Jabra elite 4 active earbuds
Buy now £119.99, Jabra.co.uk
Rating: 8.5/10
- Noise cancellation: ANC, with adjustable HearThrough (transparency mode)
- Weight: 5g each (case 37.5g)
- Battery life: Up to 7 hours, up to 28 hours with case; fast charging (one hour of playback from 10 minutes of charge)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2 with Qualcomm aptX, SBC
- Voice control: Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa
Design
Most earbuds that purport to be fitness-focused include some sort of extra fit-securing appendage: you’d expect earbuds with the word “active” in the name to have that design aspect wrapped up. Jabra, however, has done away with extraneous bits on the elite 4 actives, with surprisingly good results.
They offer a great fit, thanks to the decent range of bud sizes that come in the box. Fiddle with the options and you’ll almost certainly find a snug, secure fit for jogs, or just air-guitar-heavy work breaks. Speaking of working up a sweat, the elite 4 actives also offer IP57 dust and water resistance, meaning that you’ll have no problems with water getting into your tech so long as you don’t dive into a pool.
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The on-ear controls will prove divisive. Many prefer the touch control tap effect of higher-end earbuds, where a slight touch will execute commands. The elite 4 actives offer a slightly more traditional on-ear experience, instead offering a button located under each bud. While this takes more effort to press – a genuine consideration when, say, on the treadmill – we actually found it to be a more secure experience, with no risk of grazing the earbud and accidentally skipping the crescendo in “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
Battery life is pretty good, coming in at around seven hours from one charge and up to 28 hours including a fully-charged case, while fast charging provides up to an hour of playback from ten minutes. The case isn’t the most premium, with a slight plastic feel, but is slender enough to fit into your pocket. Unfortunately, the elite 4 actives don’t have wireless charging on offer, which will be a shame for some, but no issue for the majority of users. This, along with the less sophisticated on-ear controls, saves valuable development money for the most important thing: sound.
Sound
Jabra has used that saved design money to great effect. The elite 4 actives’ audio quality outstrips its price, especially when it comes to deeper, bass-heavy tracks. Using the earbuds’ base EQ settings, tracks like Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever are able to showcase both the frilled intricacies of the higher frequencies and bombastic lows. The sound is utterly immersive, making it great for moments of concentration at work or in a gym full of grunting and hyperventilating (and that’s just you).
The EQ settings can be customised in the Jabra sound+ app, offering a tailored listening experience. After some tweaking time, you can really hear the improvement in the context of your tastes – there’s tangible alteration. It’s a great feature at this price.
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The elite 4 actives’ active noise cancellation (ANC) is impressive: while snippets of high-frequency noises (such as keyboard taps) make their way through, pretty much all lower-register sounds are blocked out, making these buds a solid option for either leisurely café listening or a high-octane fitness drive. ANC can sometimes be included at the cost of audio quality: luckily, this isn’t an issue here, with Jabra’s version of the technology sometimes actually complementing the sound, emphasising the contrast between clashing, high-volume tracks and more understated songs.
The brand has also included what it calls “HearThrough” technology (transparency mode), where with the click of an earbud (or flick of a slider in the sound+ app), your surroundings come rushing in, meaning you don’t have to take out a bud each a colleague interrupts your listen-through of the Moana soundtrack.
Speaking of which, unfortunately there’s no auto-pausing when you take a bud out of your ear. It’s a minor issue, but one that those of us used to this feature might find a nuisance.
The verdict: Jabra elite 4 active
Jabra is one of those brands, like JBL, that plugs away in that sub-premium bracket, producing technologically impressive kit for an even more impressive price. For £119, the Jabra elite 4 actives pack some serious specs into a simple but attractive design. From the sophisticated ANC, to the intricate EQ options, to the comfy fit and sturdy enough feel, these earbuds should be taken into consideration by anyone looking for a good-quality pair of buds for both travel and at home. For anyone needing some new gym earphones in particular, you’d be onto a winner. At this price point, you can’t get much more elite.