Do you want the best headset? 
The Jabra Evolve series is a very popular line of headsets that’s perfect for anyone who participates in activities such as Zoom video conferencing calls, or for Softphones for doing business calls.
One of the typical problems people face when deciding on a USB headset is which one to buy. Even if your search has narrowed down to include just the Jabra models, it’s still somewhat of a daunting task to try and figure out which one to get. The number of options aren’t all that limited.
Differences at a glance
| Evolve2 65 | Evolve 75 | Evolve2 85 |
| 37hr battery | 18hr battery | 37hr battery |
| 6.22oz | 6.25oz | 10.08oz |
| Busy Light | Busy Light | Busy Light |
| 40mm speaker | 40mm speaker | 40mm speaker |
| No ANC | ANC | Hybrid ANC |
| SBC, AAC audio codecs | SBC audio codec | SBC audio codec |
| Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 4.2 | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Up to 100ft range | Up to 100ft range | Up to 100ft range |
| Noise canceling mic (4 analog MEMS) | Noise canceling mic (uni-directional ECM) | Noise canceling mic (3 digital MEMS) |
| Pair up to 8 devices | Pair up to 8 devices | Pair up to 8 devices |
| Best deal: View at Headset Advisor | Best deal: View at Headset Advisor | Best deal: View at Headset Advisor |
| Best Alternative | Best Alternative | Best Alternative |
| Use coupon BLOG at checkout for the best deal. |
Jabra Evolve2 65 VS Evolve 75 VS Evolve2 85 Review Video With Mic Tests
Bluetooth Version
The Jabra Evolve2 65 and the Jabra Evolve2 85 both use the newer Bluetooth version 5.0 where the Evolve 75 uses version 4.0.
From what I know about 5.0 vs. 4.0 is that version 5.0 is supposed to provide a longer wireless connection over version 4.0.
Though I didn’t do a wireless range test comparison between these three models, I can only go by what has been written about version 5.0 and it providing longer wireless talk range.
If wireless range is something that’s important to you, then the Evolve2 65 or the Evolve2 85 should both be on your short list.
Wireless Talk Range
According to the specifications, all three models are supposed to provide up to 100 feet of wireless talk range. If I were to venture a guess, I’d say that among these three models, the Evolve 75 would likely offer less range only because of it using a former version of Bluetooth technology.
Wireless talk range estimates are generally based on a “line of sight” method. In other words, no obstructions between the base and the wireless headset.
Though the claims can be supported, those same claims aren’t real world like. In the real world, you have obstructions everywhere and can vary from things like walls, partitions, elevators you name it. These same obstructions represent barriers to the wireless signal and degrade it.
This degraded signal will result in shorter than stated wireless talk range. A rule of thumb is to estimate usable talk range to be about 50% of the stated range.
Connectivity
All three models have the ability to connect to:
- PC
- Mobile devices
If you need a wireless headset to connect to your computer, but also to mobile devices via Bluetooth, then any of these three USB wireless headsets will do the job for you, no problem.
Headset Weight
When comfort is on your radar, then the weight of a headset can play an important role whether it wears comfortably or not. Let’s take a quick look at how much each of these three headsets weigh:
- Evolve2 65 weighs 6.2 ounces
- Evolve 75 weighs 6.0 ounces
- Evolve2 85 weighs 10 ounces
For me personally, I found the Jabra Evolve2 65 and the Jabra Evolve 75 to have a very similar feel, from a weight perspective. This makes sense when you look at how much each weighs.
Also, true to form, the Evolve2 85 did feel heavier when I put it on, so you will be able to detect a weight difference if you were to try on all three. This is not to say that the Jabra Evolve2 85 is uncomfortable.
Not at all. I’m only saying that you can tell that it weighs more than the other two USB headsets.
For many people, the weight of a headset can be a deciding factor when it comes to choosing a headset, especially if it will be worn for long periods of time throughout the day.
Being that the Jabra Evolve2 85 is noticeably heavier, that should provide you with some useful information if you’re comparing it against either or both of the other models.
Battery
Jabra Evolve2 65
- For music - up to 35 hours
- For talking - up to 35 hours with busy light off - up to 24 hours with it on ● Recharge time - 90 minutes | 30 minutes = 40% | 60 minutes = 80%
Jabra Evolve 75 (Learn more about the Evolve2 75 here)
- Up to 15 hours
Jabra Evolve2 85
- Up to 37 hours
- Full charge in 2 hours, 20 minutes
- 15 minute charge = 8 hours of battery
- NOTE: The spec sheet didn’t say if the battery life estimate was with, or without the busy light being on. Based on the Evolve2 65, I’m assuming that the 85 model at 37 hours is without the light being activated.
Based on the data above, I’d say the nod clearly goes in the direction of the Jabra Evolve2 65 and the Jabra Evolve2 85. Essentially, these two models will give you far more battery life and will require you to charge the battery less often when compared to the previous generation Evolve 75.
That said, most people would likely not have a problem charging the battery at the end of the day. Where it might make a difference is if you forget to charge the battery at night.
Nobody likes coming to work to discover they have a dead battery in their headset. And, today we’re more dependent on headsets than in the past because of the applications we’re using daily.
So, it might make sense to lean more towards the higher output batteries on the 65 and 85 models. Just my opinion.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
What is ANC? This is an electronic feature that counteracts room noise, so the person wearing the headset is less distracted by what’s going on around him/her, and can remain focused.
According to research, one of the leading causes of lowered productivity is distractions from room noise. Further, it suggests that it can take as long as 20 minutes to regain focus and concentration.
