Jabra is world-renown for excellent headphones and productivity gear, and the latest Jabra Evolve2 85 headphones are no exception. They’re engineered to help keep you focused on your work with active noise cancellation and busy lights that let others see you’re on a call. Available in USB-A or USB-C, the Evolve2 85 are worth the investment.
I live my work life going from conference call to conference call, and a good pair of headphones is key to maintaining my sanity. The Jabra Evolve2 85 headphones have been a revelation for my workday. I’m working from home for the time being, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Evolve2 85 headphones have helped me focus on the task at hand. Thanks to Jabra’s great active noise cancellation (ANC) and the busy lights, I’ve been able to concentrate a lot more this past week.
I have two kids, 6 and 3, who love to barge into my “office,” AKA the basement, when I’m working. They’ve been pretty good about asking if I’m on a call, but the busy lights are a game-changer. They can peek downstairs, see that the red lights are on, and they turn around and go back upstairs. Even if I’m not on a call, I’m able to turn on the busy lights manually to ensure I’m not disturbed, and my concentration remains unbroken. I can’t imagine how helpful they’d be at my real office, where my co-workers could use the busy lights as a hint not to disturb.
A good look at the busy lights
These premium headphones feature 40mm speakers with the latest AAC codec for a premium sound experience inside the soft leather-feeling earcups that feel great on your ears after hours of use. They also use a really soft, ergonomic headband that increases the comfort levels. The biggest difference between my Jabra Elite 85h headphones and the Evolve2 85 headphones is the folding boom microphone arm, making my voice sound excellent on conference calls. The microphone angle is adjustable, so it’ll work with just about any head/face size. The boom arm itself has 4 microphone built-in for excellent call quality in the office while the headphones have another 6 microphones built-in for active noise cancellation and on-the-go call quality. That’s a total of 10 built-in microphones!
The rechargeable battery will last for around 37-hours of continuous usage, and Jabra will even sell you a handy little charging stand. The battery charges quickly too. You can get a full charge in just 2.5 hours, but the coolest thing is you can get 8 hours of battery life (a full workday) in a measly 15-minute quick charge. That’s super helpful for those times where you forgot to charge your headset overnight. Jabra has its new powerful chipset to thank for the excellent battery life. The same chipset also powers the digital hybrid active noise cancellation.
Microphone boom folded in
The Jabra Evolve2 85 headphones are compatible with all leading Unified Communication (UC) platforms, including Microsoft Teams, making these headphones great for almost any office environment. It comes with a USB dongle that’s already paired with the headphones, allowing you to connect to your computer at work right out of the box. The Microsoft Teams optimized version has a dedicated Microsoft Teams button that allows you to answer Teams calls, open Microsoft Teams, and more. The Evolve2 85 headphones also have Bluetooth connectivity, so you can wirelessly connect to any iOS and Android device to stream music or take calls.
The neat feature that should not go unnoticed is the fold-away boom microphone arm. While it’s great for using on conference calls in the office, when the microphone arm is folded away, the Evolve2 85 headphones look like any other premium headset. This allows you to seamlessly go from the office to the subway, train, bus, or plane while resting assured that you can take high-quality calls wherever you are.
3.5mm jack and USB-C jack
Jabra has PC and mobile phone apps available to customize your audio experience. The Jabra Direct app for the PC or Mac allows you to customize your headsets controls, update firmware, and change audio levels. The Jabra Sound+ app for iOS & Android allows you to do much of the same as the Jabra Direct app, just via your Bluetooth connection. You can update your equalizer settings, turn ANC on or off, and more.
ANC on/off button
In my testing, I’ve found the Jabra Evolve2 85 headphones to be some of the best I’ve used. They’re super comfortable, sound great, and the call quality is excellent. I’ve had zero complaints about call quality throughout over 20 hours of conference calls, except for when I forgot that the microphone was pointed away from my mouth instead of toward it. The battery life is perfect for typical office life, and the quick charge option is perfect if you forgot to charge it the night before. The fold-away microphone boom arm makes the Evolve2 85 the perfect headset for the on-the-go professional.
The Jabra Evolve2 85 headphones sell for $449, and they are available directly from the manufacturer as well as from other retailers including Amazon [affiliate link].
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Excellent sound quality; Great microphone and active noise cancellation; Flexible for office or on-the-go; Amazing battery life and quick charge; Busy lights make it easy for others to tell when you are in a call
What Needs Improvement: Nothing I can find, though some might balk at the price
