The Jabra Elite 7 Active are well-built sports earbuds with a stable fit and an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance. They perform similarly to the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless but have a worse mic recording quality. Jabra also advertises that they're made of a proprietary material called 'ShakeGrip' that helps give them a more stable fit. As a result, they have a similarly stable fit to the 7 Pro and most other Jabra earbuds that we've tested that don't have 'ShakeGrip'. You can customize their slightly bass-rich sound profile in their companion app. You can also use the app to remap most controls and adjust features like the auto-off timer. While their active noise cancelling (ANC) feature isn't very effective, they do a good job isolating you from noise like background conversations at the gym.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active are good for neutral sound. Their default sound profile is well-balanced and suitable for a variety of genres. A bit of overemphasis in the bass range adds extra rumble, punch, and warmth to your audio, but mixes don't sound muddy or cluttered. Their app also includes a graphic EQ and presets that you can use to customize their sound. Unfortunately, our unit's L/R drivers are slightly mismatched, which causes some sounds to seem louder in the right driver. Ηowever, this may not affect every pair.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active are great for commute and travel. They're comfortable, well-built, and come with a portable case to protect them when you're on the go. They provide nearly eight hours of continuous battery life, which is convenient for long flights, and the case holds about 2.8 additional charges. Unfortunately, while they do a good job of isolating you from sounds like background conversations, their ANC feature struggles to block out bass-range noise like rumbling bus and plane engines.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active are great for sports and fitness. They're intended for sports use, and once you find a good fit, they're stable enough to stay in place during intense workouts. They're also well-built and rated IP57 for dust and water resistance. Their control scheme isn't the most intuitive at first, but you can remap most of the controls, so you don't need to pull out your phone to change the track or turn up the volume during a workout.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active are good for the office. They do a good job of blocking out office-type noise like background chatter and humming computer fans. They're also comfortable, although they create a plunger-like feeling in your ear, which some users may not like. Their just under eight hours of continuous battery life is a bit short for a 9-5 workday, but on the plus side, they come with a case that holds about 2.8 extra charges, so you can top them when you need to. They also support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone simultaneously.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active aren't compatible with Xbox or PlayStation consoles. You can use them with Î’luetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is too high to be suitable for gaming. Although they have fairly low latency on iOS and Android devices, some users may still find the Android latency too high for mobile gaming.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active are truly wireless headphones, and you can't use them wired.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active are alright for phone calls. They have an integrated mic that makes your voice sound clear but not particularly full-bodied or natural. It also struggles to separate it from loud background noise, so your voice may be difficult to hear clearly if you're calling from somewhere like a busy subway station. Their ANC feature also struggles to block out bass range noise, so it may be hard to hear a call that you take in a loud environment.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active come in three color variants: 'Βlack', 'Navy', and 'Mint'. We tested them in black, but expect our results to be valid for the other colors as well. You can see the label for the unit we tested here.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active are earbuds intended for sports and have a similar design to the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless and the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless. They're very customizable and have a good noise isolation performance, although earbuds like the Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Truly Wireless or Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless have better-performing ANC features. They're stable enough for most workouts but don't have stability fins, unlike other sports earbuds like the Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless.
If you're looking for other options, check out our lists of the best wireless earbuds for running and working out, the best headphones for running, and the best earbuds and in-ear headphones.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless are better overall headphones than the Beats Fit Pro True Wireless. The Jabra are more comfortable and have longer continuous battery life. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you customize their otherwise neutral default sound profile. However, the Beats have a more stable in-ear fit and an H1 chip for seamless pairing with your Apple devices. They also have a better noise isolation performance.
The Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless and the Jabra Elite 7 Active are similar headphones, and you may prefer either, depending on what you're looking for. The Pro are more for casual use and have a much better mic recording quality. They have quite a few features for phone calls, including bone conduction sensors to help with noise handling. They also have a more neutral sound profile, which some may prefer. The Active are intended for sports use and have a significantly better noise isolation performance.
The Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless are a bit better for sports than the Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless. The Jaybird have stability fins, which helps them achieve a much more stable fit, and their build quality is better. The earbuds have a higher IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and their case is also rated IP54. On the other hand, the Jabra have longer continuous battery life and much better noise isolation performance.
Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless are better for most purposes than the Jabra Elite 4 Active True Wireless. Both earbuds are well-built, stable, and have great controls, but the 7 are much more comfortable. They have a more neutral sound profile, which some may prefer, and their ANC blocks out much more noise. Their mic also has a better overall performance.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless are better sounding and more comfortable than the Jabra Elite 5 True Wireless. These in-ears outperform the Elite 5 in noise isolation and sound profile neutrality, which some users may prefer. They also have an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance compared to the Elite 5's IP55, making the Elite 7 Active a better choice for sports and fitness. Neither model comes with stability fins, but both models stay in-ear during intense exercise. They also have the same eight-hour continuous battery life.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless are better than the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless. The 7 have a much better control scheme, much better noise isolation, and longer continuous battery life. Their latency with iOS and Android devices is lower and they have a more neutral default sound profile that some may prefer. On the other hand, the 75t have a significantly better build quality.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless are better than the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless for most purposes. They have much better noise isolation, mic performance, and a longer continuous battery life. They're also rated IP57 for dust and water resistance, while the 85t are rated IPX4 for water resistance only.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless and the Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer either, depending on what you're looking for. The Sony's ANC feature can isolate you from a bit more bass-range noise. They also have a much better build quality and a longer continuous battery life. On the other hand, the Jabra are rated IP57 for dust and water resistance, making them more suitable for sports. Their default sound profile is much more neutral, which some may prefer, and they have a mic with much better recording quality.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active Truly Wireless are better than the Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless. They have significantly better noise isolation performance, mic recording quality, and battery performance. Their default sound profile is also more neutral, which some may prefer. On the other hand, the 75t have a much better build quality.
Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless and the Jabra Elite 3 True Wireless are similar headphones, but the 7 Active are a bit better. The Elite 7 Active have an ANC feature and a much better noise isolation performance. Their default sound profile is more neutral, which some may prefer, and they also have a higher IP57 rating for dust and water resistance.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless are better for most purposes than the Samsung Galaxy Βuds2 Truly Wireless. The Jabra headphones have a much better control scheme, a longer continuous battery life, and a much better companion app that includes a graphic EQ. They're also rated IP57 for dust and water resistance, while the Samsung headphones are only rated IPX2 for water resistance. On the other hand, the Samsung headphones have a somewhat better noise isolation performance and a much better mic recording quality.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless and the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless have different strengths. The Jabra headphones' companion app includes a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization, and they have a more comprehensive onboard control scheme. They also leak less audio, have a significantly better mic recording quality, and last longer off a single charge. Ηowever, the Apple headphones have an Η1 chip for easy pairing with Apple devices and a virtual surround sound feature with compatible iOS devices, meaning Apple users may prefer them. Their ANC feature also blocks out more noise, especially in the bass range.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless are better for most purposes than the Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless. The Jabra have a much more comfortable, stable fit and a more comprehensive control scheme. They have a more neutral bass response, which some may prefer, and a somewhat better noise isolation performance. On the other hand, the Sony have virtual surround sound features and support NFC for easier pairing. The earbuds and case also feel better built.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless and the Βeats Solo Pro Wireless are very different, and you may prefer either, depending on what you're looking for. The Jabra are truly wireless earbuds designed for sports. They're more compact and have a more stable fit, as well as an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance. They also work with an app that has sound customization features. On the other hand, the Βeats are wireless, on-ear headphones with much better build quality and longer continuous battery life.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless are better than the Ultimate Ears FITS Truly Wireless for most purposes. The Jabra have ANC and a much better noise isolation performance. Their default sound profile is much more neutral, which some may prefer. Their case also holds more extra charges and they have an auto-off timer to conserve battery life. On the other hand, the Ultimate Ears have tips that mold to fit your individual ear shape, which gives them a much more comfortable, stable fit.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have a similar design to other Jabra earbuds like the Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless and the Jabra Elite 3 True Wireless. The earbuds have a somewhat bulky, rounded shape, with angled tips and buttons on the outside surfaces. They come in three different colors: 'Î’lack', 'Navy', and 'Mint'.
They have great controls. The buttons are very clicky and responsive, and you can control your music, phone calls, and ANC mode. While the controls are not the most intuitive at first, you hear voice prompts or audio feedback for many commands. You can remap most of the controls in the app. They have an 'Auto-Pause' feature that pauses your audio automatically when you take an earbud out too. Unfortunately, double or triple-pressing the buttons puts pressure on your ears, which is a bit annoying.
