Jaybird RUN XT vs. Jabra Elite Active 65t: Which truly wireless earbuds are right for you?

Jabra Elite Active 65t

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While truly wireless earbuds still haven't hit apex quality, the Jabra Elite Active 65t make the best of it all with solid performance that's made sweeter by good battery life and a better charging case.

Jabra Elite Active 65t

Style on the go

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Great fit

Voice assistant-compatible

Good sound

15 minutes of charge = 1.5 hours of play time

Button controls are difficult and uncomfortable to press

Poor call quality

Jaybird RUN XT

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The Jaybird RUN XT are the successors to the truly wireless RUN, though they don't exactly improve on the formula. "Meh" audio quality and just OK battery life are, however, offset by excellent water resistance and multiple fit options.

Jaybird RUN XT

Sophmore slump

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4 sizes of fins and eartips

IPX7 water-resistant

5 minutes of charge = 1 hour of play time

Reported audio lag

Poor audio quality for the price

Truly wireless earbuds, while mostly convenient, haven't quite hit their stride yet, with less-than-stellar audio quality and so-so battery life, but that's to be expected. If you're looking for true headphone freedom, they're still the best option right now, and the Jabra Elite Active 65t and Jaybird RUN XT are your two best choices. Here's how they compare.

The OKest choice

There really isn't much that differs between these two sets of earbuds, because that's where we are with premium truly wireless options. Both have decent sound, but not great, and we probably won't be seeing a pair with great sound for a few years. However, both are passable during a workout, and that's what counts.

In terms of water resistance, the RUN XT has the Elite Active 65t beat. The IP rating dictates protection against dust and water (first and second digit, respectively). The Jabra 'buds lose out in this category with an IP56 rating, with almost total dust protection, and water resistance against powerful water jets. The Jaybird RUN XT has an IPX7 rating, which means its dust ingress protection hasn't been tested, but it can survive in up to 3 feet of water for about half an hour (not recommended for swimming). Either way, you're going to get better protection, during regular use, with the RUN XT.

Either set of earbuds, however, will be more than fine during a rainy jog, or a bout of vigorous exercise involving advanced sweating.

Where the battery is concerned, the Jabra Elite Active 65t wins. You get an extra hour on a single charge, and two extra hours with the charging case, which is especially important if you plan on using these daily. It's the difference between having to charge on Thursday or making it to the weekend.

The one other major thing the Elite Active 65t has that the RUN XT doesn't is a motion sensor, which is all but useless right now but will be used as an integrated fitness tracker of sorts with the Jabra app. It will count steps and may even one day integrate with other fitness apps, but for now, it shouldn't be how you decide between these earbuds.

For the extra $10, the Jabra Elite Active 65t is the better option here. You get more play time, somewhat better sound, and the potential for fitness tracking without having to wear a tracker. The on-ear playback controls aren't ideal for either set, but they are there, and Jabra might do it just a little better.

Jabra Elite Active 65t

Great battery life
When it comes to truly wireless earbuds, it's hard to do better right now than the Jabra Elite Active 65t. The sound is good, the battery life is tops, and they're small and lightweight.

Jaybird RUN XT

Still pretty good
While Jaybird's RUN XT doesn't exactly improve upon its predecessor, it's still one of the best sets of truly wireless earbuds. With the Jaybird app, you can tweak the sound, but we'd still go with the Jabra Elite Active 65t.

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