Jabra's Elite 65t have been some of the best true wireless earbuds you could buy since their introduction last year. They don't have the best sound quality, but overall, the company assembled a compelling package that costs significantly less than a lot of the competition's. Now Jabra is hoping lightning strikes twice. In September, it debuted the follow-up: the Elite 75t ($180). The new model is smaller, lasts longer and adds a lot of handy features, but is it better than last year's surprise superstar?
Gallery: Jabra Elite 75t review | 17 Photos
Gallery: Jabra Elite 75t review | 17 Photos
The most obvious difference between the Elite 75t and the Elite 65t is size. Even the new charging case is significantly smaller than the old model's. The top and bottom are also flat, so the case stands on its own when you open it. As someone who tests a lot of earbuds with cases that flop over, it's a nice touch. The LED-charging indicator is on the back though, to the left of the USB-C port. This means when you close the case, you have to spin it around for a battery status update. It's great that it's there, but it would be much better if it was around front, where the case opens.
The earbuds themselves are also drastically smaller. Jabra says they're 20 percent smaller overall, but when you do a side-by-side comparison, it seems like there's an even bigger change. The armlike extensions that pointed down toward your face on the Elite 65t are gone. Instead, Jabra opted for a tiny triangular elbow to house the microphones. The main earbud housing is also a lot smaller but remains nearly as deep. Basically, despite a reduced diameter, the buds themselves still stick out of your ears a similar amount. Not having that mic extending down makes a big difference though. You can feel it clearly when you're wearing them. In short: The 75t buds are much comfier.
The Elite 75t is IP55 rated, so you can be confident when you wear these to the gym. Jabra has also thrown in a two-year warranty against dust and water damage (low-pressure, sustained spray), so if something does go wrong that's within the confines of "regular" use, you should be covered.
There are still onboard controls, even with smaller earbuds, but now there's only one button on each side. On the left, you press and hold to turn the volume down and single press to turn HearThrough transparency mode on or off. A double press skips forward while pressing three times goes back. When you're on a call, a single press on the left button will mute or unmute the mics. And a double press on the left side will activate "sidetone," or the ability to hear yourself better during calls.
On the right side, the button answers or ends a call with a single press, and pressing twice will reject an incoming call. When music or other audio is playing, pressing once will pause or resume. A double press will activate your voice assistant of choice (Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri), and to counter the left side, a press and hold will turn the volume up. It sounds like a lot, and it does take some getting used to -- especially having volume controls on opposite sides. But these are physical buttons, not touch controls, so they're more reliable than some of the other true wireless earbuds I've tested. You have to remember where they are and how to activate them, as they aren't as straightforward as the controls on other sets, but they work well.