Based on this, it’s best to avoid noise where possible, or at least be armed with a tool to help you better deal with it. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 3 amigos here to see how they compare.
Jabra Evolve2 65
Nada. No ANC here. That means this model will need to revert to “passive noise cancellation” vs. having Active Noise Cancellation. This means that the Jabra Evolve2 65 will need to rely on physical barriers of material (ear cushions, plastic speaker housing etc), in order to provide a shield against the noise in your work environment. Not ideal, but this approach is very common among entry level type USB headsets, which the Jabra Evolve2 65 is.
Jabra Evolve 75
This USB headset does come with Active Noise Cancellation. If noise becomes distracting, you simply press a button on the headset earpiece to activate this electronic feature. In doing so, you will hear the room noise drop in volume, if not mostly disappear. It’s doubtful that any ANC will remove 100% of distractive room noise, but enough to put it into the category of faint background sound, which to most of us, isn’t distracting.
Jabra Evolve2 85
Among the three models being compared here, the Evolve2 85 with ANC is without question the best of the bunch. This is because the ANC feature is combined with oversize ear speakers and cushions. When you combine these two things, you’ll hear a vast difference when comparing against models with standard size ear speakers/cushions and no ANC. If obliterating distracting background noise is your thing, hands down this is your baby. It does a great job.
Microphone
All three models being compared here come with a noise cancelling microphone. This feature is designed to suppress background sound so your callers hear you and not what’s going on around you. As office headsets go, this is a pretty standard feature.
Even so, there are differences when it comes to microphones on USB headsets. With that in mind, which of these three headsets have the better mic?
I’ll cut to the chase here by saying the Jabra Evolve2 85. Why is the microphone on the 85 model better than the others? It’s a fair question to ask.
Here’s the reasons why I think it’s the best of the bunch:
- Most headsets come with a noise cancelling microphone. The Jabra Evolve2 85 also comes with one. However, the microphone itself is made up of an array of 10 microphones all working in harmony to give you extraordinary sound quality. The technology that’s been engineered into this microphone is truly impressive.
- You can swing the microphone boom upwards and stow it out of sight into the body of the side ear speaker. Once you position it there, you can’t see the microphone and boom arm at all. That not only keeps the boom out of harm's way, but when it’s not needed, it neatly packs away, and out of sight.
Also, when the microphone has been stowed away, the microphone on the side of the ear speaker gets automatically activated. In my opinion, the mic on the boom sounds better than the built in one, but it’s still a useful and convenient feature not seen on other headsets.
The Jabra Evolve2 65 has a 3 mic array microphone and the Jabra Evolve 75, as best as I can determine, comes with a single microphone. I might be wrong here as I wasn’t able to obtain specifics on the microphone on the 75 model.
In any case, the clear, hands down winner on the microphone side-by-side comparison is the Evolve2 85. Then again, it should be better because you’re paying a lot more for it. More on price coming right up.
Warranty
No difference exists between all three models as they all come with a Jabra 2-year warranty. So, not much to comment on here given they’re all covered by the same warranty.
Price
There is a difference here. Let’s break this down. Keep in mind that the prices mentioned here are manufacturer suggested prices, and the price you pay would likely be less.
Jabra Evolve2 65
$299.00 with the charging stand
$249.00 without the charging stand
Jabra Evolve 75
$346.00 with the charging stand
$293.00 without the charging stand
Jabra Evolve2 85
$499.00 with the charging stand
$449.00 without the charging stand
Based on these price variations, you can get a sense that the Evolve2 65 is positioned more as an entry level wireless USB headset. The Jabra Evolve 75 is priced in the mid-price market and clearly the Evolve2 85 is priced on the high side.
If your decision is highly weighted towards price, then the Evolve2 85 may be off the table for you. However, if the $450 - $500 price tag doesn’t give you sticker shock, and those features and enhanced audio are all must haves, then get ready to pony up the big bucks for an awesome wireless USB headset experience.
Odds and Ends
The Evolve 75 has an interesting feature called “listen in” which allows the headset wearer to leave the headset on and once you press the listen in button, you can hear those around you, or someone wanting to talk to you. This eliminates the need to take off your headset each time you have someone wanting to engage with you.
The Evolve 75, like the 65 and 85 has a built in busy light.
It’s a circle that lights up red when you get on a call. This alerts others around you that you’re busy, on a call, and shouldn’t be disturbed.
The Evolve2 65 and 85 models also have a built in busy light. These two models have LEDs located on the front side of the ear speaker exterior, and the back side as well. When you go live on a call, these LEDs light up and are visible from the front and back.
I’d say an upgrade from the Evolve 75 that has a more limited viewing area. Both are nice though, and built in busy lights are more uncommon than common so having this feature is nice to have.
Final thoughts
In order to narrow down which model would be best for your situation, you’ll need to know a few things. What features are most important to you:
- Active noise cancellation - is your work environment noisy? distracting?
- Best noise cancelling microphone, or would a good one vs. best one suffice?
- Comfort, how important is this?
- Sound quality, do you want or need the best, or is good, good enough?
- Talk time - are you ok with 15 hours and recharge, say, every other day, or would you prefer a battery that gives you more talk time and needs charging less often?
- Budget - what’s the available funds for making this purchase?
Depending on how you answer questions like these, it should help steer you towards one of these models over the others. Hopefully this brief product comparison has helped you in some ways to learn more about these headsets. All three are solid, it’s just a matter of which one best meets your specific needs.
