In terms of specifications, it is difficult to get too excited about the omissions Jabra has made here, given the low price. For example, if you want active noise cancellation at this price, Panasonic’s phenomenally impressive RZ-S500W is the only option at this price. Jabra can keep your music on all-in for a very competitive 28 hours – that’s seven hours on the earphones themselves plus another three full charges in a tidy little case. They can also be left powered on for 10 minutes for an additional hour of playback.
The earphones are IP55 rated, guaranteeing protection against water jets (no submersion), dust and small objects. This makes the Elite 3 the perfect choice for outdoor activities without worrying about rain or dirt on hiking trails. Made of lightweight plastic, the earphones can be held in place with magnets, but the hinge feels quite flimsy.
Once the earphones are comfortably in place, use is quite simple: the Jabra Elite 3 features a multi-function touch panel on each earpiece (a plate with Jabra on it), allowing you to control the appropriate level with a series of taps. In addition to the usual single, double and triple taps (right earbud) to play, skip and return to songs, you can also press and hold the right or left button to increase or decrease the volume respectively. Double-tap the left earbud to call the phone’s virtual assistant. A single tap on the left earbud activates the ‘HearThrough’ mode, which uses the microphone to block out outside noise and alert you to your surroundings.
Once paired, the Elite 3 maintains a stable connection, but the initial pairing process is a little tricky: as it supports Google Fast Pair, the connection card should appear on the Android device’s screen when the charging case is opened, but until the app is installed, this process consistently fails. Once set up, the earphones will easily and automatically reconnect to the device without any problems. The earphones do not support Bluetooth multipoint.
The Jabra Elite 3 is in some ways ideal. It’s light, comfortable, decently specced, has very good battery life, a lot of ergonomics and the most favourable way of organising recordings. It is a strong competitor to the Sony, and would be on everyone’s shortlist if it weren’t for its slightly narrower dynamic range and somewhat disjointed bass presence.