropouts, just the occasional micro-cut while streaming music.
The case
There’s no way to check the case’s charge level. Only a single LED on the underside, so you only find out when it needs charging — no way to anticipate. With the AirPods case you could just check your iPhone and see the charge level.
That’s a weak point for me — before heading away for the weekend you always have to plug them in “just in case”.
The case is tricky to open at first. There’s actually a trick to make it easier: press simultaneously on both sides of the case near the opening. If you use that technique rather than pushing in the middle or trying to pull the lid, you’ll find the case opens immediately.
Pressing in the middle actually ended up separating the inner part, so it wouldn’t close anymore. I had to clip it back together… That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in terms of durability.
The hinge, compared to the AirPods case, feels cheap — the coating is pleasant to the touch but the case as a whole seems fragile.
The earbuds aren’t magnetised inside the case, so they can fall out when you open it. That might seem like a minor detail, but it says a lot about how a product is designed. This kind of thing can ruin a product. That said, I haven’t actually dropped them — but I don’t use them in tough situations like a packed metro, as some of you might.
Ergonomics
Once you’ve found the right ear tip size, it’s genuinely a pleasure — the earphones stay put really well. I’ve done all kinds of activities and couldn’t catch them out: they hold, and hold very well, even when sweating 😅
Another strong point is how discreet they look when you’re wearing them. Compared to AirPods it’s night and day. When you’re running with them in, you can barely notice them. And I love being able to wipe my face with my sleeve mid-run without them falling out! AirPods owners will know exactly what I mean.
The physical control buttons are a real pleasure. I’ve read on various sites that they’re uncomfortable to use because you have to press against your ear… That’s fair, but I’d rather do that than ask Siri to turn the volume up or down — especially when I’m running.
You have full control over everything with the buttons on the earpieces. Being able to adjust the volume on the fly without pulling out my phone is great 📱.
Also worth noting: the Jabra are compatible with all the major voice assistants including Siri — just hold the button on the right earbud for a few seconds to activate it.
These are in-ear earphones, so if you already know what that involves and the usual trade-offs don’t bother you, go for it.
The passive isolation is good. When running you get a kind of aquarium effect, but it fades if you turn the volume up a bit. On the other hand, it’s great to run with when it’s windy — you simply don’t hear the wind. With AirPods, running in the wind is a struggle for me.
One advantage of in-ear earphones is on the bike, even if it’s technically illegal… The Jabra isolate really well on a bike, which makes rides much more enjoyable.
Audio performance
Audio performance is entirely subjective, so here’s my take. Personally, I find the sound neutral — no “wow” factor. I was expecting well-defined, rounded bass, as in-ear earphones are usually remarkable on that front. But here everything is balanced, nothing more. I’ve seen comparisons that put the Bose SoundSport Free first in terms of audio quality.
The companion app, available on iOS and Android, lets you shape the sound however you want — but I’m not really into that. If the sound isn’t good, I don’t think that’s the software’s fault: it’s the hardware.
On this point, where the AirPods had genuinely blown me away, the Jabra leave me wanting more. That said, I wouldn’t dare compare the two — their design philosophies are completely different.
Final word
In conclusion, these earphones are perfect for my use case but less versatile than the AirPods.
For people who aren’t tied to the Apple ecosystem, these are the best value-for-money earphones on the market right now.
What makes me hesitate today is the inability to switch between devices as seamlessly as with AirPods. With the Jabra you can be connected to a maximum of two devices at any one time — beyond that, you need to manually sync them to another device. With AirPods or Beats I can effortlessly switch between iPad, iPhone, and MacBook. Also, Apple manages its ecosystem so well that AirPods have no video/audio sync delay on Apple devices…
For purely sporting use, these earphones are top-notch — in the gym or outdoors, cycling or on foot. The isolation does the job and you’re immersed in the sound without worrying about what’s going on around you. The fit is excellent — these are clearly earphones built for sport.
I’m looking forward to seeing after a few months whether the battery life holds up to what’s advertised — that’s the main weakness of this type of gadget: the battery determines the lifespan of the hardware. Curious to hear your thoughts on that.
Direct competitors:
For the more audiophile-minded, but pricier:
