Even though they have similar specs, visually and technically, but with some key differences that would be beneficial to different kinds of people with different purposes to help you decide which one you should go with. With CES 2022, we were introduced to a plethora of new gadgets. Jabra Elite 4 Active was one of those new gadgets that got a lot of attention, and comparisons were immediately being made with their comparatively upper-echelon earbuds, Jabra Elite 7 active. Jabra Elite 4 Active is basically similar to the 7 active, but with a reduced price tag, among some other differences.
In this article, we’ll make a head-to-head comparison for you to decide if you should invest in the Jabra Elite 7 active or get your hands on the freshly announced Jabra Elite 4 active. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
Jabra Elite 4 active, a much more affordable alternative for the popular Jabra Elite 7 active, was properly unveiled at CES 2022. In terms of appearance and physical footprint, the Jabra Elite 4 is slightly bigger than the Elite 7. Yes, we know what you’re thinking, and no, the earbuds aren’t that big that they distastefully protrude from the sides of your head, so that’s a welcome edition. But, surprisingly, with a slightly bigger size, the Jabra Elite 4 active weighs .5 grams lesser than the 5.5g Jabra Elite 7 active.
Both of these earbuds come with an IP57 waterproof rating, which gives them a layer of protection against liquid hazards. Unlike other ANC earbuds on the market, Jabra opted for a button design rather than a touch-pad design, which they implemented on both of these earbuds. This implementation might be a downer to some people. The Jabra Elite 7 active comes in a beautiful Mint, Black, and Navy Blue variant, and the Elite 4 active follows suit with a similar color scheme.
Now, to the meat of the topic, the audio quality. Both of these earbuds contain 6mm drivers with a frequency response of 20hz-20khz, but they differ in the codecs, as the 7 active has SBC and AAC, whereas the 4 active has SBC AND Q-aptX. Both these earbuds have the ANC feature, but you cannot adjust the level of the ANC in the 4 active. Both of these earbuds feature adjustable transparency mode, which is becoming a more welcome addition to earbuds nowadays. The Elite 7 active features Peakstop, Voice-Guidance, SideTone, and multiple call handling. The 4 active only include a SideTone and a Spotify Playback.
In the microphone area, the Jabra Elite 7 active has 3 mics, which is a single digit more than the 4 active. The 7 active also comes with enhanced wind noise reduction and uses SAATI Acoustex Mesh, while the 4 active comes with your basic wind noise reduction. The Jabra Elite 7 active and Jabra Elite 4 active has a microphone frequency of 80hz-8000hz and 100hz-8000hz, respectively. Jabra has a reputation for providing a comfortable fit throughout the day, and it’s no exception in these pair of earbuds. Both pairs come with pressure relief and 3 sizes of ear-gels to go with any size of ears, adding more to the comfort zone.
With Bluetooth 5.2, both of these earbuds promise an excellent range and strong connections to their devices. The 7 active has a slight edge here, however, as it comes with two multi-point connections and a proximity sensor. But what good is a connection without a good battery life? With that in mind, the lithium batteries of the 7 active promise 8h of performance with ANC on, and 10 hours with ANC off whereas the Jabra Active can run for up to 7 hours with ANC turned off. Combined with the case, the 7 active can have an additional 30 hours, whereas the 4 active can run for an additional 28 hours.
Both of these earbuds have the fast-charging capability, although the 7 active takes a bit longer to charge. The charging cases have some noticeable differences, where the 7 active has a comparatively bigger charging case with more heft to it, weighing approximately 44g whereas the 4 active, having a comparatively smaller charging case weighs a bit lighter and falls under 37.5 grams. The biggest difference in terms of power in these earbuds, however is the 7 active has qi-certified charging enabled. In contrast, the 4 active does not, which is not surprising given its comparatively cheaper price tag, where the Jabra Elite 7 costs $179.99 dollars. It’s estimated that the Jabra Elite 4 active will have a comparatively cheaper price tag of $130 dollars!
Final Say
In conclusion, the freshly released Jabra Elite 4 Active is a great alternative for people who are looking for the 7 active, but could do with a few less features. The similarities are uncanny, considering they are both Jabras, but the differences are enough to make them distinguished from each other. If you’re looking for a much more affordable alternative for the Jabra Elite 7 active, it really doesn’t get any better than this.
So, that was a direct comparison video on Jabra Elite 4 Active Vs. Jabra Elite 7 Active. It’s good to see Jabra making a move for people who want fewer features in TWS earbuds yet maintain the Jabra quality and aesthetics, and the Jabra Elite 4 active is a perfect example of that. But enough about the comparison, which one do you prefer?
