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Jabra Elite wireless earbuds: Gen 2 Elite 10, Elite 8 Active and more explained
In This Article
With the surprise news that Jabra is exiting the consumer headphone market, if you’ve eyeing up a pair of Jabra true wireless, now is a great time to jump in.
The popular Elite range will begradually wound down over time, but the new Elite 10 Gen 2 and the Elite 8 Active Gen look to be the last true wireless pair that we’ll be seeing from Jabra.
Whether you need a true wireless for leisure, work, or high intensity workouts, Jabra has a pair for you; with the Elite series incorporating all of Jabra’s know-how from its workplace headphones.
The series was revamped in 2021 to include new fitness buds and mid-range options, and Jabra has kept adding more options with the Gen 2 Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active the latest models.
With so many to choose from, we’ve rounded up all the Jabra true wireless to give you an idea of what they do, which one suits you best and how much they cost. We’ve also provided links to reviews for more detail on their performance.
Starting from the top and making our way down, here is Jabra’s true wireless range explained in full.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2
The Elite 10 Gen 2 are the souped up version of previous model, extracting more performance out of the new platform Jabra created for the original Elite 10. Improvements extend to refinement of the noise-cancellation/HearThrough performance and improved spatial audio, as well as the new smart case that can retransmit audio from a wired source wirelessly to the earphones.
Otherwise everything carries over from the Elite 10 with no downgrades in spec. You also get a few new colours with soft white and denim finishes. The price has gone up by £30 in the UK.
Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2
Jabra’s made a few alterations with the Elite 8 Active Gen 2, with the most noticeable change if you compare it to the previous model being that it is smaller in size. That should assist with the fit and keeping it secure during runs and workouts.
Otherwise, like the Elite 10 Gen 2, improvements have been made to the noise-cancellation (which is stronger) and the spatial audio (which benefits from improved tuning). There’s also the LE Audio smart case for retransmitting audio from wired sources (say the audio system on an airplane) wirelessly to earphones. The price for this model has gone up by £30 over theElite 8 Active‘s RRP
Jabra Elite 10
The Elite 10 effectively replaces theElite 85tas the premium option for daily use. It boasts Jabra’s most advanced noise-cancellation and wind-neutralising HearThrough to reduce the effects of wind noise when the transparency mode is activated.
The IP rating is much more durable at IP57, and though it mentions hands-free support for voice assistants there’s no mention of built-in voice control for the likes ofAmazon Alexa. Dolby Atmos with head tracking helps to deliver a more immersive audio performance.
It also supports Jabra’s ComfortFit for a comfortable wearing experience, its semi-open design aims to relieve ear pressure for a less fatiguing fit.
With the Elite 10 Gen 2 model available, the price of the original has been reduced by about £50.
Jabra Elite 8 Active
The Jabra Elite 8 Active are built to be one of the toughest and rugged wireless earphones on this planet.
You get improved waterproofing and dustproofing (the Elite 8 Active pass the US Military Standard for ruggedised electronics (810H) and Jabra’s own HACT tests (Highly Accelerated Corrosion Testing)), more microphones for clearer call quality, spatial sound powered by Dolby and Adaptive noise-cancellation
The inclusion of Jabra’s Shakegrip that offers an improved fit for workouts covers the entire earbud surface.Spatial audio powered by Dolby is included, though the Elite 8 Active lacks the head-tracking in the Elite 10.
With the Sound+ app there’s the opportunity to tinker with the EQ settings in the app and customise other features. The active noise-cancellation performance is adaptive which means it changes based on the levels of noise it detects around the wearer.
Jabra Elite 85t
The oldest of the Elite true wireless range having launched all the way back in 2020. The Elite 85t still viewed as the premium option within the series, though some of its features aren’t as advanced as the latest Elite buds, with its lack of aptX Bluetooth and weakerIP rating. However, it offers hybrid noise cancellation, which is better than the ANC in the less expensive buds.
The sound quality is better too, offering more detail, clarity, and dynamism over theElite 5andElite 7 Pro. Price fluctuates depending on the finish, but at the moment the Elite 85t ranges from as low as £130 to as high as £190.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro
The Elite 7 Pro are 16 per cent smaller than their predecessors theElite 75t, which when they launched were Jabra’s smallest earbuds. They’ve managed this by looking at their own database of 62,000 unique ear scans to create a map of the average human ear to redesign the earbud.
