Jabra Elite 7 Pro are great for calls, but for $200, there are better options.
Jabra makes genuine wireless earphones. Jabra, not Apple, Samsung. It wasn’t until 2018’s Jabra Elite 65t that I recognised the long-term ramifications of the form factor for convenience, comfort, and sound quality. The Elite 65t became my first must-carry true wireless earbuds, replacing the neckbuds I’d carried for years on airlines, trains, and other modes of transportation.
Jabra followed that pair with the considerably smaller Elite 75t, which had better battery life and a range of quality-of-life upgrades. With the Elite 85t, Jabra added ANC and doubled the drivers, boosting clarity at the expense of bass oomph, but their greater size and chunkier case brought certain regressions for long-time series aficionados.
Jabra’s Elite 7 Pro offers the best of both worlds for $199. The Elite 7 Pro is smaller and lighter than the Elite 75t and has the 85t’s high-quality ANC and upgraded mics for better calls, but several peculiarities make me question Jabra’s decisions.
Design
Jabra’s Elite 7 Pro are genuine wireless headphones. As contoured and ergonomic as the Elite 75t, they’re smaller and lighter. The 7 Pro are tiny compared to Jabra’s Elite 85t. The teardrop-shaped multifunction buttons now cover the whole outside surface of the earphones. The redesigned design is waterproof, having an IP57 rating (the Elite 75t were IP55).
The charging case is the biggest change. Jabra ditched its flip-top design for a clamshell shape. It’s somewhat bigger and features built-in wireless charging, which previously cost extra.
It may be the first charging case with a front port. Less attractive, but more functional.
The lid’s curved sides make it a little harder to open, but it’s generally well-designed. Jabra’s earbuds clip easily into their charging connectors.
Ease, Control and Connectivity
The Elite 7 Pro are the most comfortable noise-canceling true wireless earbuds available. Jabra has improved the Elite 75t’s already pleasant form. The manufacturer reengineered the eartips’ material, which may help with fit. Elite 7 Pro feel custom-made for me; I can wear them for hours without pain or tiredness. Unsure if you choose the proper eartips? The Sound+ app has a fit test.
You could use the Elite 7 Pro for all but the biggest workouts – once in my ears, they didn’t budge.
The controls are top-notch. Big, tactile buttons that are easy to press. Single-, double-, triple-, and press-and-hold motions control calls, playback, and active noise cancellation (ANC). If you don’t like Jabra’s default control scheme, you can alter it via the Jabra Sound+ app. Elite 7 Pro earbuds are the most customizable I’ve used. If you can conceive of a function, Sound+ probably lets you change it.
You may use the Elite 7 Pro’s built-in voice assistant or Amazon Alexa. You can select to autopause and play music with in-ear detection.
Elite 7 Pro can stay connected up to 50 feet away with Bluetooth 5.2. (a little less indoors). Earbuds can be used alone.
They’re enjoyable regardless of genre.
The Elite 7 Pro lacked Bluetooth Multipoint when I reviewed it in October 2021. Since January 27, 2022, a firmware update has fixed my single complaint about these earbuds.
Noise Cancellation
The Elite 85t were Jabra’s first earbuds with a hybrid ANC system (the Elite 75t and Active 75t were upgraded with ANC, but they don’t use feed-forward and feedback mics). The Elite 7 Pro cancels sounds better than the 85t, however their transparency mode isn’t as clear.
The 85t’s semi-open design lets in some outside air, I guess. This openness makes outside sounds easier to hear and harder to cancel. Fully closed Elite 7 Pro headphones are noise-canceling. The Sound+ app allows you fine-tune ANC, but I didn’t see a change.
The Elite 7 Pro can’t keep up with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds or the AirPods Pro, but considering their cheaper price, that’s not surprising and the gap isn’t big.
To switch between modes, push the left earbud.
Call Quality
Jabra’s Elite 7 Pro uses bone conduction-sensing mics to improve voice pickup. Nonsense. The Elite 7 Pro have greater call quality than Jabra’s prior buds. I tested in a windy parking lot with a nearby construction site, but nearly none of it was heard. During the loudest moments, some compression crept in, but overall it was great. It was perfect in a quiet place.
With Jabra’s adjustable sidetone, you can let in as much of your speech as you want, and there’s a microphone-mute mode you can engage while on a call – something even premium earbuds like the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds don’t offer.
The Elite 7 Pro is great for talkers.
Battery
Jabra promises the Elite 7 Pro earbuds with ANC can last up to eight hours per charge. The left earbud lasted eight hours with ANC on and volume at 50%, however the right only lasted 7.5. Since the right earbud connected first, it’s the “primary” earbud and must perform more work. Five minutes of charging gives you an extra hour of use.
With the provided charging case, you should get 30 hours of entertainment, or more if you switch off ANC and transparency. The numbers aren’t the best true wireless earbuds can do, but they’re enough for daily use and most travel plans.