Jabra Elite Active 65t review: The Jabra Elite Active 65t offers durable design, better audio, and enhanced call quality when compared to the AirPods.
Although Apple dominates the truly wireless headphone segment, Denmark-based Jabra believes its latest Elite Active 65t wireless earbuds are a much better option for outdoor enthusiasts. Unlike Jabra’s Elite 65t, the Active 65t are sweat-resistant, thanks to an added IP56 rating. Jabra claims you will get a great battery life, a secure enough fit for running, and better sound too. Does Jabra’s Elite Active 65t live up to its promise? Let’s find out in our review.
Jabra Elite Active 65t review price in India: Rs 14,990
Jabra Elite Active 65t review: What’s in the box?
Jabra Elite Active 65t’s retail box includes a pair of headphones, a charging case, a small user guide, and a micro USB charging cable. The medium-sized rubber tips come installed on the headphones. Two different ear tip sizes — small and large — are also included.
Jabra Elite Active 65t review: Setup and app
Setting up the Elite Active 65t is an easy task. All you need to do is put the earphones in your ears, and press and hold the right earbud for about three seconds. From there, just follow the audio instructions.
The Jabra Sound+ app for your smartphone (iOS or Android) lets you alter the experience a bit. The app allows you to change equaliser settings, control the level of ambience when using HearThrough, and more. I paired the Elite Active 65t with both the iPhone 5c and OnePlus 6.
Jabra Elite Active 65t review: Design and features
The Elite Active 65t looks like the original Elite 65t, although I found the latest headphones have a slightly more grippier finish. My review unit came in Copper Blue colour tone with a copper exterior. They are accompanied by a matching charging case with a soft touch finish. The charging case is small enough to fit in my pocket, and has an LED charge indicator and micro USB charging port on the bottom.
Each earbud has one button. The entire outside on the right earbud has a gold coating, which is essentially a single button that can be used for playing, pausing, skipping and answering calls. A double press of the right earbud will toggle the ambient noise HearThrough option. And when you press and hold this button, you will be able to select the voice assistant of your choice, including Amazon Alexa (still not available), Siri, or Google Assistant. On the left earbud, you will find the same single button which when pressed can be used from forward or backward side to control volume.
The Jabra Elite Active 65t are designed for runners or people working out. Its IP56-rated design makes them splash-resistant and dust-resistant. Apple AirPods, in comparison, are not water-resistant. The Elite Active 65t fit perfectly in your ears and don’t fall out, making them as secure as any other true wireless earphones that I have tested.
Jabra Elite Active 65t review: Sound quality and battery life
The audio quality is excellent, something I was not expecting initially. Play a title like Beat It by Michael Jackson, the earbuds offer crisp vocals – even Bass has punch. While they can’t match the audio output provided by Bose SoundSport Free, they come very close. Call quality on the Elite Active 65t sounds better, especially in a noisy environment. This is possible because there are four microphones built into each earbud that filter out ambient sound.
Elite Active 65t does support Bluetooth 5.0 connection, which guarantees you a more stable wireless connection with fewer drops. However, keep in mind that not all phones currently support Bluetooth 5.0 technology.
Battery life lasts five hours, with a carrying case you will get about two more additional charges. In case with the AirPods, the charging case can deliver up to 24 hours of charge, which translates to roughly about 4.5 charges.
Jabra Elite Active 65t review: Conclusion
Jabra Elite Active 65t offers durable design, better audio, and enhanced call quality when compared to the AirPods. I’m not sure how many Apple fans would be keen on picking up the Elite Active 65t over the AirPods. But in case if you are looking to buy a pair of wireless earbuds for running, Jabra Elite Active 65t is a better option.
