Jabra recently came out with their new generation of TWS and the Jabra Elite 2 is one of their entry-level devices. At RM299, it offers noise isolation (passive), dual mics and a comfortable fit. Is that enough for you? Find out in our review of the Jabra Elite 2 below.
The Elite 2 earpieces fit snugly and comfortably in my ears for some reasonable passive noise isolation. Once you fit them in and give them a slight twist, they don’t jut out or feel like falling out at all. While it may look like they are touch controls, there are actually buttons hidden underneath the Jabra logo on each Elite 2 earpiece. There are also extra silicone earbuds in various sizes to get the best fit.
What's in the box for the Jabra Elite 2
Pairing was easy. Just take them both out and the prompt to pair the Jabra Elite 2 appeared on my Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Press connect and that's it. However, we have to say that plug and play performance before setting up the Elite 2 with its app is barely above average.
When it has been set up with the Jabra Sound+ app, you can proceed to set it up for either a voice assistant or for Spotify. There’s also presets to boost bass, treble and so forth. Trying it out for bass, this boost offers a bit more than before but only about half of that of a TWS with native Extra Bass. Overall audio performance was still fairly clear.
The presets can be used for most situations
You can use Amazon Alexa and Spotify with the Jabra Sound+ app
Stability in connectivity wasn't very good, especially with walls and other objects in the way as the signal broke up repeatedly. Quite obviously, the Elite 2 didn't do very well in our bathroom test. However, the Elite 2 is just fine within line of sight with the phone it's connected to. This makes me think that the Elite 2 is more of a short range device.
Due to the fact that you have to push quite hard before the buttons activate, it might be a bit uncomfortable for some people as it feels like you’re pushing the earpiece deeper into the ear. Only the right earpiece works on it's own, so if you're used to using just the left earpiece like me you may feel a little put off, but that's just my preference.
The ergonomic shape of the Jabra Elite 2 fits comfortably into the ear
There's actually a button hidden underneath the Jabra logo
The Jabra Elite 2 doesn't jut out
In terms of gaming performance, the Elite 2 sounds pretty good with an almost imperceptible lag. If you're not listening for it, you won't notice it. Trying out the dual mics with voice recording the Elite 2 delivered fairly clear mic performance with some background noise hum, but it should be good enough for most calls and online meetings.
Battery life is pretty good at 7 hours (earpieces) / 21 hours (charging case), lasting more than a week or so on intermittent usage. The compact case is easy to carry about and charges back to 100% in under 3 hours. Jabra says you can also get about 1 hour’s worth of use for just 10 minutes of fast charging. As for water resistance, the Elite 2 are rated at IP55 so they should be good enough for most gym exercises (just don't bring them into the pool).
The Jabra Elite 2 can last 21 hours of continuous usage with the charging case
The charging case is compact and portable
It should be small enough to fit most pockets
You can charge the case via the USB Type C port
Overall, I would say that the Jabra Elite 2 are pretty good True Wireless Sound devices as long as you don't mind keeping your phone or sound source close. For RM299 they tick most boxes except for range stability (and a few other things below) and are good enough for gaming as well.
They're also a fairly comfortable fit and don't stick out as much as some other TWS devices, but you should definitely set it up with its app to get the most out of it. It's a bit of a bummer that you can't customize the settings but the presets are applicable for most situations. I found the buttons to be a bit irritating though, because when you press inwards, it affects the sound and makes it uncomfortable.
The Jabra Elite 2 offers pretty good value for just RM299
If you don't mind those, then for its price, the Jabra Elite 2 is a good TWS choice. However, at this price point there are quite a few contenders, especially from Edifier or perhaps some of the TWS from various phone brands. Some provide extra bass or Active Noise Cancelling, so do consider your choices first before buying.
So, would you get the Jabra Elite 2? At what price point would you consider it to be a fair deal? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com.
Tech specs and features
Here are the tech specs and features for the Jabra Elite 2 TWS:
- 6mm speakers
- up to 10m operating range
- Speaker bandwidth (music mode): 20Hz - 20000Hz
- Speaker bandwidth (speak mode): 100Hz - 8000 Hz
- 20.1mm x 27.3mm x 20.8mm | 4.6g (each earbud) / 31g (charging case)
- Supports Qualcomm aptX, Bluetooth 5.2, IP55 water and dust resistance
- Features 2x MEMS Microphones (100Hz - 8000Hz), Jabra Sound+, Google Fast Pair, One-touch Spotify, works with Amazon Alexa / Siri / Google Assistant
- Up to 21 hours (earbuds and charging case)
- Up to 7 hours (earbuds)
- Up to 75 days standby time
Pros and Cons
Pros: Good quality sound, comfortable hidden fit and long battery life.
Cons: Not very good range. Inward button controls.
Summary: A good TWS for its price.
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