Start the review article with a disclaimer that this is my first experience with Jabra earphones. But it doesn't mean, I wasn't revealed at all about the availability of their products. It is more about knowing about its offerings in Malaysia without involving a deep usage experience.
Thus, this matter has indirectly evoked mixed feelings between worry, love and various other things including discomfort in some parts. However, I have to admit, the Jabra Elite 4 is good even though it is not perfect. Here I share my full experience while using these earphones for several weeks.
Specifications
JABRA ELITE 4
In-ear TWS type
Driver Two 6mm drivers
Microphones Four microphones
5.5 / 22 hour battery with charging pod
USB-C charging port
Wireless charging None
AAC/SBC CODEC
Supported operating systems Android/iOS/HarmonyOS/Windows
Virtual assistant support Yes
Touchpad Press/Hold
IP55 waterproof capability
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.2
Support bluetooth multipoint
Offline Audio None
Pulse scanner None
Selling Price RM549
Design And Use
As someone who used Jabra products for the first time, I personally feel that it is not an interesting set of wireless earphones in terms of design. But the small size has given many advantages, then combined with other elements such as the light body makes these earphones easy to carry anywhere.
It's not surprising since the entire product is made of non-glossy plastic neither on the charging pod nor on the earphones themselves. Even so, it is still matched with a hinge that feels sturdy and a strong magnet to keep the earphones in place without having to worry about them falling out easily.
The four available color options also allow users to choose according to their suitability. For example, I received the Jabra Elite 4 in a Navy Blue finish which can be classified as an alternative to black with its dark 'nature'. It is seen that it is not able to avoid the issue of scratches and dust collection easily.
I state this as a personal view and not everyone will agree. However, if you like more cheerful colors, you can try to get these earphones in Gray, Light Beige and Lilac colors.
Then it also continues the tradition of several existing generations with a 6mm audio driver without a stalk. Each earphone also has four microphones that support built-in active noise cancellation, while also having a transparent mode that allows you to hear surrounding sounds. Jabra calls it HearThrough Mode and I will share more about the performance in the audio quality department.
To be honest, I have no problem with this kind of design because as long as it is comfortable during use it is enough. Especially as a woman who wears a hijab, comfort is a priority to create an enjoyable wearing experience.
A total of three size options for the silicone buds provided in the purchase box and two of them fit and were quite comfortable in my ears. In the meantime, I also found that these earphones remain firmly attached to the ear despite various activities such as talking, eating, laughing, extreme yawning, walking or running.
There is an LED light that can be found on the charging pod intended as a battery status indicator, installation and charging. Then the LED light on both earphones can also be used as a battery status indicator, where the green color indicates that the battery level is at a good level and can be used, followed by the red color indicating that the battery is at a low level or has run out.
In the meantime, the blue light will light up during the tethering process on the device, then the pink light will light up to mean that an update is being downloaded to the Jabra Sound+ application. On the back there is a USB-C charging port. Jabra also provides a USB A-C cable without a charging head with every purchase.
However there are some important points that I need to touch on about connectivity and function control here. The Jabra Elite 4 does not come with a dedicated manual button on the charging pod for this purpose. Instead it has to be done using the physical buttons on both earphones themselves.
As a result, mixed feelings began to surround me who initially felt comfortable because there was no need to learn any gesture movements like existing earphones. But it starts to give discomfort because you have to constantly push the earphones deeper into the ear canal every time you want to activate the various functions provided including the tethering process on the device.
The Jabra Elite 4 also passes IP55 splash and dust proof certification, making it suitable for use during fitness activities or perhaps walking in the light rain on your way home from the office for example. As you know, the weather is difficult to predict now, so it can be considered good as an additional protection for the product. But don't soak it in water for cleaning purposes because it will damage the earphones.
Connection And Control
With the Jabra Sound+ app, I can also access various other audio features and settings. Among them, the main screen will display the product image along with the name and battery status for both earphones. Then I can also switch between ANC and HearThrough Mode manually in the Sounds Modes section.
Also included on the app's main screen is an EQ setting that offers up to six sound options, either Bass Boost or Bass Boost. Neutral, Smooth, Speech and Treble Boost. As an option the ability to create your own audio profile is also provided here.
