Jabra Elite 85t Review: The Best AirPods Pro Alternative
"Small but powerful, the Elite 85t offers impressive performance across the board."
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Very convenient
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Excellent sound quality
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Excellent noise cancellation
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Customizable controls
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Excellent call quality
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Wireless charging
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Average battery life
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No aptX or LDAC
Jabra's $ 180 Elite 75t and $ 200 Elite Active 75t are two of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy. They're comfortable, they sound great, they have decent battery life, and they can withstand a lot of water and dust. Active noise cancellation (ANC) will also be available from October.
Who could ask for more?
Yet more is precisely the goal of the new $ 230 Jabra Elite 85twhich, thanks to a new hybrid ANC system, promise better sound and improved noise suppression. They also aim to end occlusion – the feeling some people get when wearing in-ear earphones, that their ears are filled with cotton.
High goals indeed. Has Jabra succeeded? Let's find out.
What's in the box?
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First, praise for Jabra: The Elite 85t ship in a very small and fully recyclable box. A few tiny plastic labels are left over, but for the most part, it's an exceptionally eco-friendly package.
This box contains the Elite 85t, which is already contained in the charging case, a USB-C charging cable, two sets of silicone earplugs and a small brochure with a security and guarantee print.
design
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Jabra knows that if something isn't broken, you won't fix it. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the hugely successful design of the Elite 75t has been adopted and simply enlarged to accommodate some of the new technology and features.
The charging case is more portable than ever, but now weighs a little more. That's likely because Jabra had to find room not only for the larger 85t earbuds, but also for the wireless charging capability. It's a handy feature that is showing up on more and more real wireless earbuds at varying prices from $ 50 to $ 350. So it's good to see that Jabra hasn't ignored them.
Little known fact: You can actually buy these Elite 75t or Elite Active 75t with a wireless charging case, but only from Jabra.com.
The USB-C port for wired charging is located under the hinge on the back of the case. However, Jabra made a careful decision to move the case's LED display to the front to make it easier to see.
Despite the extra bulk, the earbuds are still amazingly compact. The same single physical button – which I think is the best control system you can find – also returns. Unfortunately, due to its semi-open design, Jabra has not been able to maintain the amazing IP55 and IP57 ratings of the Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t, respectively. The 85t are still IPX4, however, which is good enough for all but the wettest situations and is identical to the AirPods Pro.
Convenience, control and connections
Jabra Elite 85t (left) and Elite 75t Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Jabra Elite 85t (right) and Elite 75t Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Jabra Elite 85t (right) and Elite 75t Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
The Elite 75t sets a new standard for comfort and fit for true wireless earbuds. The 85t are just as comfortable, but their slightly larger shape means they don't fit quite as securely. I've always been very happy with how deep I can put the 75t in my ear canals thanks to its small body and tall tower, but the 85t sits a hair flatter.
The oval-shaped earbuds feel great, but their asymmetrical shape prevents you from twisting the earbuds in your search for the best fit. Oval earplugs can be hit or missed. They're fantastic on the AirPods Pro, but I found them challenging on the 1More Air ANC.
The choice of tip size is therefore even more important, and Jabra only offers three sizes in total. Media usually suits me best, but I've jumped on the big ones to get a better seal.
Switching back and forth between ANC and the HearThrough environment modes can be done instantly.
A good seal is crucial for both sound quality and noise cancellation. It is therefore a bit surprising that Jabra did not offer a test for fitting the earplugs in the Sound + app. These tests that Apple and Amazon use on their earbuds provide an extra level of reassurance that you have the right earbuds for your ears.
The 85t use a semi-open design that allows a small amount of air between your inner ear and the outside world. According to Jabra, this improves comfort by eliminating the pressure build-up that can occur with fully enclosed structures like the Elite 75t. This is also why the 85t is larger than the 75t – semi-open designs require a little more internal volume.
Since air travel is a bit hard to come by at the moment, I couldn't put this special claim to the test. What I can confirm, however, is that the 85t feels a lot more airy than the 75t, and they definitely reduce the feeling of having something in your ear.
As I said above, the controls are amazing. There's a click combo for every function imaginable, including volume and voice assistant access. Switching back and forth between ANC and HearThrough environmental mode can be done instantly with a single click. It's a faster transition than any other ANC earbud I've tried.
Not a fan of how Jabra mapped the controls? Simply jump into the Sound + app and rearrange it as you wish.
My only small point of criticism: With the Elite 75t, pressing buttons is practically powerless and happens regardless of where you place your finger. In contrast, the 85t uses an offset switch. You have to press the part of the button that is closest to the small triangular microphone slot for it to click as effortlessly as the 75t.
Like the Elite 75t before them, the Elite 85t has wear sensors and can automatically pause and resume music if you remove or paste it. It's accurate and incredibly fast.
Pairing the Elite 85t is a breeze. However, if you're an iPhone user, do yourself a favor: don't try to pair them through the Jabra Sound + app as stated in the box. I've never found this technique to work. Instead, just pair them normally in the Bluetooth section of the iOS Settings app and then open the Sound + app.
