Jabra makes some of the best wireless earbuds I’ve tested, and its top-tier contenders are some of the most easy-to-recommend all-rounders for most people. They have excellent sound quality, active noise-cancelling (ANC), comfort, resilience, connectivity and battery life, all within pocketable charging cases.
Unfortunately, Jabra is gradually exiting the business of making earbuds, but only after launching its best-ever pairs: the super comfortable Elite 10 Gen 2 and the ultra-durable Elite 8 Active Gen 2. I’ve been testing both hands-on over the last couple of weeks.
I also checked with Jabra for clarity on a few of the key questions you’re likely to have about the stock availability (it’ll be “as normal” for previous releases), the warranty (it’ll be for two years with ongoing product support) and how long they’ll be in production (that’ll go on “throughout 2024 and 2025 while stock lasts”). With such a good warranty and a track record for support, these are still highly worth considering.
Jump to:
- Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: At a glance
- Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Design and fit
- Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Sound quality
- Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Noise-cancelling
- Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Durability
- Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Which one should you pick?
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: At a glance
The key difference between the Elite 10 Gen 2 and the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is the same as it was with the previous versions (which are staying on sale while stock lasts): the 10 is a comfort-focused all-day pair of earphones, while the 8 Active is the more sports and outdoor focused pair for extreme durability.
New colours
The upgrades for the newest versions are minor. Both now come in some new colours:
- The Elite 10 Gen 2 is sold in its predecessor’s shades of Titanium Black, Gloss Black and Cocoa as well as the Denim and Soft White colours (I’m testing the Soft White)
- The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 comes in the existing Navy or Black but now also Coral and Olive (the colourway which I’m testing out)
New smart charging cases
Both upgraded pairs now have a special “LE Audio smart case” which gives you the neat benefit of being able to plug the case in via an included cable to a USB-C or 3.5mm port for direct audio streaming. I can see this being beneficial with connecting to gym equipment, in-flight entertainment systems and gaming consoles.
Sound and feature improvements
Both new earphone pairs have up to two times stronger ANC for eliminating background noise than their predecessors. They should also have improved spatial sound tuning and Dolby Atmos support, plus better call quality. It is worth noting the first-generation versions were already very good in all these areas, though.
Pricing
These noise-cancelling earbuds both come at competitive prices:
- The Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 has an RRP of £259.99
- The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 has an RRP of £229.99
They’ve just become available, and I’d expect to see price drops later in the year during sales events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday.
Pros
- Top-tier noise-cancelling
- Some of the most comfortable earbuds
- Excellent sound quality
- Clever charging case
- Head-tracking spatial audio
Cons
- Still pricey
- Not that different from first-generation
- Others have more battery life
Key specifications
| Noise-cancelling | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery life | Up to 27 hours (6 hours on a single charge) |
| Charging | USB-C and wireless charging |
| Weight | 5g per bud (59g with case) |
Pros
- Unbeatable durability
- Super secure fit
- High-quality noise-cancelling
- Smart charging case
- Compact size
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Elite 10 sounds slightly better
- Can get uncomfortable after some time
Key specifications
| Noise-cancelling | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery life | 32 hours (8 hours on a single charge) |
| Charging | USB-C and wireless charging |
| Weight | 5g per earbud (59g with the case) |
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Design and fit
Jabra called the original Elite 10 its most advanced earbuds for “work and life” and that continues to be the case with the Gen 2 pair, which have the same soft and comfortable design for all-day wear. They’re some of the best earbuds for this because you can easily forget you’re wearing them. The design is in a shallow in-ear fit that remains stable with unique moulded ear tips at an angle – they’re my favourite earbuds for comfort.
In contrast, the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is made to have a deeper in-ear fit. These are designed for sport, exercise and ruggedness and are also covered in Jabra’s “ShakeGrip” silicone coating. The key thing to note here is that once you twist them into place, they should stay put no matter how vigorous the activity you wear them for. Both pairs also have customisable buttons on each bud, which I find more reliable than touch controls.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Sound quality
The Elite 10 Gen 2, like their predecessors, has a larger 10mm speaker within each bud compared to the 6mm one within the Elite 8 Active Gen 2. In a side-by-side sound comparison, the 10 sounds better overall than the 8 Active, but they are tuned similarly and the difference may not be noticeable to many listeners.
In my direct comparison with the same test tracks, the Elite 10 delivered crisp vocals, a well-rounded and balanced sound overall with an energetic mid-range and not too much bass. They’ve also got good instrumental separation and a real sense of space in the music. The Elite 8 Active boasts a stronger bass-emphasised sound signature that’s great for pop, rock and dance music. It’s still good, but the Elite 10 is more refined.
Both have Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound, which can feel very immersive on certain tracks and when watching films, but the Elite 10 has “head-tracking” for an even more encompassing experience.
Both pairs come with a charging and audio cable of a decent length – on one end it has both USB-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Connect this to the charging case and any source and then press the button on the case one time.
That’s all that’s needed to turn the case into a Bluetooth transmitter over to the earphones. I tried it – it’s simple, effective, and will work well on plane entertainment systems, gym equipment, TVs, consoles, record players and much more.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Noise-cancelling
No surprises here, as I was already impressed by the noise-cancelling performance of the predecessor variants. They’re among the best on the market, using Jabra’s “advanced” hybrid ANC and advertising significant improvements over the last generation. Their capability to silence external noise is highly impressive whichever pair you choose.
If I had to be picky, I’d probably go for the Elite 10 Gen 2 as my top pick, but it’s so close as to be trivial. The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 may have a slightly more noticeable background hiss if you use noise-cancelling with no music playing, but it’s such a tiny detail.
The one thing I would say is that I am not quite noticing the “twice” as powerful improvement over the first generation. These are great and they were already great before, so don’t rush out to upgrade just for this feature as it’s almost the same between the pairs. Given that the original Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active are staying on sale at reduced prices, they’re going to be the better value pick.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Durability
Durability is the area where the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is the clear out-and-out winner, with its IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It’s ensured to be drop-proof, sweat-proof and able to withstand extreme conditions, with a US Military standards (MIL-STD-810H) rating as well.
This kind of exceptional durability makes them some of the most robust earbuds on the market, but it’s worth thinking about whether you need this high level of protection – there’s a chance it might be overkill for general at-home listening or a normal commute.
And it’s not like the Elite 10 Gen 2 doesn’t also have very good specifications – like its predecessor it has an IP57 rating which also tells you that it has a better amount of dust and water resistance than many models out there.
The charging cases are still a point of difference, though, the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 gets an IP54-rated case that should keep working if exposed to some dust and water but there’s no rating for the case on the other pair.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 vs Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Which one should you pick?
While both pairs are terrific options for buyers looking for a new pair of earphones for music listening, work calls and commuting in 2024, it is quite clear which one most of us should pick.
The great comfort, improved sound quality and noise-cancelling of the Elite 10 Gen 2 make them the top pick for most of us. Meanwhile, you should go for the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 specifically if you want a more secure fit, better durability ratings and a more bass-focused sound.
And, although both are great overall, it’s hard not to feel like they’re optimisations of already great products. While you can still buy them, I’d recommend picking up either the first-generation Elite 10 (£229) or Elite 8 Active (£199), as they have almost identical specifications other than the smart charging case and new colours. If you don’t need these additions, you’ll be able to make some great savings.
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.
