The best headphones for 2019
By Jabra Elite Active 65t
The best fully wireless earbuds
Why you should buy them: Good sound, battery life, and functionality.
Who they’re for: Listeners who want total wireless autonomy without sacrificing sound quality or sweatproof performance.
How much they cost: $190
Why we picked the Jabra Elite Active 65t:
With small extrusions emerging from otherwise understated fully wireless in-ears, Jabra’s Elite Active 65t look like miniature versions of the Bluetooth headsets that helped put the brand on the map. But don’t be fooled by the looks — with competitive battery life, sweatproofing, excellent sound quality, and a myriad of useful features, these little guys best Apple’s industry-leading AirPods as our favorite fully wireless headphones on the market right now.
The Elite Active 65t come with three sets of silicone tips and feature an ergonomic design that guarantees a good seal, which is a big reason we prefer them to other fully wireless models. With outstanding comfort and excellent passive noise isolation, you get the most out of every note, and you can also lower the volume for less ear strain. Overall sound quality is solid, and sound comes through clear and balanced, with a punchy bass response and a surprisingly dynamic treble range.
Unlike their excellent — and slightly cheaper — predecessor, the Jabra Elite 65t, the Elite Active add an IP56 rating, which means they are protected from high-pressure water jets and limited dust ingress, making them perfect for virtually any excursion, and allowing you to rinse them off after particularly sweaty workouts.
In terms of juice, the Elite 65t offer 5 hours of battery life — matching the AirPods and ranking among the best you’ll find — and the included charging case adds two refills on the go. Jabra also matches many of the best features we’ve seen elsewhere in the fully wireless space, with the company’s Sound+ app allowing you to adjust settings like equalization, or whether you want to use your phone’s built-in smart assistant (Siri on iOS, Google Assistant on Android) or Amazon Alexa. Sensors built into the headphones can be set to play and pause music when you remove the buds, and they can even be set to pipe in different levels of ambient sound, which is great for hearing announcements on the plane or your office mate.
But perhaps the main reason to buy the Jabra Elite Active 65t is that they always do what you want them to — and never drop the connection. That’s shockingly rare in the fully wireless space right now and, when combined with the other features, it makes these the best true wireless buds you can buy right now.
Shure SE112 and SE112 Wireless
The best budget headphones
Why you should buy them: Great sound, comfort, and the best price-to-performance ratio on the planet.
Who they’re for: Those who want great-sounding headphones at the lowest possible price.
How much they cost: $50 for standard, $100 for banded wireless
Why we picked the Shure SE112 and SE112 Wireless:
If there’s one category the A/V staff at Digital Trends gets asked about most, it’s affordable in-ear models. The fact of the matter is that many of you headphone hunters just want something simple, affordable, and great-sounding, and can’t (or simply don’t want to) spend more than a moderate amount of your hard-earned dollars. So what are the headphones we find ourselves recommending over and over again? Shure’s SE112.
This one’s a twofer because whether you go wired or wireless, you’re getting great value. A long-established pair of earbuds from one of the most reputable audio companies on the planet, the SE112 offer clean looks, a comfortable fit, and shockingly good sound for the money in either iteration.
These headphones set the bar for low-cost performance, with a pure, open sound signature that easily outclasses competitors in their price range. A snappy high end and punchy — but not too rumbly — bass combine to provide clean detail. Though they aren’t quite as clear as premium headphones, the SE112 easily hold their own against several more expensive models, allowing you to save your cash for something really special down the road.
Jabra Elite Sport
The best workout headphones
Why you should buy them: Solid audio quality, fully wireless convenience, and impressive sweatproofing.
Who they’re for: Those who want to jam out while breaking a sweat, but don’t want wires getting in the way of those reps.
How much they cost: $160 to $220
Why we picked the Jabra Elite Sport:
Though we still prefer wired sound in the vast majority of instances, one place where wireless headphones have a clear advantage is at the gym. Whether powering through reps or attempting your fastest mile, any kind of cable — even the slim, behind-the-head wires of banded wireless headphones — can get in the way.
That’s why our pick for the best workout headphone is the fully wireless Jabra Elite Sport. Based off of Jabra’s Sport Pulse Special Edition, the headphones boast an embedded heart rate sensor in the left earpiece, as well as an IP67 rating that means they can be submerged in 3.3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. That makes them good for short bouts in a pool, and sweatproof enough for the hottest summer days. It also means you can safely rinse them off after extra-strenuous excursions.
The Elite Sport offer 4.5-hours of playback per charge, meaning that the headphones will last through just about every workout experience save a marathon (unless you’re a speed demon), and the included charging case adds two extra charges to keep these buds at the ready. Jabra’s Sport Life app offers activity tracking and voice prompts to go along with heart rate readings during workouts.
Sound quality is solid, with a variety of eartips that offer a great seal for a punchy bass response, and a tight high end that brings a good amount of clarity to your favorite tunes. They won’t offer the same vivid sound signature as more affordable wired in-ears like the V-Moda Forza, but the added convenience of wireless audio could make up for the price difference for many. If you’re looking to break a sweat while jamming out, these are your earbuds.
