Jabra Elite 65e hands-on
Around the neck styled Bluetooth headphones are really popular, but there are very few models that tip the premium range. Well, if you've been waiting for something that's water-resistant, handles workouts with few qualms, and even features active noise cancellation, then you're in luck because the Jabra Elite 65e has all of those points covered. And since it's a premium offering, don't be too shocked by its $200 sticker price!
The Jabra Elite 65e is designed similarly to the Elite 25e we checked out not too long ago, as it sports that trendy around-the-neck design. Sporting a thick band that's covered in a soft rubbery coating, it has an IP54 certification that makes it water and dust resistant – making it ideal for even some sweaty workouts at the gym. With the earbuds, they're fashioned with these winged tips to ensure that they're always snug in place, even when you're doing activities such as exercising. When you're not using them, though, it's nice that the earbuds connect together thanks to the magnets imbedded in them. Visually speaking, the Jabra Elite 65e is a contemporary looking pair of around-the-neck earbuds.
Dedicated buttons for volume adjustment, pause/play, voice assistant, and even one for noise cancellation are integrated into frame – while a microUSB port on the underside of frame allows the headset to be charged. Speaking of that, it's rated to deliver upwards of 8 hours of battery with active noise cancellation on, which can be upped to 13 hours with it off. As for its recharge time, it requires 2 hours to fully charge.
What's really nice about Jabra's offering here is that the accompanying Jabra Sound+ app offers extended functionality – such as the ability to adjust its noise cancellation, enable its pass-through function, and even the ability to adjust the equalizer settings. The latter is especially useful, as we can fine-tune its quality to our liking, rather than settling with the default sound signature. However, its active noise cancellation could've been better, seeing that it's a little bit on the subdued side – almost indistinguishable with it off.
Knowing that it's priced at $199.99, it's certainly a tougher sell considering its noise cancellation isn't as good as the competition. You can certainly find something cheaper with just about the same level of cancellation, so if you're looking to save a few bucks, it's worth the look. If this were about $50 less, it would undoubtedly have a bit more appeal, but at $200, it's an investment you'll really need to mull over before deciding.
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