Jabra Elite 4 Review
Jabra's cheapest noise-cancelling buds pack a wide array of features
Verdict
The Elite 4 are a fantastic pair of true wireless earbuds that fit comfortably and deliver warm, detailed sound and effective ANC without costing the world.
Pros
- Snug fit
- Warm, detailed sound
- Good noise cancellation
- Clear calls
Cons
- No wireless charging
Key Features
- Active Noise CancellationAlong with a HearThrough Transparency mode
- Bluetooth MultipointAnd fast pairing for Android and Windows
- Up to 7-hour battery life5.5 hours with ANC
- Jabra Sound+ appWith ANC personalisation and EQ controls
Introduction
The Jabra Elite 4 are the latest addition to Jabra’s Elite line of true wireless earbuds.
With this launch, Jabra is calling out to anyone in need of a versatile pair of earbuds that’ll take them from the office to the home seamlessly. This is highlighted by features like active noise cancelling and Bluetooth Multipoint – two additions that weren’t present on its Elite 3 predecessor.
The Elite 4 are significantly cheaper than Jabra’s current flagship Elite 85t, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still offer a great all-around experience.
Design
- Identical appearance to other Jabra earbuds
- The Elite 4 are incredibly comfortable in the ears
- They’re certified IP55
The Jabra Elite 4 look virtually identical to the older Jabra Elite 3 and the sporty Jabra Elite 4 Active. They also look a lot like the Jabra Elite 5, another pair of true wireless earbuds they launched in 2022.
Like the other Jabra earbuds, the Elite 4 are small in size with rounded triangle-shaped buttons on the outer edge that subtly showcase the Jabra logo. Jabra has rarely deviated from this design for its cheaper earbuds and I don’t see any reason for them to with it being both good-looking and quite unique.
The earbuds are available in four colours – Dark Gray, Navy, Lilac and Light Beige – and come with three sets of silicone ear tips in sizes small, medium and large.
The fit was one of my favourite aspects when reviewing the Elite 3 and I feel the same about the Elite 4. The earbuds are incredibly comfortable and lightweight in the ear and I had no fears that they’d slip out when I wore them out and about.
With other earbuds, physical buttons can jostle the headphones and push them out of place but I didn’t have any issues with the buttons on the Elite 4.
The earbuds are certified IP55, meaning they offer limited protection from dust and water. If you’re looking for something with higher protection against the latter, the fitness-focused Elite 4 Active carry an IP rating of IP57.
Like the design of the earbuds, the charging case is visually similar to the case that housed the Elite 3, Elite 4 Active and Elite 5. The case is lightweight and pocket-sized with a smooth matte finish that matches the earbuds in colour. There’s no wireless charging support here, with only a USB-C port on the back for wired charging.
Features
- Support Bluetooth Multipoint and fast pairing
- ANC and transparency modes are very effective
- The battery outperformed Jabra’s claims
The Jabra Elite 4 aren’t short on features for a more affordable pair of wireless earbuds.
If you’re an Android or Windows user, you’ll benefit from the Fast Pair and Swift Pair pairing features that allow you to tap or click on a notification to get started. Android users also benefit from Spotify Tap, a feature that makes it possible to start streaming with a single press.
That isn’t to say you shouldn’t get the Elite 4 if you’re an iOS user. I used the earbuds alongside my iPhone and found they paired quickly and functioned perfectly well without these added features.
Both Google and Siri voice assistants are supported and you can move seamlessly between devices with the help of Bluetooth Multipoint, which helps in switching from listening to music on one device to watching a video on another without having to disconnect from the previous device.
One of the highlights here is active noise cancellation (ANC). The Jabra Elite 4 are equipped with four microphones, enabling them to detect and cancel outside noise and disturbances.
While the pair may not be on the same level as the Elite 5 – which pack six mics and benefits from hybrid ANC – the noise cancellation here is still decent. I actually found that the passive noise isolation of the buds’ snug fit made the biggest difference in this respect, with the ANC helping to silence most remaining distractions.
There’s also a HearThrough transparency mode for when you need to be more aware of your surroundings, which I found to be incredibly effective. I found I was able to listen outside the headphones and hold conversations with exceptional clarity. Likewise, I found calls made using the earbuds to be brilliantly clear on either end.
