There are two different versions of the Elite 75t true wireless earbuds that came out months apart. The brand claims to be a serious contender for the best in the business. Versatility is a part of that. Is there a real competition between the two? Let's figure it out.

Jabra Elite 75t vs. Elite Active 75t: These could easily pass for twins

It's not easy to fix a few flaws in one fell swoop, but that's what the Elite 75t feels like. They are 22% smaller than the previous Elite 65t by the count. The lighter weight helps and the slimmer charging case makes it easier to carry around. Let's take a look at what both models have to offer.

Jabra Elite 75tJabra Elite Active 75t
DurabilityIP55IP57
Bud battery life7.5 hours7.5 hours
Charging case battery life20.5 hours20.5 hours
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.0Bluetooth 5.0
Digital assistant supportAlexa, Google Assistant, SiriAlexa, Google Assistant, Siri
Supported audio codecsSBC, AACSBC, AAC
Speaker size6mm drivers6mm drivers
Active noise cancellationNoNo

If you put the two Elite models next to each other in the same color, you might not know which one is which. The design principles of the Elite 75t were not re-designed to make the Active model. The more ruggedized Elite Active 75t are very similar to one another. There is a key difference in the way things are done.

The Elite 75t has a good dust resistance and water resistance. It's not a good idea to submerge them in water when the rain is odd. The company used a special coating on the earbuds that made them waterproof.

You don't see the coating when handling earbuds because it isn't obvious to the eye. They are fine in a meter of clear water for up to 30 minutes. The sandy part of the beach is where saltwater is not allowed.

Jabra Elite 75t vs. Elite Active 75t: A degree of separation

Jabra Elite 75t in ear

Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central (Image credit: Daniel Bader / Android Central)

Both models benefit from the same improvements, so they don't hold an advantage in battery life. The Elite 65t was almost doubled to 7.5 hours after being taken by Jabra. It's still a push in the right direction even if you don't get that number based on volume level.

Their cases are of the same shape and weight. The Elite 75t cases may have been allocated to the Elite Active 75t models. They both have charging ports, but they don't have wireless charging.

The place you can use them is what distinguishes them. The Elite 75t isn't useless in a gym or on a jogging route, but that doesn't mean it can't be used in an active version. The Elite Active 75t are built to handle sweatier workouts. Dust, debris, and salt are things they need to clean off frequently.

There is a standard one-year manufacturer warranty and an additional two-year limited warranty for both models. There is some ambiguity in the fine print, but it does cover damage from repeated exposure to dust and water. It refers to covering damage from dust and perspiration, but not water, liquids, food, or physical damage. One of the models is waterproof out of the box.

The way in which it offers colors deviated a bit. The Elite 75t comes in black, titanium black, and gold beige, while the Elite Active 75t comes in navy, copper black, titanium black, grey, mint, and Sienna.

Jabra Elite 75t vs. Elite Active 75t: New features

There are new features in the Sound+ app. MySound is a place where you can create your own hearing profile by listening to a series of beeps. The feature came from GN Hearing, who helped guide how MySound will work.

MyControls allows users to change the default controls for play/pause, next and previous tracks, as well as call up their phone's voice assistant. MyControls and MySound were updated in June 2020.

The Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t have been updated with ANC. Even though the earbuds weren't originally built with ANC in mind, they did a great job implementing the new feature by using the built-in microphones to mask sound.

A good choice for someone who wants a few more features, at the expense of battery life and some water resistance, over the Elite 75t series is the new Jabra Elite 85t, which is a bit larger and slightly more expensive, but still a good choice for someone who wants a few

So, which should you choose?

Which set of earbuds is superior? Depending on how active you want to be. Both models are treated the same in how the Sound+ app handles them. There are a number of settings in there that can be accessed either way. No matter which way you go, you don't get any inherent advantage because of the good stuff there. If you want to hold out for the Elite 85t, be aware that Jabra reduced the water resistance on those earbuds by giving them an IPX4 rating. It is possible that they are less resistant to sweat.

When you want to use them, you have to make a decision. The Elite Active 75t are the best earbuds for workouts. If you don't work out much and just listen to music, the Elite 75t are good enough to not pay the premium.