đź“ť Our Complete Review
The Jabra Elite 85h represents Jabra's premium incursion into the active noise-canceling headphone segment. With record battery life, refined fabric design, and smart features like SmartSound, it aims to compete with the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort 35 II references, while maintaining Jabra's audio DNA.
The Jabra Elite 85h immediately appeals with its design. The textile covering on the headband and earcups offers a distinguished aesthetic that differs from ubiquitous plastics. The three colors (Titanium Black, Gold Beige, Navy) bring a welcome touch of personality. The construction inspires confidence despite plastic use: the metallized extendable arms and water-resistant nano-coating reinforce durability. Comfort is exemplary. The generous memory foam cushions completely surround the ears, and headband pressure remains moderate even after 4 to 5 hours of use. Only the crown of the head may feel slight discomfort beyond that, but nothing prohibitive. The earcups swivel to adapt to morphologies and fold for storage in the provided semi-rigid case. Battery life constitutes the real killer argument: 36 hours with ANC activated, 41 hours without. This is simply the best score on the market, crushing the 30 hours of Sony and Bose. Fast charging (15 min = 5h listening) effectively helps out. ANC slightly disappoints against leaders. It properly reduces constant background noise (air conditioning, airplane engine) but struggles more with sudden noises and conversations. In crowded metro, about 70% of hubbub disappears versus 85-90% for Sony WH-1000XM4. Passive isolation partly compensates. Audio quality is solid. Sound leans toward a balanced signature with natural mids, ideal for classic rock and folk. Bass lacks depth for hip-hop fans, and treble can seem slightly veiled. The total absence of premium codecs (no aptX, LDAC or even optimized AAC) frustrates at this price level.
