Top Tier: Jabra’s New Earbuds Could Give Apple a Run for Its Money

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Jabra just released two strong competitors to Apple’s bestselling AirPods. The Jabra Elite 8 Active and Jabra Elite 10, the brand’s most advanced earbuds yet, offer premium sound with military-grade durability.

The cheaper among the two, the Elite 8 Active retails for $199, while the Elite 10 is priced at $249 at major retailer such as Amazon, Best Buy and Jabra.com.

Jabra Elite 8 come equipped with six-mic call technology, wind-noise protecting mesh, stable smartwatch connectivity, Google Assistant, Fast Pair, Swift Pair, Spotify Tap and up to eight hours of battery life (32 hours with a splashproof case).

Buy: Jabra Elite 8 Active $199

They hold up well in the gym or exercise environment, but they’re also suitable for work, and you can get them in four colors: navy, dark gray, caramel and black.

Jabra’s Elite earbuds feature spatial sound, Jabra Advanced Active Noise Cancellation, Dolby Atmos and HearThrough technology, and they’re incredibly durable and comfortable to wear for hours at a time due to Jabra’s ShakeGrip and ComfortFit technology.

The Elite 8 earbuds are IP68 waterproof rated and can be submerged in water up to 1.5 meters deep (nearly five feet). They can take on a rain, sweat, humidity, high temperatures and other elements, and have passed 11 full cycles of testing, according to a news release. The testing included two hours in 104-degree Fahrenheit temperatures with 93 percent humidity, a 15-minute splash test in salt water, and a 15 minute, 104-degree Fahrenheit heat drying test.

Having tested out both earbuds, the Elite 10 made me forget about my AirPods Pro, which doesn’t happen often, but the sound quality, fit and battery life earned high marks on my list. I also like how easily they pair with my iPhone, and they feel incredibly smooth to the touch, almost velvety.  

They’re my favorite earbuds to use right now, and a personal frontrunner between the two Jabra earbuds and Jabra vs. AirPods (not getting rid of my AirPods anytime soon though). According to Jabra, the Elite 10 uses “infrasonic waves that measure the ear canal and algorithms which detect noise leakage and wind conditions” and auto adjusts ANC based on your surroundings.  

Jabra’s Elite 10 are the brand’s first earbuds to support Dolby Head Tracking (the sound adjusts when you turn your head). And they’re “optimized for enjoying content in Dolby Atmos,” which basically means they sound amazing when you’re listening to music and even better when that music is recorded in Dolby Atmos.  

Jabra 10 also utilizes six-mic call technology for crystal-clear calls, along with Bluetooth Multipoint connection and hands-free voice assistance, and the battery lasts for up to six hours (27 hours with case). The earbuds are available in cocoa, cream, black, matte black and titanium black.

Pre-order the Jabra Elite 10 below.