The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are semi-open headphones with a comfortable, stable in-ear fit. Their default sound profile is slightly bass-heavy, with a touch of extra thump and warmth, though you can use the Jabra Sound+ app to customize their sound to your liking. They're also equipped with active noise cancelling (ANC) and can block out higher-frequency noises typically found in an office. However, they struggle to isolate against bass-heavy sounds like bus and plane engines. While their 6.5-hour continuous battery life may not last through your workday, their portable charging case offers about 3.5 extra charges if you need it.
Our Verdict
The Jabra Elite 85t are good for neutral sound. They have a slightly bass-heavy sound profile that delivers a touch of extra thump and warmth. However, their treble range is veiled, so vocals and lead instruments lack detail. Luckily, you can customize their sound profile using the graphic EQ and presets in the Jabra Sound+ app. Also, provided you get a tight seal, they should deliver audio consistently across different users.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Very consistent audio delivery.
- Terrible passive soundstage.
The Jabra Elite 85t are good for commute and travel. These comfortable headphones are easy to bring with you on the go. While their ANC feature can block out higher-frequency noises like chatter from other passengers, they struggle to block out bass-heavy sounds like bus and plane engines. Also, their 6.5-hour continuous battery life may not last through long days out of the house.
- Well-built, portable design.
- Stable fit.
- Very consistent audio delivery.
- 6.5-hour continuous battery life.
- ANC struggles to block out bass-range noise.
The Jabra Elite 85t are impressive for sports and fitness. These well-built, comfortable in-ears have a portable, lightweight design. They're stable enough to stay in your ears during your workouts. However, they don't have stability fins, so they may not stay put during more intense exercises.
- Well-built, portable design.
- Stable fit.
- No stability fins.
The Jabra Elite 85t are good for office use. These comfortable headphones don't leak much noise, so you can listen to your music at loud volumes without bothering your coworkers nearby. Their ANC feature can block out typical office noises, like ambient chatter. However, their 6.5-hour continuous battery life may not last through your workday without pausing to recharge them.
- ANC can cut down ambient chatter.
- Well-built, portable design.
- Very consistent audio delivery.
- 6.5-hour continuous battery life.
The Jabra Elite 85t aren't compatible with PS4 or Xbox One, and their latency with Bluetooth-enabled PCs is likely too high to be suitable for gaming.
You can't use the Jabra 85t with a wired connection, so they aren't suitable for wired gaming.
The Jabra Elite 85t are fair for phone calls. Their integrated microphone has an okay recording quality, so your voice is understandable but thin and muffled to those on the other end of the line. The mic also struggles to separate your voice from background noise, so they're best-suited for making calls in quiet environments. These in-ears can block out some background noises so you can focus on your call. At the same time, their semi-open design can also help you hear your voice during calls.
- ANC can cut down ambient chatter.
- Okay microphone recording quality.
Changelog
- Updated Oct 03, 2024: A note about reports of inconsistent microphone
- Updated Sep 14, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Dec 15, 2020: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Jabra Elite 85t are available in several color variants: 'Titanium Black', 'Grey', 'Gold Beige', 'Copper Black', and 'Black'. We tested the 'Titanium Black' variant and you can see our model's label here.
If you come across another version of these headphones, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Jabra 85t are semi-open, truly wireless in-ears with a comfortable fit. Their default sound profile is very balanced and neutral, and their companion app offers lots of sound customization options. Unlike the Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless, they have an ANC feature, but it struggles to block out bass-heavy noises like bus or plane engines.
See also our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears, and the best earbuds and in-ear headphones.
The Jabra Elite 10 are better than the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless. The Elite 10 offer a better noise isolation performance and a longer battery life. They're rated IP57 for dust and water resistance, while the 85t are only rated IPX4 for water resistance. While they both have well-balanced default sound profiles and in-app sound customization features, the Elite 10 support Dolby Atmos for virtual surround sound.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better overall headphones than the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless. While both in-ears are well-built, the Sony have a significantly better noise isolation and battery performance. However, the Jabra have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and more comfortable.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless and the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 are similarly performing headphones. While both headphones are comfortable, the Jabra are better built, have a better battery performance, and support multi-device pairing. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ to help you adjust their sound. However, the Samsung have a significantly better noise isolation performance, their mic offers a better recording quality, and they have a low-latency 'Game Mode' on Samsung devices.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless are better for most purposes than the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless. The 7 have longer continuous battery life and much better mic recording quality. They also have a more neutral default sound profile, which some may prefer. You can also use one bud while the other charges in the case.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are a bit better than the Jabra Elite 4 Active True Wireless. The 85t are much more comfortable and have a significantly better noise isolation performance. They also support multi-device pairing. On the other hand, the 4 Active are a bit more customizable since you can remap their onboard controls. Their continuous battery life is also slightly longer.
The Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless and the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless offer a similar overall performance, and you may prefer one over the other. While both headphones come with a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization, the Jabra are more comfortable and stable, and they leak less sound. Conversely, the Sony have a slightly better noise isolation performance and support NFC pairing.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are slightly better in-ears than the Jabra Elite 3 True Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the Elite 85t are better built and support multi-device pairing. However, the Elite 3 have a better battery performance.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better in-ears than the Beats Fit Pro True Wireless. The Jabra are more comfortable, better built, and have longer continuous battery life. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound profile to your liking, and they support multi-device pairing with up to two devices at a time. The Beats have a more stable in-ear fit and an H1 chip for seamless pairing with Apple devices.
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 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 Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless and the Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Truly Wireless. have different strengths, and depending on your usage, you may prefer either one. While both are comfortable, the Jabra are better built, have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their mic has a better recording quality. However, the Anker have a more stable in-ear fit, and their ANC does a significantly better job of blocking out background noise.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless and the Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless have similar overall performances and depending on your preferences, you may prefer one over the other. The 85t have a more neutral, balanced default sound profile, which some users may prefer, though both headphones have a graphic EQ for sound customization. However, the 75t have a better noise isolation performance.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless and the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless are very similarly performing earbuds, but people who prefer a bass-rich sound profile, like fans of EDM or hip-hop, may prefer the Active 75t. The Active 75t also have a higher rating for water and dust resistance, although we don't test for it currently. However, the 85t have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and they recharge more quickly.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Truly Wireless and the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are similar headphones, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The Jabra are more comfortable, and they leak less sound. However, the Bose are more stable, have a better noise isolation performance, and longer continuous battery life.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better than the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2. The Jabra are more comfortable, and their default sound profile is more neutral, which some listeners may prefer. They also have a better noise isolation performance and a longer continuous battery life.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are somewhat better headphones than the Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless. The Jabra have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, isolate you from more ambient noise, and have higher total battery life. They can also connect with up to two devices at a time. However, the Jaybird have a more stable in-ear fit.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better in-ears than the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ True Wireless. The Jabra are more comfortable, feel better-built, and have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer. Their battery performance is better, and you can pair them with up to two devices at a time. They also have active noise cancelling, although their noise isolation performance is similar to the Cambridge Audio's passive isolation capabilities.
The Apple AirPods Pro are slightly better in-ears than the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless. The Apple have a virtual soundstage feature, a significantly better noise isolation performance, and an H1 chip for seamless pairing with Apple devices. However, the Jabra can be paired with up to two devices at a time, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help adjust their sound to your liking.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better in-ear headphones than the OnePlus Buds Pro. The Jabra are better built, have a better noise isolation performance, and have longer continuous battery life. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. The OnePlus have a 'Pro Gaming Mode,' which is advertised to reduce latency when paired with compatible OnePlus phones.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better in-ears than the Wyze Buds Pro Truly Wireless. The Jabra are more comfortable and feel better built. They also have a somewhat better noise isolation performance, as well as longer continuous battery life, and they can be paired with up to two devices at once. They have a companion app too, and you can customize their sound profile using the app's graphic EQ and presets.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better in-ears than the Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless. The Jabra are more comfortable, have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and they're able to block out more background noise. They also support multi-device pairing with up to two devices at a time. The Sennheiser, in comparison, have a better battery performance and support aptX Adaptive codec.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better in-ears than the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 True Wireless. The Jabra are more comfortable, have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and have better battery performance. Their companion app also has a graphic EQ and presets so that you can adjust their sound to your liking, and you can pair them with up to two devices at a time. However, you can use the Bowers & Wilkins' carrying case as a wireless transmitter.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless and EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Truly Wireless each have their own advantages, and you may prefer one over the other depending on your needs. The Jabra have a far more comprehensive control scheme, a better noise isolation performance courtesy of their ANC feature, longer battery life, an auto-off timer, and a companion app that offers a broader range of customizability. Meanwhile, the EPOS come with a dongle that allows for somewhat low-latency audio transmission, offer better overall mic performance, and have a Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound feature.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are somewhat better headphones than the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. The Jabra are better built, have a more neutral sound profile out of the box, and offer a better overall battery performance. They also have a companion app with a graphic EQ and presets so that you can tweak its sound to your liking, and support multi-device pairing. However, the Samsung's ANC does a better job of cutting down noise around you.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better for most purposes than the Apple AirPods (3rd generation). The Jabra have a more comfortable, stable fit and a more neutral default sound profile, which some may prefer. Their app has sound customization features, and they support multi-device pairing. They also have ANC and isolate you from much more noise. However, the Apple come with a more compact case that holds a greater number of charges. They also don't isolate you from ambient sound so that you can hear your surroundings.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless and the JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless have similar overall performances, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. Out-of-the-box, the JBL have a better-balanced sound profile, which some users may prefer, but both in-ears have great companion apps with lots of sound customization options. The JBL have a slightly better noise isolation performance, but the Jabra leak less audio.
