Jabra Elite 10 review: The true wireless earbuds that don't cost a bomb and mostly have it all

Name: Jabra Elite 10
Item: Jabra Elite 10
Author: MD Ijaj Khan

Jabra Elite 10 review: The Jabra Elite 10 wireless earbuds are the latest from the Danish company. They promise clear calls, advanced features, and a comfortable fit. But are they worth the high price?

By: MD IJAJ KHAN
| Updated on: Dec 24 2023, 17:44 IST

Get up to 58% off on Jabra Elite 4 to Elite 2 earbuds during Amazon Great Summer Sale

Jabra Elite 10 review — 1/4 Jabra Elite 4: This is the latest addition to its Elite range. It has been tailored to cover earbud essentials, such as comfort, optimal sound, and convenience, all at a very reasonable price. The feedforward Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) filters out unwanted sounds. The Jabra music equalizer and intuitive Sound+ app lets users customize the sound. It comes in four classic colors: Dark Grey, Navy, Lilac, and Light Beige. (Jabra)

image caption — 2/4 Jabra Elite 5: It offers discreet, comfortable, and compact fit. Comes with 6-microphone call technology with wind- noise suppression, enabling individuals to take calls with confidence even when it’s windy. It packs the new Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), powered by the Qualcomm QCC3050 Bluetooth chipset. These buds provide 7hrs play time with ANC on (28hrs with case). The Elite 5 are available in two colours, Titanium Black and Gold Beige. (Jabra)

Jabra Elite 10 Review: Earpieces are among those gadgets that require extreme attention to detail. This includes, not just the company doing its thing, but also buyers going the extra mile to properly explore each detail to get the perfect gadget that fits all their requirements - listening pleasure, that is. Now, Jabra has released two wireless earbuds in India, the Jabra Elite 8 Active and the Jabra Elite 10, which are part of their top-tier collection. Among them, the Jabra Elite 10 stands out as their most advanced earbuds, specially designed for the working individual. So, how good are these earbuds at making crystal clear phone calls or providing an immersive Dolby Atmos experience, handling, looks and more? If you're in the market, you can get your hands on the Jabra Elite 10 for Rs. 20999 - discounted price is Rs. 17990.

In our comprehensive review, we explore everything the Jabra Elite 10 has to offer, from its design and sound quality to its features and battery life. Let's find out what makes these earbuds special for the user.

Jabra Elite 10: Design

Jabra's premium earbuds sport a revamped design. They have swapped out the hard plastic shell for a grippy silicone material that covers most of the earbud, with the control button remaining as hard plastic. The ear tips come in a unique triangular shape. The silicone material around the earbuds enhances the tactile experience and is easy to clean. These earbuds are rated IP57 for dust and water resistance, handling sweat and light splashes effortlessly. Jabra's silicone tips are well-crafted, with a unique connector and ergonomic shape, offering a comfortable and snug fit. With four ear tip sizes included, you'll find the perfect match for your ears. The design strikes a balance between and there is pressure relief and comfort for the user thanks to the soft silicone construction, which is more gentle on the ears than hard plastic alternatives.

If you're a fitness enthusiast and plan to use earbuds while running, the Jabra Elite 10 might not be the best choice. I tested them during a run, and within a few steps, they fell out of my ears. This could lead to them getting lost, which would be costly. Additionally, due to the silicon coating, they didn't stay in place when I sweated, and they easily fell out of my ears.

Jabra Elite 10: Case

The case is nice and thin, and it shows that Jabra paid a lot of attention to making it look good. The case's exterior is crafted from robust, hard plastic, which, while occasionally susceptible to fingerprint smudges, provides excellent durability. It not only securely holds the earbuds but also houses a generous battery. The case's rounded edges ensure it effortlessly fits into your pocket, and the lid opens smoothly, making it a breeze to access the earbuds.

Jabra Elite 10: Easy-to-Use Controls

The Jabra Elite 10 has buttons that are easy to press, and they make a soft clicking sound. This can be more user-friendly for some people compared to touch-sensitive panels. A good thing about these buttons is that they are less likely to be accidentally pressed.

You can easily use these buttons to do various things like playing music, adjusting the volume, changing tracks, selecting different listening modes, and talking to your voice assistant. On the left earpiece, if you press the button once, it can turn on or off the noise-cancelling feature, which makes your surroundings quiet. If you press the button twice, you can either talk to your voice assistant or use Spotify Tap, which you can set up in the app.

