Galaxy Buds Pro vs Jabra Elite 85t (2021): Noise Cancelling Earbuds Comparison

True wireless earbuds are all the rage these days. With top brands such as Apple, Samsung, Sony and Bose, as well as lesser known brands such as Jabra, Plantronics and more, consistently releasing top of the line products, us consumers are definitely the winner. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are the latest earbuds from the South Korean giant. It comes with features such as ANC, 360-degree audio and more. It is definitely a top contender in the true wireless earbuds space. In this article, we’ll be comparing it to the Jabra Elite 85t, another top-tier pair of wireless earbuds. Which one is better? Read on to find out.

Galaxy Buds Pro vs Jabra Elite 85t Comparison Chart

Design

Both the Galaxy Buds Pro and Jabra Elite 85t are lightweight and comfortable to wear.

Looks-wise, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro have a glossy finish that looks very nice. In contrast, the Jabra Elite 85t have a matte finish that some might prefer. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro have a somewhat similar design to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, where their outer shells are rounded. The Jabra Elite 85t have a flatter outer shell, but they are bulkier.

Both earbuds are comfortable even though they are bulky, and this is due to their oblong ear tips. With this type of ear tips, they can have a more secure fit and they aren’t fatiguing to wear. Another similarity that they share is that they both have vents to relieve pressure in your ears. This is great if you wear your earbuds for extended periods.

The two earbuds have water resistance, with the Galaxy Buds Pro having an IPX7 rating and the Jabra Elite 85t having an IPX4 rating. With an IPX7 rating, the Galaxy Buds Pro can be submerged under water to up to 30 minutes without getting damaged. The IPX4 rating of the Jabra Elite 85t ensures that it can withstand water splashes, but it is not protected when submerged in water. Both are great for workouts as you don’t have to worry about sweat damaging them.

You can get the Galaxy Buds Pro in phantom black, phantom silver and phantom violet. Meanwhile, you have the option of getting the Jabra Elite 85t in titanium black, copper/black and gold beige.

Controls

The Galaxy Buds Pro have a touch control scheme while the Jabra Elite 85t make use of both touch and physical buttons.

The Galaxy Buds Pro controls are completely touch-based and they are easy to get used to. However, they are quite sensitive so even the slightest touch can trigger them. Tapping once will play or pause your music, tapping twice will skip forward and tapping three times will skip to the previous track. You can also touch and hold the earbuds to activate its ANC or ambient sound mode. This touch and hold function can be customized via its companion app. You can change it to activate voice controls, volume control and more.

The Jabra Elite 85t, on the other hand, have touch controls and physical buttons. You can tap once to answer an incoming call or activate ANC or HearThrough if you are not in a call. Double tapping will end or reject a call. The right button can be pressed once to play or pause music and it can also be pressed and held to increase volume. The left button allows you lower the volume by pressing and holding. You can press it twice to skip track and press it thrice to skip to previous track.

Features

The Galaxy Buds Pro companion app is only available on Android devices while the Jabra Elite 85t app is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

The top Galaxy Buds Pro features include ANC, 360-degree audio and its gaming mode. With 360-degree audio, you can have a more immersive listening experience since sound will come from different directions. Their gaming mode lowers latency while gaming, so that everything that happens on the screen and what you’re hearing are always in sync. As for the earbuds’ ANC, it’s quite good in blocking out mid and higher frequency sounds. However, it is only decent when it comes to low frequency noise.

One thing thing worth mentioning is that the Galaxy Buds Pro companion app is only available on Android devices. If you have an iPhone and you are considering getting this pair of earbuds, the features will be limited.

The Jabra Elite 85t are also active noise cancelling earbuds. They excel in blocking out mid and high frequency sounds like chatter and various environmental sounds. However, similar to the Galaxy Buds Pro, they don’t block out low frequency sound completely.

The Jabra Sound+ app, unlike the Galaxy Buds Pro app, is compatible with iOS and Android devices, so if you have an iPhone and you get this pair of earbuds, all of its features are available to you. In the Sound+ app, you can tweak EQ settings, activate ANC or HearThrough mode, adjust the sound profile and more.

Sound Quality

Out of the box, the Jabra Elite 85t sounds better than the Galaxy Buds Pro.

The Galaxy Buds Pro sound good, especially for those that prefer an exciting sound. They have a V-shaped sound that emphasizes the low and high frequencies, with recessed mids. The bass of the Galaxy Buds Pro is boomy and punchy, and the highs are clear and crisp. While this sounds good, there is the potential of sibilance and harsh sounding highs if you are listening to low quality tracks.

The Jabra Elite 85t, in contrast, have a more neutral sound profile. The mids are not recessed and the low and high frequencies are just right. They don’t sound as boomy and the highs are also clear. The mids are more forward, so vocals and lead instruments are present and they sound nice.

Battery Life

The Jabra Elite 85t can last longer than the Galaxy Buds Pro.

On a full charge, the Galaxy Buds Pro can last up to 5 hours with ANC on and up to 8 hours with ANC off. You also get an additional 13 hours (ANC on) or 18 hours (ANC off) from the included charging case. While this is quite good, the Jabra Elite 85t performs just a bit better in this area.

The Jabra Elite 85t’s battery can last up to 5.5 hours with ANC on and up to 7 hours with ANC off. The charging case gives you an additional 20 hours of battery life with ANC on and an additional 24 hours with ANC off.

Both earbuds have a quick charge function. The Galaxy Buds Pro can play music to up to 30 minutes on a 3-minute charge, 1 hour on a 5 minute charge and 1 hour 25 minutes on a 10 minute charge. In contrast, the Jabra Elite 85t can play music to up to 1 hour on a 15 minute charge. These two earbuds also support Qi wireless charging.

Verdict

The Jabra Elite 85t offers better compatibility with both iOS and Android devices, it sounds better and it has a longer battery life.

Our pick for the overall better earbuds are the Jabra Elite 85t. It sounds better, its controls are more intuitive, it works with iOS and Android devices without limitations and it has a longer battery life. Since they are priced almost the same, you’ll get a better deal with the Jabra Elite 85t. The Galaxy Buds Pro can be a good choice if you will only use them on Android devices and if you prefer a more V-shaped sound that emphasizes bass and high frequencies. However, if you also own non-Android devices, the Galaxy Buds Pro can be limited in features. If that’s the case, you’re better off getting the Jabra Elite 85t.

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