The Jabra Elite Active 65t wireless earbuds are a solid example of combining simplicity, features, sound quality, and battery life in a beautifully simple package. They are a bit more professional looking than other earbuds out there and always seem to maintain a strong connection to whatever device you connect it to. Sound quality is fantastic overall, but we do have a couple major drawbacks so read on to find out more.
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- 15 hours of total battery life between device and charging case
- Comes in 4 different color options
- Includes 3 sets of ear gels for a wide variety of fits
- Works with both iOS and Android
- Retails at $169.99 USD, but look for deals
Run Test
Running in the Jabra 65t was actually a pretty solid experience, but with a few drawbacks. On the positive side, the Hearthrough feature is actually pretty amazing. It allows you to hear more happening around you so you aren’t totally cut off from the outside world. This is something we preach consistently because many times ear buds shut you off from cars, sirens, people, etc which just isn’t safe. The sound quality overall is ample for running.
Front view of the 65t 
Rear view of the 65t 
View of the case with the headphones in place 
View of the empty case and connectors
On the negative side, we have a couple caveats. First, the three sizes they included for ear gels are just not going to work for everyone as it doesn’t always lock in and make a solid latch. Because there is no other way of keeping it in the ear, like Jaybird’s design for instance, then they can definitely slip out. We had a number of folks try different sizes and for some it was perfect and for others, they were always right between the sizes. The next issue is that they are slippery as anything, you just can’t keep a grip on them, and I can’t count how many times I have actually dropped them trying to put them in.
Sound Quality
The overall sound quality on the Elite Active 65t is decent enough for a runner, but probably not there for an audiophile. The bass is a little low and the EQ presets don’t seem to change things all that much. They are so small, so it makes sense that they can’t compete with more robust headphones.
Everything included in the box – headphones, case, 3 ear gels, and a USB
The microphone on the 65t works way better than we expected. Even in a run, we could have conversations or record video without any issues. Many times we see a little bit of delay on microphones when using Bluetooth devices, but nothing here. You can easily even use these for calls, etc without a problem.
Battery Life
The battery life on these is pretty on pad with what they advertise. We let them sit at full volume and sure enough, they died out just over the 5 hour mark. Even for long runs, this should not be an issue for you. If it is, then you can drop it in the charging case and in about 15 minutes, you can expect another 1.5 hours of playback.
Overall Conclusion
Overall, the Jabra Elite Active 65t are really solid performing wireless headphones. They sound decent, look high end, and the battery life is ample for most runners. Our biggest drawback is the external material choice as it makes them very slippery, both the ear pods and the case. The ear gels also could probably use a few more sizes as well, but none of this would prevent us from recommending them to anyone. They should definitely be on your review list when it comes to high end performance Bluetooth headphones.
Learn more on the Jabra website
