Jabra Elite 65T Review

"Though the Jabra Elite 65t have their faults, they go toe-to-toe with the Airpods and are better than them in a few important aspects like playback controls built-in to the earbuds and great battery life. They also have some useful features like Hearthrough and an IP55 rating to protect against water. But if you need a pair of true wireless earbuds today, we recommend a host of more modern options, including the Jabra Elite 75t or Elite 85t series."

The Jabra Elite 65t is a perfect balance of usability, features, and sound quality. These headphones offer a reliable connection and are a pleasure to use day-to-day, plus their long battery life means you won’t be fishing for the charging case as often as the competition. Its design and fit aren't perfect, but the Jabra Elite 65t do so much right that we can forgive its minor issues.

Who should get the Jabra Elite 65t?

• Gadget enthusiasts. If you like having the newest gadgets made for convenience over sound quality, you’ll like these.

• People who take calls. The microphone here is top-notch. It’ll be clear that you’re not talking on your phone, but your voice will come through fine even in a gusty environment thanks to the wind noise-reducing microphones. They’re also pointed towards the mouth slightly to help with getting a better sound which is nice.

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS OF THE JABRA ELITE 65T?

Price and availability:

The Jabra Elite Active 65t originally launched in 2018 at $170. That's since dropped to $100, and while a newer model is on sale, the Elite Active 65t is still widely available.

As such, it remains a good choice if you want sport earbuds with high sound quality but a relatively low price.

Design:

Jabra's Elite Active earbuds are small, sleek and unobtrusive. Unlike Apple's AirPods, which are noticeable from a mile away due to the white stem that hangs down from the ear, no one will notice your Jabras. The buds are circular, with a small arm and a protruding tip that help them fit more snugly in your ears. Apple's AirPods Pro have a slightly shorter stem than the original model, but they're still noticeable.

The Elite Active comes in black and blue with an inlay that's titanium for the former or copper for the latter, emblazoned with the Jabra logo. The left earbud also has notches to indicate where to press to skip and repeat tracks.

Fit and comfort:

The Jabra Elite Active 65t is one of the most comfortable sets of completely cordless Bluetooth earbuds I've ever worn. Other sets can be uncomfortable, because the bud has to be engineered to fit securely without a cord for balance. But everything about the Elite Active 65t's shape just works: the pod, the small arm — which helps you insert and then anchor the bud by rotating it forward — and the in-ear tip, which comes with three sets of silicone gels in various sizes to tailor the fit.

Fitness:

Unlike the Elite 65t buds, the Active model has a built-in accelerometer, which makes it a capable fitness tracker. It doesn't log runs automatically; you have to open the Jabra Sound+ app, tap Active and start a run to track your miles. If you use Active mode, Jabra's HearThrough feature automatically turns on to allow in ambient noise.

Sound quality:

Jabra offers EQ presets in its app so you can customize the Elite Active 65t's sound to your liking. I like my sound a little heavier on the bass for running, so I chose Bass Boost, but you can also bump up the treble. Jabra lets you customize the presets to perfectly fine-tune the sound to your preferences.

Battery:

Like my all-time favorite fitness earbuds, Jaybird's Tarah Pro, the Jabra Elite Active 65t buds last 15 hours on a charge. This is possible because of the charging case — the buds can last 5 hours on their own and then an additional 10 hours if they are charged up in between workouts.

User's FAQs

Are the Jabra Elite 65t waterproof or sweatproof?

Unfortunately, the Jabra Elite 65t are not waterproof but on the brightside they are sweatproof. The Jabra Elite 65t also have an IP55 rating, so you don’t have to worry about rain or spills destroying your investment… just don’t try swimming with them. Although I used them at the gym for a bit, I’m not entirely convinced that they’ll be fine after months of corrosive sweat.

Can the Jabra Elite 65t connect to multiple devices?

The Jabra Elite 65t can connect to multiple devices thanks to Bluetooth multipoint. This makes switching between them seamless. You can pair the earbuds with up to eight devices and at any given time be connected to two of them. So if you’re listening to music on one device and receive a phone call, the earbuds will automatically switch to your phone once you answer. Then when you’re done with the call you can hang up, press play on the music, and continue jamming. All without digging through Bluetooth settings.

How’s the battery life of the Jabra Elite 65t?

We spend a good portion of our time trying to objectively test the performance of headphones and speakers, which includes battery life. As you can imagine, accurately testing how long a product lasts can take up a lot of time.

Should you buy the Jabra Elite 65t today?

Even in 2022, the Jabra Elite 65t are still a really good pair of true wireless earbuds. The best part about these earbuds today is their affordable price. If you’re not worried about having the newest features and just want a solid pair of true wireless earbuds, these are hard to pass on.

I can't get the left Jabra Elite 65t to turn on?

If your left earbud isn’t turning on there are a few steps you can take. First, place them back in the case and ensure that they are properly charged. It sounds stupid I know, but you’ll be surprised how many times the earbud just didn’t charge properly. Along those same lines check to make sure that there is no debris or dirt blocking the charging connector. You might need to give them a good cleaning to free up anything blocking the connectors. If that doesn’t work then you might need to contact the store you bought it from for a replacement pair (hopefully you’re still under warranty). If you’re not then you can always just get a replacement pair directly through Jabra, though it’s going to cost you as much as just buying a brand new pair so it’s not ideal.

JABRA ELITE 65T REVIEW: FINAL THOUGHTS AND VERDICT

The Jabra Elite 65t true-wireless earbuds have a lot going for them, as far as general use, convenience and solid connection go. Their problem lies in a lack of passion and dynamism in their musical presentation that, once they’ve been compared directly with some of their main rivals, is clear and obvious. They will be the ideal commuting companion for many people and, should you find them available with a healthy discount, make a decent amount of sense. But for the audio lover, we’d recommend saving up just a bit more for a superior sonic performance.