There’s more battery life despite the smaller form due to Jabra re-arranging the internals of the wireless charging case. Wireless charging and fast charging are supported. The case is not up to the same IP57 standards as the earbuds.
The Elite 7 Pro are a solid if unspectacular pair of earbuds that give up some audio and noise-cancelling performance to theElite 85t. The fit is excellent, the IP rating is strong, and the noise-cancellation is effective. If you prefer your music to sound uncoloured and towards the neutral side of the spectrum, then the Elite 7 Pro are a pair to consider.
Elite 7 Active
The Jabra Elite 7 Active replaceElite 75T Active, tailored to the workout regimen of very sporty people. It’s cheaper by about £30 than the Pro model. Other than the omission of the Multisensor Voice technology, the Active model is almost identical to theElite 7 Pro.
The inclusion of Jabra’s Shakegrip offers improved fit for workouts, while for the runners out there, the microphone mesh is stated to remove wind noise from calls whilst also helping to boost audio performance.
Tinker with the EQ settings in the app and you can get a great sound from the Elite 7 Active, though like the Elite 7 Pro you might consider them a little bland and neutral out of the box. The active noise-cancellation performance is good, and the ShakeGrip tech helps to keep the buds in the ear well. They’re one of the best earphones forfitness-relatedactivity.
Elite 5
The Elite 5 are siblings to the Elite 7 Pro. Like the rest of the true wireless buds in this guide, they offer a comfortable fit and physical buttons that ensure you won’t get any sort of non-compliance from the Elite 5’s controls.
They offer hybrid noise-cancellation, which is actually a step up from theElite 7 Proand offers stiffer protection against outside sounds. You also get the HearThrough mode to pass external sounds through to the ear. You do get better against dust and small particles with the Elite 7 Pro’s IP57 protection against the Elite 5’s IP55. You can read more about the differences between the two inour comparison article.
The main difference here is the Elite 5 offer a richer-sounding audio performance, and they’re cheaper too. If you favour a bassier sounding true wireless that can cancel noise more effectively, the Elite 5 is one to get over the Elite 7 Pro.
Elite 4 Active
The Elite 4 Active functions within the line-up in a similar manner as the Elite 7 Active, offering an alternative, fitness-based earbud but at a more affordable price.
You still get the same HearThrough tech that provides users with more awareness of their surroundings, and there’s plenty of convenient features such as listening with a single earbud and Spotify Tap support. Battery life matches the Elite 3 with 7 hours on a single charge and 28 in total, though in terms of charging all you get is USB-C (and fast charging support.
Though it loses out on features seen in the Elite 7 Active, which isn’t a surprise, it’s another solid pair of earphones to use for workouts.
Elite 4
The Elite 4 replace theElite 3, which are still available at a reduced price.
They offer a range of upgrades over the Elite 3, including the presence of active noise-cancellation and Bluetooth multipoint support for connecting to two devices at once. The ANC included here is the feed-forward version, so it’s not as powerful as the hybrid version present on more expensive wireless earbuds.
The IP rating isIP55, matching that of the Elite 3, and there’s 22 hours of battery life included (28 without ANC), with each holding 5.5 hours of charge. You also getaptX Bluetoothcompatibility for audio, which is not often supported at this price point.
Elite 3
The entry-level or ‘core’ model is the Elite 3, which has been replaced by the Elite 4 but is still available. Priced at less than £100, which at the time of launch made them the most affordable earbud within Jabra’s Elite range.
There’s no noise cancellation but there is a HearThrough mode for environmental awareness. They’re primarily intended to have a richer, bass-heavy sound through their 6mm drivers, but the audio can be customised with the Sound+ app’s equaliser. Call quality is aided by 4-microphone array, while the Elite 3 featuresaptX Bluetoothsupport.
The IP rating drops to a still considerable IP55 that protects it against dust and water. Alexa is built-in for assistance while there’s also the convenience of one-touch Spotify playback andGoogle Fast Pairwith Android devices. The case doesn’t support wireless charging.
We very much enjoyed the rich audio these earphones presented, giving them a 4.5 star review. They’re likely to be discounted in price now that theElite 4are available.
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Kob began his career at What Hi-Fi?, starting in the dusty stockroom before rising up the ranks to join the editorial and production team as the Buyer’s Guide editor. Experienced in both magazine and …
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Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
