Jabra has introduced the latest addition to its Elite earbud range, the Elite 4 with a price tag of $139. Its predecessor, the Elite 3, was priced at $119 at launch in 2021, but can now be picked up for just $79.
I have been using the Elite 3 earbuds for the past 18 months, mainly for taking phone calls when working from home or in the office, as well as listening to music while commuting. The audio quality is good, the battery life is decent, and the fit is quite comfortable, so I was keen to get hands-on with the Elite 4 to see what updates Jabra had made.
The two most notable additions to the Elite 4 are the inclusion of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Bluetooth Multipoint.
ANC is an important inclusion, particularly given some earbuds at a similar price point also offer this functionality. ANC is beneficial when using the earbuds in noisy environments as it filters out unwanted sounds.
I tested the ANC mode on the Elite 4 during a short domestic flight and it did a decent job of blocking out the plane engine noise. I then used the HearThrough mode (also available on the Elite 3) when being spoken to by the flight attendant so I could hear them without removing the buds – you can simply switch between these features on the Jabra Sound+ app. ANC is supported by four-microphone call technology and 6mm speakers for clearer sound during a phone conversation.
Bluetooth Multipoint is a handy feature for multitaskers because it allows you to connect to two different devices, such as a laptop and smartphone, simultaneously. I often listen to music on my laptop while working and with Bluetooth Multipoint, I could do this, but when there was an incoming call on my phone, the music automatically paused and channelled in the call instead. When the phone call ended, the music automatically resumed.
The initial pairing of the Elite 4 earbuds is also made simple thanks to Fast Pair, which connects to an Android mobile device instantly and Swift Pair, which links straight to a laptop or computer.
Rewinding to the unboxing experience for the Elite 4, Jabra has reinstated its sustainability credentials on the packaging, calling out its use of materials from responsible sources.
Once unboxed, it’s the same simple set-up process as other Jabra earbuds – just download the Jabra Sound+ app and follow the prompts to connect the buds. The app gives you the option to set up a voice assistant, Amazon Alexa or choose Spotify Tap playback for easy access to Spotify playlists – although this is only available to Android users.
The app delivers a quick start guide to learn the functions of the left and right buds. This has remained the same as the Elite 3 with the left bud used to activate or disable HearThrough (and now ANC!), enable the voice assistant and turn down the volume, while the right bud plays or pauses music, skips to the next track, restarts a track, and turns up the volume.
The button on either bud can be pressed to answer or reject an incoming call, mute or unmute the microphone and end a call. The buds can be used individually for mono music playback or calls by placing the unused earbud in the charging case.
In the app, you can also control music presets including neutral, speech, bass boost, treble boost, smooth and energise, as well as check the battery life of the buds. You can also activate ‘Find My Jabra’ to locate the earbuds in the event they are lost.
From a design perspective, Jabra has kept the charging case the same as predecessor models with a discreet LED on the front to indicate battery status – red for low or power off, yellow for medium, green for high, purple for updating or resetting earbuds, and blue for Bluetooth pairing.
The earbuds feature the signature subtle Jabra branding on the buttons. Like other Jabra models, medium size ear gels are already fitted on the buds but small and large ear gels are included in the box to find the most comfortable and secure fit.
The Elite 4 delivers up to 5.5 hours of playtime – a little shy of the Elite 3 battery life of seven hours – and 22 hours with the case (or 28 hours with ANC off). Once again, the earbuds offer an IP55 durability rating against dust and water. The Elite 4 are available in dark grey, navy, lilac and light beige.
Verdict: Jabra has a wide range of wireless earbuds available on the market, but the Elite 4 are the perfect all-rounder for everyday use with both ANC and Bluetooth Multipoint welcome additions. For those seeking better call performance, noise-cancelling functionality or durability for high-intensity workouts, there are other options to consider but at a slightly higher price point. But if you’re not fussy and simply want good audio and good battery life, I would highly recommend the Elite 4.