Are Jabra headphones and earbuds still worth buying in 2024?

When it comes to Jabra wireless earbuds, we’re a fan: with decent scores for the affordable Jabra Elite 4 and even more impressive Jabra Elite 5. But in June 2024, Jabra’s parent company GN announced that the release of the Jabra Elite 8 Active and Jabra Elite 10 premium wireless earbuds would mark the end of the product line.

With Jabra Elite coming to an end, let’s delve into what you need to know about buying Jabra headphones and earbuds in 2024 (and whether it’s even worth considering).

Let’s get the big stuff out of the way up front. No, Jabra isn’t going away, and not all Jabra products are being discontinued. On 11 June 2024, GN issued a press release that announced two product lines would be discontinued: Jabra Elite and Jabra Talk.

According to the press release, the decision about the future of Jabra Elite was made “to further increase focus and resources on more attractive parts of GN’s business.” GN indicated that “the investment required for future innovation and growth in this very competitive space is deemed unjustified in the long-term given associated risks.”

As for Jabra Talk—a Bluetooth mono headset—GN says the reason it’s discontinuing the product line because of the declining market.

If you own or intend to buy a Jabra Elite or Jabra Talk product, don’t fret. That same GN press release said that it “will reduce the inventory of the affected products, of which most is expected to be completed by the end of 2024”. Translation: the discontinued Jabra lines will still be available while stocks last.

As for all-important post-purchase product support, the press release covers that, too: “GN will, however, continue to service and support customers for several years.” According to the ACCC, Aussies are protected by consumer rights that extend to an entitlement of product repair, replacement or refund. Effectively, Jabra Elite and Jabra Talk products—and any other ongoing or discontinued product that’s sold in Australia—are covered under these consumer rights so long as the entity, like Jabra, continues to exist.

Elite and Talk aren’t the only products that Jabra sells in Australia. For Elite alternatives, Jabra has the Evolve2 Buds line. While pricier and more business-targeted, the Jabra Evolve2 Buds for instance offer a choice of USB-A or USB-C connectivity, optimisation for Microsoft Teams or Unified Communication, plus they can be recharged via optional wireless charging pad. These Jabra earbuds reportedly offer great audio quality and impressive microphone clarity, plus they’re both water and dust-resistant.

In terms of Jabra Talk replacements, I was honestly surprised to see that Bluetooth mono headsets are still a thing in this day and age of wireless earbuds and over-ear headphones. If you prefer headsets over earbuds, Jabra sells the premium Evolve2 65 Flex, the cheaper Evolve2 55 or the single-ear Evolve2 50, all of which have active noise cancelling.

Jabra isn’t the only brand that sells wireless earbuds, headphones and headsets in Australia. In fact, GN owns SteelSeries as well as Jabra, which means there’s a range of multipurpose headsets to consider for personal or professional use, including the competitive SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X, comparatively affordable Arctis Nova 4X Wireless, and Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, which is still the best headset I’ve ever used.

If you’re after over-ear headphones, we love what Sony’s done with the older WH-1000XM4 or newer WH-1000XM5. Alternatively, the Sonos Ace has great sound quality, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 offers incredible wireless longevity, while the Bose NCH 700 has the best call quality.

For fans of wireless earbuds, you can’t go wrong with the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Alternatively, get loads of longevity from the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro, practical sport earbuds from the Beats Fit Pro, or great gaming performance from the Soundcore VR P10.

Long story short, yes, Jabra earbuds and headsets are still worth buying or at least considering, despite the discontinuation of the Elite and Talk lines. That said, Jabra Evolve earbuds and headsets are pricier business-centric product lines, which is why it’s also worth considering relevant alternatives from SteelSeries, Sony, Sonos, Apple and other brands.