Jabra Elite 10 vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Which earbuds are best for you?

This article is part of our series?Battle of the Brands, in which we compare category-leading products to their counterparts to determine which are actually worth your money.

Apple and Jabra have been duking it out for true wireless supremacy since 2018.

Jabra won many of the early battles, thanks to the introductory Elite 65t and stellar Elite Active 75t. Then Apple introduced the AirPods Pro series, which put noise-canceling earbuds on the map and led to the excellent AirPods Pro 2. It took Jabra revamping its entire collection and releasing several quality models to remain in the fight, but the company has finally brought itself back into class-leading contention with the all-new Elite 10.

Both are considered some of the best true wireless earbuds and share many upmarket features, including active noise cancellation, spatial audio and wireless charging. Which is the better buy? We put these two models to the test and came up with a winner. Here’s our in-depth comparison of the Jabra Elite 10 and AirPods Pro 2.

Jabra Elite 10 vs. AirPods Pro 2 at a glance

Quick comparison

The Elite 10 sound superior, though Apple’s 3D audio performs better

The Elite 10 are perfect for casual and critical listening. Jabra’s sound profile unleashes a superb mix of lows, mids and highs. Emphasized bass gives contemporary tracks a lively presence, especially on lossless music platforms like Tidal. Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio produces smooth streaming on music streaming services with minimal latency. You can customize sound in the companion app via Music Equalizer by choosing from six well-engineered presets or manually adjusting frequencies to create your own sound profile. Lastly, there is Jabra’s new 3D audio format: Spatial Sound with Dolby Atmos. It performs decently and delivers the most precise headtracking of any spatial audio rival.

The AirPods Pro 2 are the series’ best-sounding entry. A new low-distortion driver and custom amplifier give these buds moreall-around depth and rich bass that blends well with mids and highs. There are multiple ways to tweak sound. You can pick from over 20 EQs in iOS or enter Headphone Accommodations to tune balance, range and brightness. Another option is Headphone Audio Customization to tailor sound to your hearing through a series of listening tests. What you’re really buying the AirPods Pro 2 for is Personalized Spatial Audio. This offers the most personalized 3D-listening experience yet, placing effects, instruments and voices accurately on the soundscape. Many hours will be spent zoning out to compatible Apple Music and Apple TV content.

TL;DR: Go with the Elite 10 for standard music listening, or pick the AirPods Pro 2 for class-leading spatial audio.

Noise cancellation is slightly stronger and longer lasting on the Elite 10

Jabra says the Elite 10’s noise cancellation is twice as strong as the company’s standard earbuds, and that’s no lie. What I experienced on previous Elite models wasn’t impressive. The Elite 10 is a vast upgrade that eliminates external sounds as effectively as the category’s two top noise-cancellers: the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Sony WF-1000XM5. Close to 90% of ambient noise is blocked out. Only certain high frequencies (e.g., crying babies, whistles) creep onto the soundstage, but they aren’t distracting. ANC performs best against loud buzz and vocals: I managed to ignore the construction outside my window and family chatter in my bedroom during work hours. HearThrough is the true star of the show and provides in-depth listening for greater awareness. At the highest level, you can hear conversations from across the street and truck horns from several blocks away.

According to Apple, the AirPods Pro 2 can “reduce up to two times more unwanted background noise” than the previous model. I barely notice a difference in ANC performance. Still, the AirPods Pro 2 remain one the best noise-canceling solutions for handling common distractions (e.g., household appliances, loud TVs) and wind interference. The new adaptive transparency mode is terrific for hearing conversations and surroundings more clearly without removing the buds. Apple offers other ambient-listening modes as well, including Conversation Boost to emphasize vocals during chats and Live Listen, which transforms your iPhone into a live mic that picks up ambient noises that you can hear on the AirPods.

Battery life is essential for noise-canceling buds, and the Elite 10 has a little more than their porcelain competitor. A full charge gives the Elite 10 an estimated six hours of ANC playtime and their wireless charging case holds up to 36 hours. The AirPods Pro 2 have the same ANC playtime, though their wireless charging case is capped at 34 hours. Quick charging is identical on both pairs of buds: A five-minute charge equals one hour of listening time.

