The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and use during exercise, the Jabra Elite 4 earbuds are more suitable as they are sweatproof and dustproof, offering good noise isolation and rated well for exercise and air travel. However, if you're looking for a budget-friendly option with longer battery life and prefer headphones for an immersive experience watching TV, playing games, or listening to music, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones are superior in these aspects. They also offer a best-in-class comfort score. Remember though, the Sonys have poor noise isolation which might not be ideal in noisy environments. 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 WH-CH520
Good for music
Very good for gaming
Very good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.6/10
7.6/10
The Sony WH-CH520 is good for music, while the Jabra Elite 4 is only fair.
Gaming
5.4/10
8.8/10
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the Jabra Elite 4 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.8/10
6.7/10
The Jabra Elite 4 is very good for phone calls, while the Sony WH-CH520 is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.6/10
8.0/10
The Jabra Elite 4 and Sony WH-CH520 are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Jabra Elite 4 is somewhat better.
TV and Video
6.0/10
8.2/10
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the Jabra Elite 4 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
7.0/10
4.6/10
The Jabra Elite 4 is good for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
5.5 Hours
52.0 Hours
The Jabra Elite 4 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$100
$40
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Jabra Elite 4 has a price of $100 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $40.
Build Quality
9.0/10
7.0/10
The Jabra Elite 4 has excellent build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
"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"
"If you’re looking for headphones that simply do what you ask them to: the Sony WH-CH520 is a decent option, even if it isn’t very exciting. Sony’s WH-CHXXX line fits this role quite well, and the WH-CH520 offers a decent raft of quality-of-life updates over its predecessor that should keep listeners happy. If the Sony WH-CH520 were a car, it’d be the boring-but-safe commuter compact."
Get a great deal on the Jabra Elite 4 or the Sony WH-CH520
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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