Faisal Ghaffar 
Jabra has dubbed its latest earbuds as the toughest buds in the world, which are meant to be used during exercise. They come up with a steep price tag because of it and undoubtedly have some of the best waterproofing and are made from durable materials that can withstand drops and knocks.
Design and build
You can find the Jabra Elite 8 Active in four colors, which are navy blue, grey, caramel and black. They come with a round design and three different ear gels have been added in the box to help you choose the one that suits your ear shape. They are lightweight and nice at just 5g per bud and can easily fit under a helmet.
They come with an IP68 rating, which is extremely rare for earbuds. You can wear them comfortably even for long periods of time and they will stay secure in your ears. While they do stay in place for the most part, you should remember that they do not have any hooks or wings, so they might fall out at some point.
The buds and case are made of rubberized material that does pick up marks and the case is not as durable as the buds, but it can survive a few knocks and bumps easily. Instead of touch controls, a button has been added on each bud of the Jabra Elite 8 Active, with different commands assigned to different clicks.
Smart features
It is extremely easy to set up the Jabra Elite 8 Active with your smartphone. It just takes a couple of seconds. You can download the Jabra+ app for Android and iOS to make full use of the buds. This is where you will be able to make adjustments for EQ levels, ANC and button controls. You can find six audio presets given, which are Neutral, Smooth, Treble Boost, Bass Boost, Energise and Speech.
You can also find a customizable mode with sliders that allows you to make adjustments to the audio manually in accordance with your preferences. The app even gives you options for your call audio output. Support is also provided for Google Assistant on Android and Siri on iOS as well as Spotify Tap. The app’s layout is customizable and clean and it offers a high quality experience. The Bluetooth has a 10m range and on-ear detection is also available.
Sound quality
The sound of the Jabra Elite 8 Active is also quite impressive. They come with 6mm drivers and the frequency is between 20 and 20000Hz. Standard codec support, such as AAC and SBC is available, but not for hi-res codec. Regardless, they deliver spectacular audio, as the balance between highs, mids and bass is impressive.
The buds also support Dolby spatial audio, but it is the ANC that really shines. It is quite strong and can muffle some very loud sounds, although not completely as over-the-ear headphones do. The Ambient/Talk Through mode is also great. They come with six microphones and can be used during phone calls.
The Verdict
With a price tag of $199, the Jabra Elite 8 Active offer an excellent battery life as well, which makes them a good investment.