After pairing, I was surprised to have some really terrible connectivity issues. The left earbud sounded like it had an electrical short circuit, and the right bud wasn't much better. DT Senior Editor Caleb Denison experienced the same thing with his review unit. Oddly, however, it seems very specific in terms of location.
It only happened in my office, where I am surrounded by wireless devices and metal cabinets, and even then only sporadically. I'm pretty sure this won't be a problem for most people, and I expect Jabra will be releasing a firmware fix for it soon.
As with the Elite 75t and most other Jabra wireless headphones, you can pair the 85t with two devices at the same time. It's a great convenience for those of us who hop back and forth between computers and phones, but very few companies offer it (it's called Bluetooth Multipoint). The next thing you'll find is Apple's auto-toggle feature on the AirPods. However, it only works when transferring between two different Apple devices.
Sound quality
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With the Elite 75t models you have the choice between different sound signatures. The normal 75t are huge on bass, while the Active model offers a much more neutral EQ. Both sound really good, but their soundstage is pretty tight and creates a sound that is more “in your head” than outside.
The Elite 85t are simply some of the best sounding true wireless earbuds you can buy right now.
The Elite 85t are much more expansive and also have more details. They offer greater accuracy across the entire EQ spectrum, which allows instruments to be separated from one another. A good example of this is Thomas Newman's Dead Already from the American Beauty Soundtrack. With the Elite 75t, the multiple percussion layers are clear and full, but it's only when you use the Elite 85t that you will notice how tightly the 75t packs these layers. In contrast, the 85t open them directly, letting them take up a much larger space. With that extra space, you can really appreciate Newman's selection in the studio and the textures that selection created.
By default, the 85t have a relatively neutral EQ. You can pump up the bass in the Sound + app for a thunderous low end or increase the highs for more vocal clarity, but I didn't find a need for that either.
Our benchmark for actual wireless performance is the Sony WF-1000XM3. I spent a lot of time hopping back and forth between these earbuds, the AirPods Pro and the 85t. The Elite 85t are incredibly close to the Sony XM3 from an acoustic standpoint, and I think they beat the AirPods Pro in terms of warmth and resonance. In other words, the Elite 85t are simply some of the best sounding true wireless earbuds you can buy right now.
The only thing that could have improved the sound of the 85t would be adding higher quality Bluetooth codecs like aptX, aptX HD or LDAC.
Noise cancellation
ANC on the Elite 85t is excellent.
Since both the Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t have ANC thanks to a recent firmware update, you may be wondering if the 85t is worth spending the extra cash on. In a word: yes.
ANC on the Elite 85t is excellent. It uses a hybrid system of feedforward and feedback microphones (as opposed to the 75t models which only have feedforward microphones). You can use the Sound + app to select exactly the noise cancellation you want. When this setting is set to the maximum, it's just as effective as the AirPods Pro and better than the WF-1000XM3.
But what sets the Elite 85t apart is the complete absence of any floor noise. If you listen carefully when no music is playing, you can usually hear a faint hiss when using ANC. It's noticeable on the WF-1000XM3 and even the AirPods Pro, but the 85t are completely silent.
It also needs to be repeated how quick and easy it is to switch between ANC and HearThrough modes – it's almost instantaneous. The AirPods Pro must be held down to toggle while the XM3 forces you to toggle between ANC on, ANC off, and ambient mode.
Battery life
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The only area that hasn't improved much on the Elite 85t is battery life. It's essentially unchanged from the Elite 75t: you get about seven hours of operation with the ANC off and 5.5 hours with the ANC on. In fact, if you want to be picky, this is 30 minutes less run time than the 75t with ANC off.
Fast charging also remains unchanged. A 15-minute charge adds just one hour to playtime.
By today's standards, these statistics are not much to write home about. However, when you factor in the capacity of the charging case, you can still get a full day out of these buds (19.5 hours with the ANC on, 24 hours with the ANC off). And, to be fair, you have to spend a lot more money to get a lot longer battery life with a set of true wireless earbuds with ANC and great sound.
Call quality
Jabra has always had a reputation for making Bluetooth headsets with great call quality, and the Elite 85t maintains that credibility. The calls were crystal clear and only the loudest traffic or construction noises could keep up with my voice.
HearThrough mode (known as sidetone for phone calls) made my voice sound completely natural at the end of the conversation, which is very important for longer calls as it reduces fatigue.
Our opinion
With the Elite 85t, Jabra has taken its proven wireless earbud formula and made some big improvements. The result is a premium set of noise canceling earphones with premium sound quality and features that make them ideal companions for work, leisure, or travel.
Is there a better alternative?
At that price I don't think so. Sony WF-1000XM3 offer slightly better battery life, but are much larger and bulkier and cannot be charged wirelessly.
While iPhone users may prefer that AirPods Pro I think the Elite 85t sounds better and costs less because of its tight integration with the Apple ecosystem and hands-free Siri access.
How long will they last?
Jabra's products are very well made and the Elite 85t seems no exception. With only IPX4 protection, they won't withstand as much water or dust as the 75t series, but Jabra still gives them a two-year warranty in case something happens. I suspect the 85t will last for many years if used carefully.
Should you buy it?
Yes. The Elite 85t will satisfy your need for comfort, tranquility and sound quality for less money than its closest competitors.
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