TL;DR: The Elite 10 beat the AirPods Pro 2 in ANC and battery life, but by very little.

The AirPods Pro 2 boast the more prominent feature set

At one point, Jabra’s Sound+ app was the most feature-filled option out there. It still comes with many performance-enhancing tools, several of which were previously discussed — Music Equalizer, Sound Modes (ANC/HearThrough) and Spatial Sound — but there are plenty more perks to discover. MyControls lets you personalize the control scheme and supports shortcuts like Spotify Tap to instantly access the streaming service without using your phone. Find My Jabra helps locate misplaced buds. Google Assistant voice activation will enable the feature when speaking its wake phrase (“Hey Google”) and performs voice commands effortlessly; Siri is available too, though it can only be accessed manually with a double press on the left bud. Then there’s Call Experience to adjust the loudness of your voice on calls, which is strongly recommended since the Elite 10’s call quality is disappointing with subpar noise neutralization.

Apple equipped the AirPods Pro 2 with more functionality than any model in the series. I already touched on mainstays like ANC, EQ, Headphone Accommodations, Live Listen and Personalized Spatial Audio. Let’s break down the rest. The H2 processor allows for seamless serviceability in the forms of automatic switching, audio sharing and “Hey Siri” voice activation, which is flawless and executes commands as quickly as it registers vocal input.

A dedicated AirPods menu was introduced to make personalizing the buds simpler. You can change the controls on either bud, perform the Ear Tip Fit Test for optimal fit, set up Personalized Spatial Audio or turn on special functions (e.g., Adaptive Transparency, Optimized Battery Charging). Several more features are sprinkled throughout Apple’s operating system, such as Accessibility to adjust volume touch sensitivity, along with shortcuts in the Control Center (swipe down on the top right of your iPhone screen) to enable different listening modes. The MagSafe charging case even comes with Precision Finding compatibility to track your AirPods in the Find My app.

TL;DR: The Elite 10 have a sufficient number of features, but the AirPods Pro 2 come with more robust functionality.

Jabra’s buds are more stylish and sturdier

These are Jabra’s most premium buds to date. Everything from the glossy, multifunctional button to the suede-like material wrapped around each bud looks and feels fancy. The teardrop shape is striking. Even the different color options are gorgeous, specifically Cocoa, which is sold exclusively on Jabra’s site and has a nice dark-burgundy complexion. A hard plastic shell protects the Elite 10 from spills to the concrete, while IP57 certification keeps them dustproof and waterproof. Jabra made the charging case slimmer and smaller, and though it lacks an IP rating, the accessory is well built and keeps the buds stored safely.

Design-wise, the AirPods Pro 2 are a marginal improvement over their predecessor. Signature details like the indented force sensors, mic grille, and aluminum accent on the bottom of each stem remain intact. The only difference is they have the AirPods 3’s skin-detect sensors. The more notable changes were introduced on the new charging case, which has a built-in lanyard loop and Precision Finding integration.

TL;DR: The Elite 10 showcase luxury craftsmanship, while the AirPods Pro 2 are only a marginal improvement from their predecessor.

Bottom line

The better option is the one that offers more bang for your buck. In this case, it’s the AirPods Pro 2. Apple’s impeccable iOS/macOS integration combined with fantastic ANC and audio quality elevate these buds above most high-end models. Their massive feature set and minorly updated design make usability even more enticing, at least for those in the Apple ecosystem.

The Elite 10 stand out as a legitimate flagship competition. Advancements in noise cancellation and sound are noteworthy, along with the sleek design changes that grant satisfying comfort and fit. Higher play times and stronger durability are also strong selling points, as are the fact that these buds work equally well across iOS and Android devices. Had it not been for the disappointing call quality and spatial audio, they could have beaten Apple’s best.

You’ll still experience top-tier performance from either set of buds, but the AirPods Pro 2 have more to work with.