What you need to know
- The Elite 10 is Jabra's best pair of earbuds yet, with Dolby's Head Tracking feature, up to six hours of playback time, and active noise cancellation for $249.
- Meanwhile, the Elite 8 Active earbuds are so tough you can take them to the gym, the pool, or even the beach without worrying about them getting damaged.
- The Elite 8 Active costs $199 and is available to buy this month, while the Elite 10 goes on sale in September.
At IFA 2023, Jabra announced its new lineup of Elite earbuds. Serving as the company’s top-of-the-line pair of buds, the Elite 10 offers up to six hours of playback with active noise cancellation enabled, while the Elite 8 Active is Jabra's latest offering for sports enthusiasts and adventurers.
You'd be forgiven if you couldn't tell the difference between the Jabra Elite 10 and the Elite 8 Active. Both earbuds are pretty similar, but the Elite 10 has a few extra features that make it worth the extra money.
Jabra Elite 10
Succeeding last year's Elite 5, the Elite 10 retails for $249, which is way more expensive than its predecessor. The earbuds feature multipoint Bluetooth for two simultaneous connections, IP57 dust and water resistance, and codec support that includes LC3plus with future firmware update.
The Elite 10 has Dolby Atmos with Dolby Head Tracking, which makes it sound like you're in the middle of the action. That said, while all content supports Head Tracking, you may get mixed results for non-Dolby Atmos content.
As for the design, Jabra says they’re the company's first true wireless earbuds range to offer Jabra ComfortFit technology for "airy fit and less occlusion" thanks to its semi-open design. You also get bonuses such as Voice Assistant, Fast Pair, Swift Pair, Spotify Tap playback (all of which are available on the Elite 8 Active as well).
The Elite 10 includes 6-mic call technology and IP57 rating for limited dust ingress protection. It will ship in Cream, Cocoa, Titanium Black, Gloss Black, and Matte Black color options, with availability scheduled for September.
Jabra Elite 8 Active
The $199 Elite 8 Active is tough enough to handle anything you throw at it, and it'll still have plenty of battery life left when you're done. Jabra claims that the new ruggedized earbuds can last up to eight hours of continuous playback with ANC enabled and up to 32 hours with the included charging case.
In terms of durability, the earbuds passed various tests to obtain the US Military Standard for Ruggedized Electronics (810H). With an IP68 rating, they're dustproof, watertight, sweatproof, and have a 1m drop resistance, while their case is IP54 rated for dust and splash proof.
Like their more expensive siblings, the Elite 8 Active ships with the latest features you'd expect from the leading noise-canceling wireless earbuds, including adaptive Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation, which automatically adjusts ANC performance based on your surroundings.
The pair also rocks 6mm speakers and Jabra's ShakeGrip technology for a secure fit. They also have Wind Neutralizing HearThrough for both indoor and outdoor activities, as well as 6-mic call technology with wind noise-reducing mesh.
The Elite 8 Active comes in caramel, navy, black, and dark gray, with availability kicking off this month. Both pairs do offer a nice balance of features for the price, even if their names don't make any sense. The only question is whether they can stand tall against a sea of tough contenders.
