One of Jabra’s latest pairs of true wireless earbuds, the Elite 4 Active, is another example of how the company’s consistently trying to improve its devices by adding more features and making prices more compelling. The $120 midrange buds earned a score of 84 from us, and now you can get them at a new record-low price of $100. Also on sale are the budget-friendly Elite 3 earbuds, which are 25 percent off and down to $60.
Buy Jabra Elite 4 Active at Amazon – $100Buy Jabra Elite 3 at Amazon – $60
As we explained in our review, Jabra packed a lot into these earbuds. They have a familiar, comfortable design that’s noticeable smaller than their predecessor, which means they’re lighter and don’t stick out of your ears as much. Like the rest of the company’s Active line, the Elite 4 Active have extra sweat protection and an IP57 water resistance rating so they can withstand even your toughest workouts. While their onboard controls are a bit confusing at first, they are useful to have and work just fine once you get the hang of them. They also have their own Find My feature, which lets you locate a missing earbud using the Sound+ app.
That companion app also lets you do things like customize active noise cancellation, tweak the EQ and more. The ANC on these buds is solid, but don’t expect it to be as powerful as that on more expensive earbuds from, say, Sony or Bose. Jabra’s HeathThrough mode can also be controlled from within the app and it lets you choose how much of your surroundings you want to hear at any given moment. Sound quality is decent as well with good clarity and solid bass, but as to be expected, you’ll get better audio on pricier earbuds.
As for battery life, Jabra estimates up to seven hours of use before the buds need to be recharged, and you’ll get an additional three charges with its case. Unfortunately, these don’t support wireless charging, nor do you get features like automatic pausing that you’ll find in some competitors. However, the Elite 4 Active are a great option if you’re looking for a solid, affordable pair of ANC earbuds to be your next workout companion.
If you’re looking to spend a bit less, you can’t go wrong with the Jabra Elite 3, which we called the standard for affordable wireless earbuds. While you’re not getting features like ANC, wireless charging or automatic pausing with these buds, you are getting a comfortable fit, reliable onboard controls, a seven-hour battery life and impressive sound quality. We thought that was a steal at their normal $80 price, so it’s even better if you pick them up while they’re $20 cheaper.
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