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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize high-quality music listening, the Sony WF1000XM4 would serve you better with its excellent sound quality and app equalizer customization; however, it comes at a premium price. For those who need earbuds for calls and meetings or use during exercise, the Jabra Elite 4 is not only more affordable but also offers very good performance in these areas, along with sweatproof and dustproof certifications. The Sony WF1000XM4, on the other hand, boasts features like active noise cancelling and virtual surround sound making them suitable for air travel and immersive audio experiences, but they may not be as comfortable during workouts. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Jabra Elite 4
- Very good for phone calls
- Good for exercise
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM4
- Excellent for music
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.6
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is excellent for music, while the Jabra Elite 4 is only fair.
Phone Calls
8.8
6.7
The Jabra Elite 4 is very good for phone calls, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.6
10.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Jabra Elite 4 is very good.
Noise Reduction
7.0
8.3
The Sony WF1000XM4 is very good for noise reduction, while the Jabra Elite 4 is good.
Battery
5.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Jabra Elite 4 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM4 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$100
$220
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Jabra Elite 4 has a price of $100 and the Sony WF1000XM4 costs $220.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.4
5.6
The Sony WF1000XM4 and Jabra Elite 4 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
6.0
6.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 and Jabra Elite 4 are both only fair for TV and video.
Build Quality
9.0
8.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Jabra Elite 4 to have excellent build quality, while the Sony WF1000XM4 has very good build quality.
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How the Jabra Elite 4 and the Sony WF1000XM4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Jabra Elite 4 | Sony WF1000XM4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$100 | $220 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Jabra | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | July 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.6/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.8/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.7/10 | 6.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3.5 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 21 | 24 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.5/10 | 5.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.6 Grams | 6.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Jabra Elite 4
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Jasper Lastoria | September 2023
"The Jabra Elite 4 is a good midrange option with solid isolation and aptX codec for Android. It sounds consumer friendly from the box and the app has some EQ to adjust to taste. Some included luxuries include multipoint, sidetone, and Spotify Tap"
Sony WF1000XM4
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | March 2023
"The headphones deliver a satisfying user experience, class-leading battery life, some of the best noise-cancelling we’ve heard in this category, and absolutely stunning sound quality."
Get a great deal on the Jabra Elite 4 or the Sony WF1000XM4
About Jabra
Jabra is a subsidiary of GN Store Nord, a 150-year-old Danish company that specializes in the manufacturing of hearing aids, headsets and earphones. Jabra has a focus on fit and comfort and quality control over everything else. According to Peter Karstromer, Jabras CEO, they “design and engineer technology that frees people to work, live and communicate how and where they want to, equipping them with the tools to live their life to a new rhythm”.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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