Jabra has introduced its latest pair of TWS earbuds the Elite 85t with active noise cancellation (ANC) in Malaysia. The compact earbuds are claimed by the Danish company to be one of the smallest earbuds that offer ANC.
Pricing and availability
The Jabra Elite 85t are said to retail for RM1,049 in Malaysia and it will be available at select retailers from 4 December 2020 onwards. It is worth noting that the new Elite series earbuds is more expensive compared to the Elite 75t, which is priced at RM949, when it launched earlier this year.
Jabra is offering a special launch offer that entitles buyers of the Elite 85t to a free Elite Active 45e, worth RM379. The offer stands as long as stocks last.
In terms of colour to pick from, only the Titanium Black version will be available in Malaysia come this December. If you are looking for other colours, the Gold Beige and Grey colour options will be available in Q1 2021.
Features and specs
Jabra’s Elite 85t boasts a number of improvement of its predecessor including 12mm drivers for delivering better sound and powerful bass. You also get an improved charging case with wireless charging capabilities. Jabra said the case is compatible with Qi-certified chargers. As for wired charging, the case charges via USB-C.
If you’ve worn any of Jabra’s Elite series TWS in the past, the Elite 85t is instantly recognisable. It features low-profile nub-style buds with oval silicon ear gels that Jabra says make for a secure seal and comfortable fit.
In terms of durability, the Elite 85t has an IPX4 rating that is said to offer protection from splashes of water, so the earbuds wouldn’t be damaged even if you are caught in the rain. Just in case though, Jabra has included a two-year extended warranty against water and dust once you register via the Jabra Sound+ app.
Build quality aside, the new Elite 85t’s main feature is its ANC capability. If you examine the Elite 85t closely you may notice a cluster of tiny holes gathered at the tip of earbuds, these are the six-microphone array with two used for calls as well as four for noise-canceling.
The earbuds also have a dedicated ANC chip that is said to make it more efficient at removing external noises. Just like the previous models, the Elite 85t comes with a transparency mode called HearThrough that lets sound in when users need to be aware of their surroundings.
Jabra said the Elite 85t works with its Sound+ app (iOS/ Android) that allows users to personalise their listening experience by letting them adjust the level of ANC or HearThrough they need depending on their situation.
In terms of battery life, Jabra said the Elite 85t offers up to 5.5 hours on a single charge and up to 25 hours with the charging case with ANC turned on. Conversely, with ANC disabled the earbuds offer up to 7 hours on a single charge and 31 hours with the charging case.
Jabra previously announced that its Elite 75t series, that include both the Active and non-Active variants, would also gain ANC capabilities via a firmware update. The free ANC firmware update is now available for Elite 75t series users to download via the Sound+ app.
