The Jabra Elite 85h Wireless are versatile noise cancelling headphones that can be used in a wide variety of daily uses. They have great audio reproduction and will be good for a variety of music genres. Their active noise cancelling (ANC) feature is decent and blocks ambient noise well, but it’s not quite on par with that of similar high-end ANC headphones. On the upside, they have a very comfortable fit and their microphone sounds better than most Bluetooth headphones. They have amazing battery life and their wireless range maxed out our testing facility. Overall, these headphones offer great value and should satisfy most users.
Our Verdict
The Jabra Elite 85h are good for neutral listening. They have a deep and punchy bass, but it's slightly thumpy, which some may prefer. Their mid-range is nearly flawless and vocals and lead instruments will be accurately reproduced. The treble range is also very good, but it might lack a bit of detail and brightness on vocals and leads, and on some sibilants (S and T sounds). Overall, these headphones have a good audio reproduction that will be suitable for a wide variety of music genres.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Great battery life.
- Exceptional wireless range.
- ANC isn't on par with other similar high-end headphones.
- Sound delivery inconsistencies, especially in the treble range.
The Jabra Elite 85h are decent for commuting. Their isolation is pretty good, but they don’t particularly do well against lower-end noise like the deep rumble of bus and planes engines. On the upside, they're comfortable to wear for long rides and flights, and their battery life is amazing and will last you the longest trips. They also don’t leak too much, so you might be able to block more ambient noise by raising your listening volume without bothering people surrounding you.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Great battery life.
- Exceptional wireless range.
- ANC isn't on par with other similar high-end headphones.
- Sound delivery inconsistencies, especially in the treble range.
The Jabra Elite 85h are passable for sports. While they're fairly stable, these headphones aren’t designed for this use. They trap heat inside their cups, which will make you sweat noticeably more than usual. Also, their bulky design isn’t ideal for exercising. They aren’t the most portable headphones, but thankfully, their over-ear design is foldable, and the cups lay flat to fit inside their case.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Great battery life.
- Exceptional wireless range.
- ANC isn't on par with other similar high-end headphones.
- Sound delivery inconsistencies, especially in the treble range.
The Jabra Elite 85h are good for the office. These headphones’ ANC feature blocks a good amount of work environment noise. Their battery life is also amazing and will last you a few workdays without needing to recharge, which is great. Also, the headband and cups are comfortable enough to wear for a few hours without feeling too much fatigue. They can also connect to two devices simultaneously, which is convenient if you often switch between your phone and computer.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Great battery life.
- Exceptional wireless range.
- ANC isn't on par with other similar high-end headphones.
- Sound delivery inconsistencies, especially in the treble range.
The Jabra Elite 85h are sub-par for gaming. These headphones’ microphone has better recording quality than most Bluetooth headsets, but it still won’t be comparable to a good gaming headset’s boom microphone. Their latency, when used wirelessly, is also too high for video games, and you’ll notice a pretty significant delay. However, if you don’t need a microphone and don’t mind playing with wired headphones, their sound quality is pretty good and they're quite comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Great battery life.
- Exceptional wireless range.
- ANC isn't on par with other similar high-end headphones.
- Sound delivery inconsistencies, especially in the treble range.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Great battery life.
- Exceptional wireless range.
- ANC isn't on par with other similar high-end headphones.
- Sound delivery inconsistencies, especially in the treble range.
Changelog
- Updated Aug 30, 2023: Compared their Bluetooth features with the Beats Studio Pro Wireless'.
- Updated Aug 16, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Aug 24, 2020: Validated our results.
- Updated Feb 06, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
Check Price
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Jabra Elite 85h are good, stylish, mixed usage headphones that set themselves apart by their great audio reproduction, decent ANC feature, and a noticeably better microphone than most Bluetooth headphones. Unfortunately, their ANC isn’t on par with some other high-end competing models.
See our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones and the best wireless headphones.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better than the Jabra Elite 85h Wireless. The Sony have much better build quality, and their ANC feature blocks out much more ambient sound. That said, the Jabra's integrated microphone has a much better recording quality, and the Jabra's onboard controls include a mute microphone button.
The Jabra Evolve2 85 Wireless and Jabra Elite 85h Wireless are very evenly matched over-ear headphones. The Evolve2 85 are meant for professional users, block out more ambient noise, have a better-performing microphone, and charge slightly faster. The Elite 85h are designed for more casual use and have a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. They also last longer on a single charge.
The Jabra Elite 85h Wireless are more versatile than the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i Wireless. Their control scheme is great, complete, and easy to use, and their default sound quality is noticeably better than the Bang & Olufsen. Additionally, they have better wireless range and their app offers more customization options. On the other hand, the Bang & Olufsen are better-built, and look and feel like more premium headphones. You’ll get noticeably more battery life on the Jabra and their microphone recording quality will sound fuller and more clear.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 are better mixed usage headphones than the Jabra Elite 85h Wireless due to their amazing noise cancelling performance. The Bose are better-suited to commuting as they block out more low-end noises like engine rumbles. On the other hand, the Jabra feel slightly better built than the Bose, and their control scheme is more complete. They also have noticeably better wireless range and aren’t as leaky as the Bose.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