The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless are better headphones than the Beats Solo Pro. The Jabra have a more stable and comfortable fit, have a longer total battery life, and their integrated mic has a better recording quality. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets so you can adjust their sound to your liking, and they can be paired with up to two devices at a time. However, the Beats' ANC has a better noise isolation performance.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are slightly better in-ears for most uses than the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the Samsung have a more stable fit, a more neutral default sound profile, which some user may prefer, and a better battery performance. On the other hand, the Jabra are better-built, have an ANC that's able to block out more background noise, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ in addition to presets to help you adjust their sound.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The Jabra Elite 85t have a similar design to the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless. These in-ears have a sleek, low-profile design, but they're a bit bulkier. As a result, they protrude a bit from your ears. They come in several colors: 'Titanium Black', 'Grey', 'Gold Beige', 'Copper Black', and 'Black'.
These in-ears have a comfortable fit. The ear tips are more oval-shaped than the circular tips on the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless and Jabra Elite 3 True Wireless, and they don't put too much pressure on your ears. However, they're a bit bulky, and they stick out a bit from your ears, which some listeners may not like.
The Jabra Elite 85t have great controls. Each bud has a physical button that's very clicky and responsive. They also give audible feedback when you register commands and there's even have an audible guide to walk you through their pairing mode. On the downside, the controls aren't very intuitive. Only the right earbud has controls when using them in mono mode too.
On either bud:
- One press: Answers a call. If you're currently on a call, this command mutes and unmutes your microphone.
- Double-press: Ends or rejects a call.
- Triple-press: Skips the track backward or restarts the track.
On the left earbud:
- One press: Allows you to cycle between HearThrough mode, which allows you to hear ambient sound around you while you're wearing them, ANC on, and off when you're not in a call.
- Double-press: Skips the track forward.
- Triple-press: Skips the track backward or restarts the track.
- Press and hold: Lowers the volume.
On the right earbud:
- One press: Plays and pauses audio.
- Double-press: Activates voice assistant when you're not in a call.
- Press and hold: Raises the volume.
On both buds:
- One press: When you press both buds at the same time, you can turn the headphones on and off.
The Jabra Elite 85t have outstanding breathability. Since they don't cover your outer ear, they shouldn't trap in a lot of heat and allow some airflow. You also shouldn't sweat more than normal, even if you're wearing them during moderate physical activity.
The Jabra Elite 85t are outstandingly portable. Like most truly wireless in-ears, they're small and lightweight. They easily fit in your pocket, and there's also a portable charging case to help protect them when you're on the go.
The case is good. It's made of hard plastic, which feels solid and durable. There's a magnet to hold the buds in place while they're charging. Also, the LED light helps show their battery status.
The Jabra 85t have an impressive build quality. They're mostly plastic but feel very solid and durable. The ear tips don't seem like they could rip easily. They're also rated IPX4 for water resistance, though we don't test for this.
The Jabra Elite 85t have a stable in-ear fit. They should stay in your ears while you run or lift weights. However, they aren't as stable as in-ears with stability fins like the Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless or Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless.
- Jabra Elite 85t headphones
- 3x ear tips
- Charging case
- USB-C to USB-A charging cable
- Manuals
The Jabra Elite 85t have a slightly bass-heavy sound profile. They deliver a touch of extra thump and rumble to your mixes, which some users may prefer. However, the recessed treble can make audio a bit dull or dark. Luckily, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets so that you can adjust their sound to your liking.
The Jabra Elite 85t have remarkable frequency response consistency. Like most in-ears, with a good, airtight seal, they provide consistent bass and treble delivery each time you wear them.
The Jabra Elite 85t have superb bass accuracy. The entire range is quite flat, so audio is full-bodied, punchy, and thumpy. The slight overemphasis in the low and mid-bass can add a little extra thump, rumble, and body to your mixes.
