Quality headphones don’t have to be expensive. The Jabra Elite 4 are at 100 €. With ANC, Qualcomm aptX support for lossless audio, multipoint connection and up to 28 hours of battery life, these new headphones are real killjoys in the high-end audio market.
The Jabra Elite 4 retains the same ergonomic design as its predecessor, the Elite 3, with its twist-lock in-ear system that guarantees a perfect fit. This is great if you plan to use them during tasks that require a lot of movement, like working out or running.
Although I find headphones with longer stems more comfortable to wear (they don’t put as much pressure on the ears), I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t feel the need to remove the Jabra Elite 4s even after four hours of uninterrupted use.
Lightweight charging case
The lightweight charging case is another standout feature of the Elite 4 intras. Not only does it slip easily into my front pocket, but it doesn’t feel like a burden to carry around. It charges via the USB-C port and the earphones offer a battery life of 5.5 hours per cycle and up to 28 hours in total. I applaud Jabra for the improvement in overall battery life, although the possibility of wireless charging would have earned it extra points.
The Jabra Elite 4 retains the ergonomic design of its predecessor. Christina Darby/ZDNET
The Jabra Elite 4s now feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which works quite well. More and more manufacturers continue to adopt this noise reduction, which in itself is a benefit. With these headphones, I don’t hear the ringing of my puppy’s collar when he trots, nor the lawnmower at the bottom of the garden. What matters is the music you hear in your ears.
The only thing I find fault with the new sound modes is the difference in sound quality depending on the mode. In my transparency mode test, the sound was clear and vibrant. However, with ANC on, there was a subtle but noticeable filter, similar to an underwater filter, which made the test song sound smoother than usual. So while I usually use ANC to improve sound, the Jabra Elite 4’s transparency mode is my favorite.
The Jabra Elite 4 ANC blocks out extraneous noise and lets me focus on my music. The earbuds also deliver top-notch music quality in transparency mode. Christina Darby/ZDNET
Four 6mm microphones and speakers
Jabra has equipped the Elite 4 with four microphones and 6mm speakers, allowing the earbuds to slightly improve call quality.
In the age of hybrid work, many headphones claim to offer “clear call quality”, but few actually achieve this. In my testing, the Jabra Elite 4 headphones not only delivered on that promise, they also won the game. I hear my calls perfectly and even my mother was delighted with the clarity of my voice during our daily conversations. The big deal, too, is that these Elite 4 now support multipoint Bluetooth, making it easy to switch from one connected device to another.
While I’m still waiting for Jabra to add wireless charging as well as in-ear sensing auto-play and pause to its range of budget headphones, there’s no doubt that the Elite 4 are a solid investment to $100, especially for professionals who need a solid mic that doesn’t compromise on quality. You can get a pair in four colors: gray, light beige, navy blue and lilac.
Source: “ZDNet.com”