Both these headphones are premium headphones and cost north of $350. Hence this brings us to an important question—if the Sony WH-1000XM4 is better than the Sony Evolve2 85? More importantly, is the Jabra Evolve2 is more suited for your needs? Since it will be a long post, let’s get going, shall we? But first,
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Design and Fit
The Sony WH-1000XM4 bundles a slim and sleek design. At the same time, they are sturdy and should last a long time. The good thing is that Sony has implemented a seamless look in this one. This means that there is a minimal gap between the headband and the cups, which adds to the looks of this audio accessory. At the same time, the larger headphone cups bring comfort to the table, especially if you want to wear them for long durations. The best part is that all the controls are easily accessible. For now, you can find the noise cancellation button, power button along with the option for connecting a 3.5mm AUX cable. It’s worth noting that the WH-1000XM4 is not IP-rated and cannot be used in extremely moist or dusty environments. On the other hand, the Jabra Evolve2 85 is designed for office environments and sport a clean design. The headband is soft and is comfortable to wear for long periods. More importantly, the leather headband adds a premium touch to the overall setup. The ear cups are long and oval and offer a complete seal like the one above. They are accompanied by a sturdy headband that neatly clamps into place. In short, the Evolve2 85 headphones look every bit professional and won’t stick out like a sore thumb in a professional environment.
Features That Matter
It’s 2022, and headphones are more than their sound and design. Thankfully, both Sony and Jabra have jumped on the bandwagon and added extra features to make the headphones stand out. For example, the Sony WH-1000XM4 comes with the ‘Speak to Chat’ feature. When enabled, the headphone automatically switches to the Ambient Sound mode and pauses playing when it detects talking. Naturally, this allows you to have conversations easily. And as you may have guessed, this feature comes in handy in professional environments. And like any modern earphones/headphones, the WH-1000XM4 also stops playing as soon as you take them off. On the other hand, the Jabra Evolve2 85 bundles are suited more towards the professional environment. The Evolve2 85 comes in two variants—UC or Unified Communications and Microsoft Teams. The latter comes to the picture if you use Microsoft’s Teams Phone. It gives you a better option to place or mute calls out of the box.
Connectivity
One of the heroes of the Sony headphones is the Bluetooth Multipoint feature. With this, you can easily switch between two Bluetooth devices with ease. The good thing about the Jabra headphones is that you can connect them directly to your PC via the USB port. This way, you can always bypass your PC’s soundcard.
Battery Life
All the above features go for a toss if the battery life is poor. Thankfully, both the Sony and the Jabra headphones have impressive battery life. While the Sony WH-1000XM4 last up to 30 hours, the Jabra headphones last up to 32 hours on a single charge with ANC enabled. Of course, the number goes up when you switch off ANC. Aside from the above, these two headphones boast fast recharge time. The Sony headphone can last around 5 hours after recharging for just 10 minutes. Interestingly, the Jabra headphones last up to 8 hours after charging for 15 minutes.
Audio Performance
Now let’s address the elephant in the room—Audio Performance. The Sony WH-1000XM4 is one of the popular headphones due to its excellent noise cancellation performance. They manage to seal ambient noise and high-pitched sounds like a pro. When it comes to the performance, these headphones deliver a wide soundstage. Songs carry more details and deliver the necessary punch. On the hardware front, the Sony WH-1000XM4 carries the new DSEE Extreme engine sound processor, which is responsible for upscaling to high-resolution music. At the same time, it supports the in-house LDAC Bluetooth codec. On the other hand, the Jabra Evolve2 85 delivers balanced audio. And this makes them more versatile, especially in professional surroundings. The best part is that you can tweak the sound as per your preference. Where the ANC of the Evolve2 85 generally shines is in office environments. It’s highly effective in blocking out office chatter and the likes. However, they are ineffective in blocking out the hums of trains and busses. At the same time, the mic delivers a clear and natural voice, which is highly effective in transferring your voice across.
Jabra Evolve2 85 vs. Sony WH-1000XM4
If you are an audiophile and want your favorite songs and music tracks to come out detailed, then the Sony headphones are your best bet. They deliver the needed punch and block out distracting noise like a boss. On the other hand, you can’t go wrong with the Jabra headphones if you spend a lot of time on calls and virtual meetings. They help transmit your voice clearly minus any ambient noise. At the same time, the neutral sound profile ensures that you can use them for the occasional movie or video game. However, the price tag is a tad higher for a pair of headphones for just the office settings. But if you do not mind spending on crystal clear sound, these are the headphones you should definitely buy. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.