These headphones have exceptional mid accuracy. Vocals and lead instruments are clear, present, and detailed. However, a small dip in the mid-mid could slightly nudge vocals and lead instruments to the back of your mix.
The Jabra 85t have decent treble accuracy. The entire range is recessed, which veils vocals and lead instruments. Sibilants like S and T sounds are dull and lispy, too.
The Jabra 85t have impressive peaks and dips performance. The very slight dip in the mid-mids nudges vocals and lead instruments somewhat towards the back of the mix, while the peak in the high-mids can make those same instruments a bit honky and harsh. The uneven mid-treble makes sibilants alternately piercing and dull.
These headphones have fantastic imaging. Their weighted group delay falls almost entirely below the audibility threshold, resulting in a mostly tight bass and transparent treble. The L/R drivers of our unit are well-matched in frequency, phase, and amplitude response, so objects like footsteps and voices are accurately placed and localized within the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, meaning that yours may perform differently.
The Jabra 85t have a bad passive soundstage, which is to be expected from in-ear headphones. By design, they bypass the outer ear, which needs to be activated to create a speaker-like soundstage. As a result, sound seems like it's coming from inside your head. On the upside, their semi-open design helps them create a more spacious soundstage than closed-back in-ears like the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless.
There aren't any virtual soundstage features. If you're looking for true wireless headphones with a Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound feature, take a look at the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Truly Wireless.
The Jabra 85t have a decent weighted harmonic distortion performance. At normal listening volumes, there are some small peaks in the treble range, and at high volumes, there's also a small peak in the mid-mids. The rest of the frequencies fall within good limits, resulting in mostly clean and pure audio reproduction.
These are the settings we used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid with these settings.
The Jabra 85t have decent noise isolation. They have active noise cancelling (ANC), but they still struggle to block out bass-heavy background noises like bus and plane engines. This may be intentional, as their semi-open design is supposed to help you stay aware of your surroundings while running outdoors or during your commute. They perform better with higher-frequency noises, so they can block out the sound of people chatting nearby and the hum of AC units. For headphones with better noise isolation, check out the JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless.
The Jabra Elite 85t have a fantastic leakage performance. They don't leak a lot of sound, so you can listen to audio at high volumes without bothering anyone around you.
The microphone system has an alright recording quality. Your voice is understandable but a bit thin and slightly muffled. However, there are reports (here's another) from owners of overly muffled and inconsistent sound quality, which a firmware update may solve.
If you experience bad recording quality, the manufacturer recommends going to the Sound+ companion app, selecting the cog wheel icon for settings, then 'Personalize your headset', and 'Voice guidance language'. Next, choose the language that's already highlighted and select 'Update now.' Even if you have the latest firmware, try this. If this doesn't work, try a factory reset before contacting the manufacturer's support.
The microphone has disappointing noise handling. It struggles to separate your voice from background noise, even in moderately noisy environments. Whoever's on the other end of the line may have trouble understanding you if you're talking in a loud space like a busy street.
The Jabra 85t have a fair battery performance. They're advertised to last roughly 5.5 hours with ANC on, but we measured over an hour more. While they may not last through your workday without pausing to recharge them, their carrying case holds roughly 3.5 additional charges if you need it. Unfortunately, unlike the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless, you can't use the buds one at a time while the other charges. However, they have an auto-off timer that helps conserve battery life after 15 minutes without a connection. If you're connected to a device, these in-ears go into standby mode after 30 minutes of inactivity. You can also adjust the timer in the companion app. Also, please note that battery life can vary depending on usage, so your real-life experience may vary.
These headphones are compatible with the impressive Jabra Sound+ app. There's a graphic EQ and presets so you can customize their sound. You can also use the app to set a reminder tone when the microphone is muted, turn auto play-pause on and off, set the timer for the sleep mode, and turn the ANC feature on and off.
The Jabra 85t have very good Bluetooth connectivity. Although they don't have NFC pairing, you can connect them with up to two devices at a time, which is nice if you like to switch audio devices between your PC and smartphone. Their latency with PCs is likely too high to be suitable for gaming, but they perform better with iOS and Android devices. Some apps compensate for latency, so your real-world experience may vary.
You can't use these headphones wired. They have a USB-A to USB-C cable to charge their case.
The Jabra Elite 85t are wireless headphones that can only connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs with full audio and mic compatibility. However, you won't be able to connect them to your PC in any other way.