On the left bud:
On the right bud:
On either bud:
The Jabra Elite 7 Active are very portable, like most truly wireless earbuds. While they're advertised to be smaller than other Jabra earbuds, they're slightly bigger than the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless. That said, they still easily fit into bags and pockets.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active come with a good case. There's a magnet to hold the earbuds in place and an LED light that displays the case's battery life when it's open. Unfortunately, the lid feels a bit too easy to open.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have a good build quality. They're mostly plastic but feel quite sturdy. They're also rated IP57 for protection against dust and water immersion. Ηowever, like the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless, the buttons feel a bit cheap.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have a stable fit, similar to other sports-oriented Jabra headphones like the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless. While they lack stability fins, they should stay in place, even if you make exaggerated movements.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active's default sound profile is quite neutral. There's a touch of extra thump and punch in the bass range that makes them well-suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop, but it's well-balanced enough for a variety of content and genres. If you prefer a different sound, their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets that you can use to customize it. Unfortunately, our unit's drivers are mismatched, and some sounds are louder in the right earbud. This issue may not affect every unit, though, and you may have a different experience.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have excellent mid accuracy. There's a dip in the mid-mid that nudges instruments and lead vocals to the back of the mix, but the rest of the response is very neutral, and vocals and lead instruments are clear and intense.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have amazing treble accuracy. Instruments are present, detailed, and well-articulated. The mid-treble is slightly underemphasized, though, so sibilants like S and T sounds and cymbals may lack a bit of brightness.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have superb peaks and dips performance. There are a few peaks and dips, and since the L/R drivers of our unit are mismatched, some are more present in one driver. There's a dip in the low-bass reduces thump and rumble in both earbuds. In the left driver, there's a low peak from the mid-bass to low-mid that adds clutter and muddiness to audio. There's a dip in the mid-mid that affects the right driver more than the left, nudging vocals and instruments towards the back of the mix. A peak from the high-mid to mid-treble makes some sounds more piercing or harsh.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have an excellent imaging performance. The group delay falls below the audibility threshold for the entire range, which results in tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. The left and right drivers of our unit are well-matched in terms of amplitude and frequency response, which helps ensure that objects are accurately placed in the stereo image. Ηowever, the drivers' phase response is mismatched in the mid-mid range. This makes some sounds louder in the right bud and is noticeable with regular content. These results are only valid for our unit, though, so you may have a different experience.
Like most in-ear headphones, the Jabra Elite 7 Active have a bad passive soundstage performance. Since their design doesn't interact with your outer ear, sound seems to come from inside your head rather than from speakers in the room around you. They also have a closed-back design, so the soundstage seems less spacious than most open-back earbuds.
These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when using these settings.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have a good noise isolation performance. While they have an ANC feature, turning it on doesn't make an audible difference in how much ambient sound you hear. You may notice white noise or more pressure in your ear with noise cancelling turned on, though. Their design isolates you from mid-range noise, like conversations, and higher-pitched sounds, like humming A/C units. However, they struggle to cut out bass-range noise like rumbling bus and plane engines. If you're looking for a pair of Jabra in-ears with better-performing ANC, consider the Jabra Elite 5 True Wireless.
Note: We performed a fit test in the app before each test to ensure that the earbuds were forming a good seal in our dummy head's ears. We also used the ANC personalization feature to customize the ANC to the dummy's ears and tested the results subjectively. The noise isolation seemed best with the personalization feature on its lowest setting, but the ANC slider turned to the maximum. You can see a comparison of the performance of the different ANC settings here.
The mic has a mediocre noise handling performance. In moderately noisy environments, background noise is loud and audible, but your voice should still be understandable. Ηowever, louder noise like the sound of a passing train can completely drown out your voice or make it impossible to understand what's being said.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have a good battery performance. They're advertised to last for eight hours off a single charge, and we measured slightly under that. Their case also holds about 2.8 extra charges, and Jabra advertises that five minutes of charging in the case provides about an hour of playback time. Ηowever, battery performance can vary with real-life use, so your experience may vary.
There's also an auto-off timer that you can customize in the app, and similar to the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless, you can use one earbud while the other charges.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have a great app. It offers lots of customization features including a graphic EQ and presets that you can use to customize their sound profile. There's also a 'MySound' feature, supposed to customize the sound based on a hearing test. You can adjust the HearThrough and ANC levels with sliders or personalize the ANC. You can also turn certain features on and off, like the auto-off timer, mic sidetone during calls, automatic call answering, and auto-pause, which pauses your audio when you take one of the earbuds out of your ears. Like the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless, you can also remap the onboard controls and add some functions that aren't included by default: sidetone on and off, hold current call and answer an incoming call, and switch between your current call and a call on hold.
The Jabra Elite 7 Active have satisfactory Bluetooth connectivity. Firmware update 2.2.0 added multi-device pairing, meaning you can connect to up to two devices simultaneously. However, you'll need to pause your audio from one device to receive your second device's audio. Their latency with Android and iOS devices is also low, so they're more suitable for watching videos on your mobile device. Also, some devices seem to compensate differently for latency, so your experience may vary.
These headphones are compatible with Î’luetooth-enabled PCs but can't connect any other way.
These headphones come with a case that stores about 2.8 extra charges. The only input is a USB-C port for the charging cable, and it also supports wireless charging.