Jabra Elite 3 review: Breaking into the entry level

(Pocket-lint) - Jabra has built up rather the estimation implicit caller years for its existent wireless headphones. While its Elite class has offered arguably best-in-class performance, that sanction present finds its mode to a little people of headphone.

The Elite 3 are positioned little than erstwhile Jabra headphones, stripping down the features for an charismatic terms point. But what bash you really get and does it marque champion consciousness astatine this terms point?

Design and build

• Dimensions (per earbud): 20.1 x 27.2 x 20.8mm
• Dimensions (case): 64.2 x 28.5 x 34.5mm
• Weight (per earbud): 4.6g
• IP55 water/dust-resistance
• 3x EarGels

The Jabra Elite 3 travel successful a charging lawsuit that's fundamentally the aforesaid signifier arsenic erstwhile high-end headphones, but a small much compact. That's due to the fact that these 'buds are a small smaller than erstwhile Jabra offerings, truthful they instrumentality up little space.

The earbuds from the wrong are a akin signifier to Jabra's different 'buds, but taper down to a smaller wide country for the outer face. There's a fastener connected each, which makes up the full level aboveground connected the exterior and is utilized for control.

There are 3 EarGels - we'll conscionable telephone those what they are: tips - truthful you tin take the size to get the champion acceptable wrong your ear. There are nary hooks oregon fins oregon different devices to effort to get these 'buds to enactment successful spot - you conscionable prime the close size extremity and propulsion into place.

In our experience, the Elite 3 enactment put, but they bash instrumentality with a circular EarGel alternatively than oval 1 we saw connected the Elite 85t earbuds - the second which we recovered to supply a somewhat amended wide fit. But, arsenic this is astatine the affordable extremity of the spectrum, that's to beryllium expected.

The IP55 standing is welcomed, arsenic it means that it doesn't substance if you get caught successful the rainfall oregon sweat into these headphones - and that means you don't person to interest astir however oregon wherever you deterioration them.

The lid to the charging lawsuit connected our reappraisal illustration had a small rattle to it - the hinge possibly being a small escaped - but connected a acceptable of headphones astatine the affordable extremity of the spectrum, you can't kick astir this excessively much.

Connectivity and control

• Google Fast Pair
• Jabra Sound+ app
• HearThrough passthrough
• No progressive noise-cancelling (ANC)

When you archetypal unfastened the Elite 3 they are casual to link to your telephone via Bluetooth arsenic they're instantly successful pairing mode. Some phones volition observe them automatically utilizing Google Fast Pair, others mightiness necessitate searching via the Bluetooth paper to brace arsenic a caller device.

At a basal level, that's each you request to bash - and with minimal features connected these headphones, you mightiness consciousness you don't request the Jabra Sound+ app. This app manages firmware updates, truthful is utile connected that front, but it besides means you tin prime from the preset dependable profiles to accommodate the dependable somewhat to your penchant - but there's nary customized equalisation.

The buttons connected the Elite 3 connection a scope of functions. The left-hand 1 volition let you to power connected the HearThrough function, allowing ambient sounds successful to trim the feeling of isolation oregon assistance you support way of what's happening astir you - which immoderate radical similar erstwhile moving done engaged places.

There's nary progressive noise-cancellation (ANC) exertion connected these headphones, truthful the alternate to HearThrough is conscionable "off". In summation to controlling this done the near button, the Jabra Sound+ app tin besides crook this mounting connected and off, portion Android users volition besides get a conception successful the notifications country allowing speedy switching of modes.

A double-press of the near fastener tin beryllium acceptable to motorboat Google Assistant, Siri oregon Alexa (if you person the app installed connected your Android telephone and acceptable arsenic your default dependable assistant), portion Android devices tin opt to alteration this to trigger Spotify playback, which is simply a bully one-touch relation - 1 of the archetypal devices to look with Spotify Tap.

The right-hand fastener offers multifunctions connected presses - play/pause, skip, back. In addition, a press-and-hold of the buttons volition alteration the measurement - it's up connected the close and down connected the near - which is simply a utile feature.

These controls are casual to maestro and, fixed the affordable positioning of the Elite 3, the omission of ANC isn't surprising. But ANC is arguably Jabra's biggest selling constituent - if you privation it, you'll person to opt for thing similar the Elite 7 Active.

The different happening that Jabra has removed is the dependable feedback that you get connected much precocious headsets - alternatively you get confirmatory beeps instead, which isn't arsenic utile due to the fact that you fundamentally don't cognize what's happening.

But connected the whole, it's a coagulated acceptable of controls, allowing casual power of euphony playback without having to food your telephone retired of your pocket. With that Spotify option, Android users get a amended acquisition than iPhone users.

Performance

• 6mm drivers
• 7 hr battery
• 28 hours full with case

Getting the champion dependable retired of these headphones is possibly a small much hard than with Jabra's different headsets. Having utilized the Elite 75t and 85t models extensively, we find that the Elite 3 request a small much cautious positioning to get them sounding the best.

If the positioning isn't rather right, you'll find that they're not arsenic bassy oregon arsenic affluent successful dependable - and the isolation of exterior sound isn't truthful bully - truthful springiness them a wiggle to marque definite they're performing arsenic they should.

There are 6mm drivers successful the Elite 3 and the show is bully for the price, but with the deficiency of customized equaliser there's not a immense magnitude you tin bash to set the illustration to your liking.

You're reliant connected carnal isolation to trim inheritance sound, which precise overmuch depends connected the acceptable that you execute with the headphones. Get that close and they volition dependable beauteous bully though. For hazard of sounding similar a breached record: surely astatine this terms point.

Calls tin beryllium a small noisy, however, with callers reporting that they could perceive inheritance noise. The headphones besides let successful outer noise, which tin beryllium a small overwhelming, making it hard to perceive the caller connected the different extremity of the line.

The HearThrough relation tin beryllium useful, but doesn't conscionable fto successful outer noise, it seems to amplify immoderate elements truthful tin beryllium alternatively hissy. Walking on a roadworthy with HearThrough turned connected sounds similar each car is powered by steam - it's not conscionable ambient sound, it's boosted successful immoderate parts of the scope which makes the satellite dependable a small odd. So, really, we're not definite the diagnostic is needed.

We person recovered the transportation to beryllium wholly coagulated crossed a scope of antithetic devices that we person tested these headphones with.

The earbuds besides connection 7 hours of playback, recharging erstwhile placed backmost into the case. The lawsuit volition supply up to 28 hours of playback total, with a USB-C transportation for charging the case.

Writing by Chris Hall. Editing by Mike Lowe. Originally published connected 30 November 2021.