15

Jabra Elite 85T Review

True Score

82
85
16

Experts

82
8,819

Consumers

Expert Rankings

Overall, the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless earbuds are right for those seeking quality sound and customizable features. However, consider the high price and evaluate needs regarding battery life, noise canceling performance, and comfort during active use.

SAVE $40
$129.95
$89.99

Overview

The Jabra Elite 85T earbuds were introduced towards the tail end of 2020 as a pair of premium earbuds available in various colors. The earbuds offer advanced Active Noise Cancellation as a feature, and as is the case with most highly-rated headphones, owners will be able to configure the sound profile by adjusting the EQ settings on its companion app.

In terms of battery performance, this pair of noise cancelling earbuds can yield up to 1 hour of playback with a 15-minute charge, and on average, they have 5.5 hours of battery life, as per the manufacturer.

Their charging case holds about 3.5 additional charges, but unfortunately, these earbuds can’t be used when charging. Check out the best wireless earbuds for that convenience. Still, they support multi-device pairing, and there’s call, volume, microphone and playback controls on each earbud.

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

our Verdict

The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless earbuds provide consistent and customizable audio quality with a touch of bass warmth and a reliable Bluetooth 5.0 connection quality The adjustable noise canceling and HearThrough features work well, offering a good balance between blocking external noise and allowing ambient sound.

The earbuds boast a stable fit and a useful mobile app for sound customization and settings management. Also, the controls are great in terms of response, but they aren’t super intuitive.

However, there are a few drawbacks. The 6.5-hour continuous battery life may not be enough for extended use during long days. The earbuds struggle to block out bass-heavy noise when using ANC. Moreover, the case design isn’t as user-friendly as desired, and the earbuds are uncomfortable during high-movement activities.

True Score

82

Reasons to Buy

  • Very consistent audio delivery
  • Well-built, portable design
  • Stable fit
  • Graphic EQ and presets for sound customization
  • Adjustable noise canceling and HearThrough features

Reasons to Avoid

  • 6.5-hour continuous battery life may not be sufficient for long days
  • ANC struggles to block out bass-range noise
  • Terrible passive soundstage
  • High price tag
  • Limited codec support (SBC/AAC only, no aptX)

Specifications

Battery Charge Time
Battery Life6.5 hrs
Built In MicrophoneYes
Ear Tip Sizes Included
Max Wireless Range
Noise Canceling
True Wireless
Water ResistantYes
Works With

All Specs

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Product Comparison

Jabra Elite 75t Review

Jabra Elite 75t Review

True Score

82
NR
NR
NR

Ranking

#

15

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104

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177

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Market Context

The Jabra Elite 85T earbuds were introduced towards the tail end of 2020 as a pair of premium earbuds available in various colors. The earbuds…

The Jabra Elite 85T earbuds were introduced towards the tail end of 2020 as a pair of premium earbuds available in various colors. The earbuds offer advanced Active Noise Cancellation as a feature, and as is the case with most highly-rated headphones, owners will be able to configure the sound profile by adjusting the EQ settings on its companion app.

In terms of battery performance, this pair of noise cancelling earbuds can yield up to 1 hour of playback with a 15-minute charge, and on average, they have 5.5 hours of battery life, as per the manufacturer.

Their charging case holds about 3.5 additional charges, but unfortunately, these earbuds can’t be used when charging. Check out the best wireless earbuds for that convenience. Still, they support multi-device pairing, and there’s call, volume, microphone and playback controls on each earbud.

The Jabra Elite 85T earbuds have a slightly shorter 1.5-hour charge time compared to the Jabra Elite Active 75T Truly Wireless earbuds, which take slightly…

The Jabra Elite 85T earbuds have a slightly shorter 1.5-hour charge time compared to the Jabra Elite Active 75T Truly Wireless earbuds, which take slightly more than 2 hours. Also worth noting is that the Jabra Active earbuds have a higher IP57 rating that makes them sweat, dust, and water-resistant, while the Jabra Elite 85T earbuds only have an IPX4 water-resistance rating, making them immune to splashes of water. In case you’re interested, we’ve covered the Active 75T earbuds in our Jabra Elite Active 75T review.

Despite being roughly the same size, the Jabra Elite 85T earbuds have a semi-open enclosure, while the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless earbuds have…

Despite being roughly the same size, the Jabra Elite 85T earbuds have a semi-open enclosure, while the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless earbuds have a closed-back design. The two are also different in that the Elite 7 Pro earbuds can be used in mono mode when one is charging, while the Elite 85T earbuds cannot, and lastly, the Active Noise Cancellation feature on the Jabra Elite 7 Pro is adjustable, while the same feature on the 85T earbuds is not.

The Jabra Elite 85T earbuds come with Active Noise Cancellation to drown out background noise, making them stand out from the Anker Soundcore Life Dot…

The Jabra Elite 85T earbuds come with Active Noise Cancellation to drown out background noise, making them stand out from the Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2 Truly Wireless earbuds, which do not. Another difference between the two is that the Anker earbuds are likely more comfortable since they have a broader selection of both ear tips and stability wings, but on the other hand, the Jabra earbuds have a better control scheme that consists of volume and microphone controls that are missing on the Anker earbuds. Still, we’ve looked into them in our Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2 review.

Battery Charge Time

Battery Life

6.5 hrs

Built In Microphone

Yes

Ear Tip Sizes Included

Max Wireless Range

Noise Canceling

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

85

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

82

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

82

Any product with a True Score above 80 is a Absolutely Fresh

Expert Score Breakdown

  • Rtings
    A

    Trust Score

    80
    The Jabra Elite 85t are good for neutral sound. They have a slightly bass-heavy sound… read more

    By:

    Dagobiet Morales Alfaro
  • Sound Guys
    C

    Trust Score

    78
    The Jabra Elite 85t—just like the Jabra Elite 75t and Jabra Elite 65t before it—is… read more

    By:

    Lily Katz
  • Tom’s Guide
    C

    Trust Score

    90
    The Elite 85t is a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones that deserves recognition in the… read more

    By:

    Alex Bracetti
  • PC Mag
    D

    Trust Score

    80
    The true wireless Jabra Elite 85t earphones deliver top-shelf noise cancellation and excellent audio performance,… read more

    By:

    Tim Gideon
  • Trusted Reviews
    D

    Trust Score

    90
    With the Elite 85t, Jabra brings ANC to its wireless range of earbuds. While they… read more

    By:

    Kob Monney
  • Digital Trends
    D

    Trust Score

    90
    “No bottom line found for this product” read more

    By:

    Simon Cohen

Customer Score Breakdown

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