Jabra Elite 75t vs. Elite Active 75t: Is there a best option?

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Stay dry

Jabra Elite 75t


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Pros

  • Great sound quality
  • Comfortable fit
  • Improved battery life
  • Smaller charging case
  • Better than the AirPods
Cons

  • Fewer charges from the case compared to Elite 65t
  • No wireless charging
  • Call quality still not as good as AirPods

Jabra makes a strong case that these are one of the best true wireless earbuds products currently available. With far better battery life over the Elite 65t and a slimmer frame that nestles into ears with greater comfort, there's a lot to like about the package the Elite 75t delivers. Solid app support, voice assistant integration, and some of the best cable-free audio quality round out an impressive piece of kit.

Get wet

Jabra Elite Active 75t


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Pros

  • Waterproof build
  • Great sound quality
  • Comfortable fit
  • Smaller charging case
  • Just as portable as Elite 75t
Cons

  • No noticeable audio upgrade from Elite 75t
  • No wireless charging
  • No improved call quality

Like the year before, Jabra followed up its excellent Elite 75t true wireless earbuds with a waterproof variant that adds a little extra insurance. Wet and sweaty conditions shouldn't cause any trepidation with the Elite Active 75t because they are built to withstand a serious workout or run in the rain. Beyond that, Jabra chose not to make any other cosmetic or functional changes, putting these two earbuds in a very close call.


Jabra doesn't like to release everything all at once, and that's why there are two versions of its
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true wireless earbuds that came months apart. The Danish brand has staked a claim as being a serious contender for the best in the business. Part of that comes from the versatility involved. Is there even a real competition between these two evenly-matched choices? Let's find out.

These could easily pass for twins


When it comes to the next generation of Jabra, it's not easy to address a few shortcomings in one fell swoop, but that's what the Elite 75t genuinely feel like. They are 22 percent smaller than the previous Elite 65t by Jabra's count, yet they feel like even more was chopped off. The lighter weight does help, though, as does the extra portability afforded by the slimmer charging case. However, before diving in, let's see what both models have to offer.

Jabra Elite 75tJabra Elite Active 75t
DurabilityIP55IP57
Bud battery life7.5 hours7.5 hours
Charging case battery life20.5 hours20.5 hours
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.0Bluetooth 5.0
Digital assistant supportAlexa, Google Assistant, SiriAlexa, Google Assistant, Siri
Supported audio codecsSBC, AACSBC, AAC
Speaker size6mm drivers6mm drivers
Active noise cancellationNoNo

Put these two Elite models next to each other in the same color, and you may be in danger of not knowing which is which. Jabra didn't really re-engineer the form factor or design principles of the Elite 75t to make the Active model. The more ruggedized
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are veritable clones, especially at first glance. The key difference lies in durability.

The Elite 75t have an IP55 rating, which means they have decent dust resistance, and okay water-resistance. The odd splash or drop of rain shouldn't affect performance or longevity, but Jabra recommends not submerging them in water. The company used a special coating on the Elite Active 75t that raises the rating to IP57, essentially making those earbuds waterproof.

The coating isn't obvious to the eye, so you don't really see it when handling the earbuds. They would be fine in a meter of clear water for up to 30 minutes, whereas anything longer risks bricking them completely. Saltwater is also a definite no-no, so keep them on the sandy part of the beach.

A degree of separation


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Neither model holds any advantage in battery life because they both benefit from the same improvements. Jabra took the Elite 65t, which usually hovered in the four-hour range, and managed to almost double that to 7.5 hours. You may not always get that number based on volume level, but it's still a noticeable push in the right direction.

Their respective cases are of equal size, shape, and weight. It's probably likely Jabra just manufactured more of the same Elite 75t cases and allocated them to Elite Active 75t models. They both have USB-C charging ports, though no wireless charging — a feature Jabra says is coming in a future 75t iteration.

What separates these two is where you can use them. The Elite 75t aren't useless in a gym or on jogging route, but Jabra figures it can assuage any fears that they might die out by making an Active version. For constant workouts producing copious amounts of sweat, the Elite Active 75t are built to handle that regularly. Like their standard counterparts, they do need some TLC every so often to clean off dust, debris, and salt.

There's good stuff there to work with; it's just that you don't get any inherent advantage, no matter which way you go.

Jabra offers the same standard one-year manufacturer warranty, plus an extra two-year limited warranty for both models when registered through the Jabra Sound+ app. It does cover damage from repeated exposure to dust and water, but read the fine print, and you will see some ambiguity there. It distinctly mentions covering damage from dust and perspiration, but not water, liquids, food, and physical damage. Those limits apply to both models, despite one being waterproof out of the box.

Jabra did deviate a little on how it offers colors. The Elite 75t come in
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,
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and
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, whereas the Elite Active 75t come in
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,
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,
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, grey, mint, and sienna.

Upcoming features


Both models will get new features Jabra is set to launch in the spring for the Sound+ app. The first is MySound, where you can create your own personal hearing profile by listening to a series of beeps that tune your ears to whatever you listen to. The feature comes from Jabra's sister organization, GN Hearing, whose work on hearing aids guided how MySound will work.

MyControls is another sought-after feature that will let users choose to use only one earbud at a time. If you prefer phone calls that didn't run through both earbuds, this is the fix for that. It will be up to users to decide when they want to only route audio through one side.

So, which should you choose?


So, which set of earbuds is better? That depends on how active you plan on being. There is no difference in how the Sound+ app treats either model, as is. The equalizer and HearThrough settings, among other things in there, are readily available either way. There's good stuff there to work with; it's just that you don't get any inherent advantage, no matter which way you go.

The choice really comes down to priorities when you want to use them. If you often need earbuds while working out, the Elite Active 75t are the better bet. If you generally shun vigorous workouts and barely break a sweat listening to tunes, the Elite 75t are good enough to negate paying the premium. If you're on the fence, go with the Active model for the sake of covering all bases.

For leisure

Jabra Elite 75t


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Prefers to stay cool

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The Elite 75t are Jabra's answer to not only the competition but also their own previous attempts at getting true wireless earbuds right. They just aren't built to take too much punishment.

For activity

Jabra Elite Active 75t


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Likes breaking a sweat

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The Elite Active 75t are the Elite 75t with ruggedness in mind. They offer everything the standard model does, with extra protection to boot. It's just a shame they don't push the envelope in other areas.

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