But here's a thing to keep in mind: when you use only one earbud, the controls are a bit limited, and it switches to mono sound to ensure you do not lose any part of the song or sound being played. When you use a single earbud in the mono mode, the other one can be charged.

The earbuds give you voice guidance and sounds to help you know what you're doing. You can use Google Assistant by using your voice, but to use Siri or Alexa, you'll need to press a button. Also, when you take the earbuds out of your ears, they automatically pause the music. You can change how the buttons work by customising them in the app to fit your preferences. This is something that you will find yourself doing a lot before settling on the perfect one for yourself.

Jabra Elite 10: Features

Jabra Elite 10 has lots of features. Now, these can elevate your listening experience manifold. They boast Jabra's Advanced adaptive noise-cancelling and a customizable HearThrough mode, ensuring you stay connected to the outside world. These earbuds sport ear-detection sensors, pausing playback when one is removed.

One noteworthy change is the shift away from Qualcomm chips, meaning no AptX support for Android. However, they do support AAC and the new LE Audio standard with LC3 audio codec. They also offer multipoint Bluetooth pairing for two devices at once.

Android users can enjoy hands-free access to Google Assistant, while Apple users can access Siri with a button press.

A standout feature is powered by the Dolby Spatial Sound with head tracking and provides an immersive audio experience similar to Apple's spatial audio. It works well with music and enhances video-watching by creating a virtual surround sound with dialogue centred on your screen. Importantly, it's compatible with both Apple and Android devices. Also, there's a way to find your lost earbuds. They remember where they were before they got lost.

Jabra Elite 10: Sound Quality and ANC

The Jabra Elite 10 earbuds boast impressive 10mm drivers for outstanding sound quality, especially in quiet settings. They deliver clean, detailed audio with a defined bass, creating a rich listening experience. Notably, they excel in the midrange, enhancing vocal clarity and depth. The Jabra Sound Plus app offers EQ presets and the option to toggle Dolby Spatial Sound. These earbuds strike a perfect balance between clarity and depth while allowing sound customization. The Jabra Elite 10 earbuds offer impressive ANC, excelling at reducing low-frequency noise. They adapt to your head position and outperform their predecessor, the Elite 85t. The HearThrough mode provides a realistic ambient sound without major EQ adjustments, with customizable levels via the app. However, they may let in some external sounds due to their semi-open design. “I tried the Jabra Elite 10 while listening to songs like "The Believer" by Imagine Dragons and "Softhy" by Karan Aujla. The cool thing about these earbuds is that they make it feel like you're at a club or in a theatre. The HearThrough mode gives you a kind of surround sound experience. You can groove to any type of music, whether it's rock or old Bollywood classics.”

In short, the Jabra Elite 10 earbuds offer a remarkable audio experience for those who appreciate fine-tuning their sound.

Jabra Elite 10: Battery Performance

When it comes to battery life, the Elite 10 earbuds truly impress. With active noise cancellation (ANC) activated, they offer approximately 6 hours of uninterrupted usage. Without ANC, you can enjoy a solid 8 hours of playtime. What's even more remarkable is the contribution of the charging case, which extends your total usage time to a whopping 25-26 hours with ANC and an impressive 36 hours without it.

But that's not all, these earbuds also support wireless charging, adding to their convenience. In our rigorous testing, we found that the Elite 10 earbuds continued to perform admirably, showing no signs of giving in even after 7 hours and 40 minutes of continuous use.

Jabra Elite 10: Verdict

The Jabra Elite 10 earbuds' pricing makes them a high-end choice. These earbuds are great for working people and travellers or those who are often on phone calls, but want their hands to be free. They have a sleek design without any stems, and the physical button is easy to use. They are also dust and water-resistant (IP57), which means they are suitable for various activities. One thing though, sound quality and capturing of natural sounds are areas that require a bit more work, but having said that, if you value comfort, a sound that is satisfactory, and useful features over super-strong noise cancellation, these earbuds are a good pick. In 2023, the Elite 10 earbuds are definitely among the best available. Their versatility lends them another plus in terms of value-add.

Rating

4 out of 5

Price

INR 20,999/-

Product Name

Jabra Elite 10

Brand Name

Jabra

Pros