Tapping on the settings icon allows more customizations to be made. For example, like the control on the ear, where the sidetone feature allows me to hear my own voice while making a call. Then the Quick Access To Call Setting feature provides all call settings at the top of the screen when a phone call is made. The active noise cancellation is also customizable and the Find My Jabra feature really helped me track down the earphones.
The availability of the application is free and can be used on both devices either Android or iOS. The Jabra Elite 4 is also said to have Google Fast Pair and Swift Pair support for easy connection to Android devices and laptops. However, based on my experience, I found that there are shortcomings about it that involve failure to function properly.
On iOS devices, tethering can only be done through the bluetooth menu. Tethering can be done using a bluetooth 5.2 connection that also supports the Bluetooth Multipoint feature to connect two devices smoothly. Here has allowed me to connect these earphones to iPhone 14 and Vivo X Flip or Huawei MateBook 16 at the same time.
Unlike most other earphones, again I say no touch controls are given here. On the other hand, comprehensive control needs to be done by pressing and holding the button on the earphones to access certain functions. Start with the tethering process on the device can be done by pressing and holding the button on both earphones for a few seconds.
Then move to the button function on the left earphone, where a single press enables the ANC/HearThrough function to be activated and deactivated. The same steps can also be taken to answer or mute incoming calls.
In the meantime, press once and hold for a while to lower the audio volume. Then press it twice to enable the virtual assistant to be called or the call to be rejected for android devices only.
The button function on the right earbud allows you to play/pause audio pretty well with a single press. As on the left, the same steps also allow you to answer or mute incoming calls. Further pressing twice allows you to skip to the next audio track or end an incoming call.
Press it three times to skip to the previous audio track. In the meantime, you can also increase the volume of the audio being played by pressing once and briefly holding the button on the right earphone.
The beginning of use may feel clumsy and confused, but over time it becomes a habit. Coupled with satisfactory button-to-button feedback, it also gives an interesting added value to these earphones. But the weakness started to appear when I found that the audio or music being heard would not stop automatically when both earphones were removed. At the same time, support for resuming music when plugged back into the ear is also not included.
Audio Quality
Before continuing with the review, I have to make a disclaimer that the opinion of the quality of listening audio is subject to the personality and abilities of the writer himself. So in my personal opinion, the audio quality is at a good level for various genres of music with the sound production being fairly balanced between bass and treble quality.
At the highest settings, the audio can be heard well with no breaking issues. At the same time allowing the tone of each voice to be heard clearly enough. But for those of you who prefer excessive bass sound, you can make modifications through the Equalizer menu on the Jabra Sound+ application.
Active noise cancellation support is also good with the ability to prevent external audio pollution. The possibility of personal modification through the settings in the application also adds value to these earphones. Meanwhile, the HearThrough feature allows audio from outside to be heard while helping me to be aware of my surroundings.
The microphone quality is also not that amazing but still good. Every call can be made well even though I am in a noisy room. The receiver can also still hear every detail of the conversation clearly without the issue of intermittent sound.
Battery Endurance
The Jabra Elite 4 is advertised to last up to 5.5 hours of continuous use. Then it increases to 22 hours with the help of a charging pod. Not an unfounded claim but almost exactly with the use of high audio levels I almost got this advertised cycle time. One thing I also noticed is that the right earphone runs out of battery faster than the left. This is the same experience I had when reviewing some earphones before.
What's in the Box?
Here's what you get with every Jabra Elite 4 purchase in Malaysia.
1 X Jabra Elite 4.
1 X USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
3 x Install silicone buds of various sizes.
1 X User manual.
Conclusion
Jabra Elite 4 can be positioned as a set of earphones for normal daily use, whether used for work, study or entertainment purposes. It can also be purchased for those who need earphones for exercise as it is equipped with an IP55 waterproof and dustproof rating. Not only that, these earphones are also intended for those of you who like to create a personal audio profile because it can be done through the application by adjusting the available EQ settings. The Jabra Elite 4 may also not be the best when major shortcomings involving comfort issues start to arise when accessing various built-in functions. Even worse is the fact that the Fast Pair function simply cannot be used properly for the review unit to be received.
Pro
Compact and easy to use.
Ability to create custom audio profiles.
Battery lasts a long time.
IP55 waterproof rating.
Cons
Easy to scratch and dust.
Battery level is uneven.
The Fast Pair function does not work properly.