Dive into the Jabra Sound+ app and you’ll find a personalised ANC mode that helps you choose the right level of noise cancellation for your ears, as well as which ear needs it most as might be the case if the ANC sounds uneven to you.
When it comes to battery life, Jabra claims the Elite 4 can last 5.5 hours with ANC switched on, or 7 hours with noise cancelling off. The earbuds claim to last a total of 22 hours with ANC or 28 hours without ANC when factoring in the charging case.
I tested the earbuds with noise-cancelling on and found they lasted 6.5 hours on a single charge – that’s an hour more Jabra’s promise and 1.5 hours more than the similarly priced Edifier NeoBuds Pro.
Finally, the Elite 4 support fast charging, meaning you can get an hour’s use from a quick 10-minute charge or a full battery from 3.5 hours of charging.
Sound Quality
- The sound is clear and detailed
- The bass is warm and full
- EQ controls in the app allow you to customise the sound
The Jabra Elite 3 impressed me with a clear and detailed sound that seemed to outperform their price point and the same stands for the Elite 4 which benefit from the addition of ANC.
Unforgiven by Le Sserafim and Nile Rodgers is bright and energetic with clear vocals and warm, thumping bass underlying the song. The transitions between the verses and choruses could be more dynamic in terms of volume as the presentation does feel slightly subdued at times. However, the thrum of the bass helps to break the performance up, preventing it from sounding flat.
Switching over to a slower track, Snooze by Agust D, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Woosung is packed with crisp vocals and rhythmic bass. The song swells as it reaches the chorus with the building instruments painting a clear stereo image. I do wish that the piano got as much attention as the bass and vocals, with the earbuds favouring the low and mid-range and the tonal balance tipping ever so slightly toward the bass.
Detail and clarity is something that is apparent across genres with Dave Brubeck’s Lydian Line sounding incredibly detailed and nimble. The soundstage comes across as particularly spacious in this song and the stereo image is crystal clear. The jazz track also gave the treble a chance to shine, with the earbuds producing a good amount of detail in the upper register.
Lastly, there are also EQ controls built into the app that allow you to customise the sound to your liking. This includes custom controls and five presents, including Speech, Bass Boost, Treble Boost, Smooth and Energise.
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Should you buy it?
You want a great pair of noise cancelling earbuds under £100: The Jabra Elite 4 combine a snug fit with effective noise cancellation and detailed audio.
You prefer wireless charging: If you hate fiddling with cables there are plenty of wireless earbuds that support wireless charging.
Final Thoughts
The Jabra Elite 4 are a well-rounded pair of earbuds that offer competitive performance and a large feature set for their price.
The biggest differences between these and the Jabra Elite 3 are the additions of active noise-cancellation and Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity. Otherwise, the two headphones look and sound very similar, meaning I wouldn’t necessarily recommend upgrading unless you’re particularly anxious to get your hands on the noise-cancelling.
The audio isn’t going to be a match for the most premium headphones. For that, you’ll want to look at Jabra’s higher-end options, such as the Elite 85t. However, if you’re searching for a great pair of all-rounders for £100 or less, the Elite 4 certainly won’t disappoint.
How we test
We test every headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Drained the battery to determine how long they would last
Tested the features in the smartphone app
Listened to a range of genres
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FAQs
The earbuds have a battery life of 7 hours without ANC or 5.5 hours with ANC. Factor in the case and you’ll get a total of 28 hours without ANC or 22 hours with ANC.
Yes, the Jabra Elite 4 do have ANC.
No, the case doesn’t support wireless charging.
Full specs
Jargon buster
Bluetooth multipoint
Bluetooth multipoint is a device's ability to connect to two or more devices simultaneously over a Bluetooth connectionANC
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) uses an array of microphones in a headphone to detect the frequency of the sound coming at the listener, with the ANC chip creating an inverse wave (i.e. opposing sound) to suppress any unwanted external noises.Google Fast Pair
Google's Fast Pair is a proprietary technology that uses Bluetooth Low Energy to quickly pair devices in close proximity to each other when they're first used
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
