Jabra Elite 10 And Elite 8 Active: First Look At Brand's Toughest Earbuds
Jabra is releasing two new models from its appropriately named Elite line of wireless earbuds: the Elite 8 Active and Elite 10. The company, which has a lot of experience manufacturing wireless audio products, is focusing on durability and comfort, as well as on some technical improvements for its latest headphones. SlashGear was able to get an early look at both models while in Berlin at IFA 2023, the world's largest consumer electronics and home appliances trade show.
The Jabra Elite 8 Active is the less expensive of the pair and comes in four color options: black, dark gray, navy, and caramel. It's already available to purchase and priced at $199. The premium Elite 10 earbuds will be available later in September and cost $249. There are three different shades of black to choose from: matte, black, gloss black, and titanium black, as well as cream and cocoa options. If you're looking for brighter or flashier earbuds, neither model will have a satisfying color for you.
Both the Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 have button controls and six-point microphones for high-quality phone calls. They can both connect to up to 10 devices with Bluetooth, though only the Elite 10 can stay actively connected to two devices simultaneously. That's not the only difference between the two models — the Elite 8 Active is built to be more robust, while the Elite 10 was designed with comfort and superior sound quality in mind.
The Elite 8 Active are tough and the Elite 10 are ultra comfortable
The Jabra Elite 8 Active is perfectly suited for workouts (hence the name). That especially includes swimming, because the Elite 8 Active are rated IP68, so they're fully waterproof to depths of around 4.9 feet, as well as sweatproof and dustproof. They can also withstand salt water for short periods of time and even survive going through the wash if you leave them in your pocket. They're also made to endure extreme temperatures and drop impacts, and stay in your ears even if you're running and shaking. Additionally, the batteries in the Elite 8 Active can last up to eight hours with ANC turned on.
While the Elite 8 Active is capable of spatial audio, only the Elite 10 supports Dolby Head Tracking, which keeps you in the center of 360-degree sound even if you're turning your head side-to-side. The 10mm drivers inside the Elite 10 produce superb sound quality and also have noise cancellation technology that is twice as strong as the Elite 8 Active. The Elite 10 also implements a semi-open design and unique ear gel to make them very comfortable to wear, even for long periods of time. Jabra says it's scanned 62,000 ears to ensure that the Elite 10 can suit all types of ear shapes. The Elite 10 can last six hours with ANC before needing a recharge, and can get another 21 hours from its case, which is less than what you can get from some other earbud models, including the Elite 8 Active.
With its latest Elite models, Jabra is clearly looking to cater to all customers looking for new earbuds, whether you're looking for a tough pair that can survive your intense workouts, or comfortable premium headphones that immerse you in sound.