Danish audio brand Jabra has revamped its Elite series in the last couple of years, producing new true wireless buds the Jabra Elite 5 and the Jabra Elite 7 Pro.
But, how do the two true wireless earbuds compare? Keep reading to find out.
Price
The Jabra Elite 5 are the more recent effort, having launched in September 2022. The headphones originally cost $149.99 / £149.99 but have already seen their price slashed to £116.99 on Amazon UK.
The Elite 7 Pro launched a year earlier in October of 2021. The headphones were priced at $199.99 / £199.99 upon release but have been discounted to $149.99 in the US. The £199.99 price remains here in the UK, but depending on where you shop, you can find them for less.
This makes the Elite 5 the cheaper of the two by a sizable £83 in the UK bringing the earbuds down to £116.99 compared to the £199.99 Elite 7 Pro. Meanwhile, both headphones currently hold the same $149.99 price in the US.
Design
The Jabra Elite 5 and the Elite 7 Pro share similar designs. Both headphones use Jabra’s EarGel ear tips for a snug fit and both come in three subdued colours – black, titanium black and gold beige.
The Elite 5 are slightly larger in every dimension to the Elite 7 Pro, but they’re lighter at 5g to the 7 Pro’s 5.4g. Furthermore, both earbuds take advantage of in-ear pressure relief for additional comfort.
Both headphones opt for physical buttons, though pushing them doesn’t require a large amount of force nor does it jostle the earbuds or affect the fit.
The Elite 5 has a dust and water resistance rating of IP55, while the Elite 7 Pro is slightly better protected at IP57. That said, both earbuds should be able to cope with anything less than a thunderstorm though neither charging case appears to carry their own IP rating.
Speaking of cases, the Elite 5 has a taller but slimmer case compared to the Elite 7 Pro. However, we didn’t find the size made any difference when it came to slipping the earbuds into a pocket.
Both charging cases support USB-C, fast charging and wireless charging, and both carry a 2-year warranty.
Features
Both the Elite 5 and the Elite 7 Pro support noise-cancelling with an adjustable HearThrough mode to listen into your surroundings, with six microphones to aid the noise-cancelling and assist with making calls.
While both earbuds have active noise cancellation, though the type each uses differs. The Jabra Elite 5 uses the more advanced hybrid ANC, a combination of inward- and outward-facing microphones to block noise in and outside the ear. The Elite 7 Pro, meanwhile, relies on feedforward ANC and its excellent noise-isolating fit.
We found the noise-cancelling on both headphones to be effective, though neither is as impressive as the Jabra Elite 85t. The HearThrough transparency mode is clearer and more natural in tone on the Elite 5 than the Elite 7 Pro, which we found amplifies noises around the wearer a little too loudly at its default setting.
The Elite 7 Pro, meanwhile, feature Jabra’s MultiSensor Voice technology for clear calls. The feature uses bone conduction technology to transmit your voice via vibrations in your jawbone, making it easier to detect and cancel out wind when taking calls outside.
Both pairs connect wirelessly to devices using Bluetooth 5.2 and Bluetooth multipoint and both support the AAC, SBC codecs, while the Elite 5 also comes with Qualcomm aptX support.
Both the Elite 5 and the Elite 7 Pro can connect to Jabra’s Sound+ app to adjust the ANC levels, customise the EQ and access Soundscape waterfall and pink noise sounds. The Elite 7 Pro is also equipped with MyFit to measure the earbuds’ fit and seal.
The two headphones also have very similar battery lives. The Elite 5 claim to last 7 hours on one charge with 28 hours including the charging case, while the Elite 7 Pro should offer 8 hours with 30 in total. We found these numbers to be a bit overstated on the Elite 5, with the earbuds lasting closer to 4-5 hours in our tests. Thankfully, we didn’t note this with the Elite 7 Pro.
Sound quality
Both the Elite 5 and the Elite 7 Pro pack 6mm drivers and sound good, though not as good as the flagship Elite 85t.
The Elite 5 have a rich presentation with more warmth compared to the Elite 7 Pro, which approaches low frequencies with more clarity and punch. The Elite 5, comparatively, presents these frequencies with more depth and presence.
Trusted Reviews’ TV and Audio Editor Kob Monney summarised the difference in his review of the Elite 5: “After a clearer, neutral presentation? Go for the Elite 7 Pro. If you favour a richer sound and an emphasis on bass, take a look at the Elite 5 instead”.
Verdict
The Elite 5 and the Elite 7 Pro are visually very similar in appearance, packing many of the same features, although they take slightly different approaches to ANC, transparency and call noise cancellation modes.
The battery life is longer on the Elite 7 Pro, but the biggest difference lies in the sound quality with the 7 Pro’s low frequencies carrying more clarity and punch. Those who favour a richer and warmer presentation, on the other hand, should opt for the Jabra Elite 5.
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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.
