The design of the Jabra Elite 3 in this review is a mid-range earbud based on the design specifications, even though it is the lowest in the current line-up which includes the new flagship Jabra Elite 7 Pro and the sports earbuds, Jabra Elite 7 Active. Below are the pros and cons which we opine will affect buying decisions for shoppers.
Pros and Cons[tie_index]Pros and Cons[/tie_index]
| Pros | Cons |
| IP55 protection against dust, rain, water and sweat. | No active noise cancellation. |
| Mono Mode (use either earbud) | Long charging time of 3.5 hours. |
| Modest battery life of 7.5 h or 28 h with casing. | The charging case has no wireless charging. |
| Design is flushed with the ear (see above photo) | No wind noise reduction |
| Reasonable price of $79.99 | No ear wings (for sports or running) |
Good Points[tie_index]Good Points[/tie_index]
The IP55 protection is the same as the previous Jabra Elite Active 65t, which is why some users highlighted that they bought the earbuds thinking that the Jabra Elite 3 is also suitable for sports.
| IP55 | Dust protected. Dust must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment. | Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction. It will include protection from rain, water, and sweat. |
The Jabra Elite 3 has 7.5 hours of battery life and 28 hours with the casing, which has significantly improved over the previous generation just two years ago. Back then, most earbuds have about 3 hours of battery life max, such as the Jabra Elite Active 65t.
Another issue with Jabra earbuds in the past is that they can only operate in mono mode on the right earbud, and the left side cannot work by itself. All of Jabra’s new lineup can now operate in mono mode for either earbud.
With such incredible specifications, 2 years warranty, and an attractive price of $79.99, the Jabra Elite 3 is suitable for everyone looking for a good and affordable earbud for daily usage.
Shortfall[tie_index]Shortfall[/tie_index]
In this design review, most of the shortfalls are features that do not affect the operation of the earbuds when using on daily basis. Unless you need to use them for running, then it is recommended to find another earbud with ear wings for a more secured fitting.
One important point to note is that the Jabra Elite 3 was not designed as “sports” earbuds for running, even though it can do the job. The earbuds’ IP55 certification allows them to be used under the rain and is protected against sweat and water. However, the fixed size and shape, without any ear wings mean that it may not fit all sizes of ears, and hence it may fall out during the run for some users.
Wind noise protection is good to have, and we personally survived using the Elite Active 65t for years without any ANC and the sound remains acceptable. Jabra’s earbud design always has PNC (passive noise cancellation) where the casing is sealed in the concha of the ear.
Lastly, the wireless charging case is definitely a good-to-have feature. We are still using several brands of earbuds with only USB-C wired charging and that is not a show-stopper design.
User Feedback[tie_index]User Feedback[/tie_index]
- Removing the earbuds will not pause the music from playing on the phone, unlike the earlier earbuds such as the Elite 65t, 75t and 85t.
- Due to the lack of ANC, some users complained about the background noise during the conversation.
- As expected, some reviewers complained that the earbuds fall out easily as they do not fit their ears. This is why we always recommend buyers try out the earbuds to check the fitting first.If the ear cannot fit the earbud, there is nothing wrong with the earbud design because one size does not fit all. The only exception is when there are ear wings for sports earbuds, and even so, we still prefer to try them on and test the fit by jumping or shaking the head.
- One Amazon Vine User wrote this:
| The bass is extended to 20kHz, but there is a bit of roll-off in the sub-bass. Mid bass is thick, but bleeds a bit into higher frequencies. Mids are pretty good with fairly clear vocals. The highs are a bit problematic – treble dips pretty hard at around 7kHz, then peaks again at around 9.5kHz. Also, unfortunately, there’s audible (but quiet) distortion (wavering low tones, still quieter than the primary tone) from 7kHz up. |
How will the bass be extended to 20kHz when bass refers to 250Hz and lower? This does not sound correct.
Below is the table of audio frequencies from experts:
| Frequency Description | Frequency Range |
|---|---|
| Sub-bass | 20 to 60 Hz |
| Bass | 60 to 250 Hz |
| Low midrange | 250 to 500 Hz |
| Midrange | 500 Hz to 2 kHz |
| Upper midrange | 2 to 4 kHz |
| Presence | 4 to 6 kHz |
| Brilliance | 6 to 20 kHz |
References: Audio Frequencies
Below are the design specifications for Jabra Elite 3 for your ease of reference and own review, so that you don’t have to hop around for answers.
Jabra Elite 3 Specifications
| Tech Specs | Jabra Elite 3 | Jabra Elite 85t | Jabra Elite Active 75t |
| Release date | 31-Aug-21 | Nov 2021 | Feb-20 |
| Form Factor | |||
| Size (each earbud) | 20.1×27.2×20.8mm 0.79×0.82×1.07in | 23.1×19 x16.2mm | 21.9×19.4 x16.2 mm |
| Weight (each earbud) | 4.6g | 7g | 5.5g |
| Earbuds IP Rating | IP55 | IPX4 | IP57 |
| Control Type | Button | Button | Button |
| Color | Lilac, dark grey, light beige, Navy | Titanium black, gold beige, copper black, black, grey | Navy, copper black, grey, sienna, mint |
| Audio (Speaker) | |||
| Driver | 6mm | 12mm | 6mm |
| Frequency Response | 20-20kHz | 20Hz- 20kHz | 20Hz- 20kHz |
| Audio Codec | Q-aptX, SBC | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) | PNC only | Hybrid ANC | ANC, PNC |
| Transparency (Hear Through) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | |||
| Microphone per earbud | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Wind Noise Reduction | No | Yes | Yes |
| Fit and Confort | |||
| Pressure Relief/Vent | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mono Mode (Use either earbud) | Yes | Right side only | Right side only |
| Ear Gel | 3 sizes Silicon | No | No |
| Ear Wings | No | No | No |
| Connectivity | |||
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Profile | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP | A2DP, SPP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP |
| Operating Range | 10m | 10m | 10m |
| Paired Devices in Memory | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Multi-point Connection | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sensor | |||
| Proximity/Optical/Ear Sensor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | |||
| Music Time (ANC Off) | 7h | 7h | 7.5h |
| Music Time (ANC On) | – | 5.5h | 5.5h |
| Total Time + Charge Case (ANC On) | 28h (no ANC) | 25h | 24h |
| Standy Time | 75 days | 6mths | |
| Fast Charge For 1 hour usage | 10mins | 15mins | 15mins |
| Charging Time 0-100% (Buds) | 3.5 hours | 2h 20mins | 2h 20mins |
| Charging Case | |||
| Size | 64.1×28.5 x34.6mm | 64.8×41.1 x28.5mm | 62.4×37.8 x27mm |
| Weight | 33.4g | 45.1g | 35.4g |
| USB-C Connector | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Qi-Certified/Wireless Charging | No | 5W | 5W |
