I Love These Jabra Headphones For Running And You Can Get Up To 42% Off In The Black Friday Sales

Jabra Elite 8 Active
Jabra Elite 8 Active (left) and Jabra Elite 4 Active (right) (Image credit: Nick Harris-Fry / Future)

Jabra’s range contains some of the best workout headphones available and there are options to suit all budgets, especially in the Black Friday sales with two standout sets of buds significantly reduced at Amazon.

The top-of-the-range Jabra Elite 8 Active are £129 down from £199.99, which make them easy to recommend if it weren’t for the fact the Jabra Elite 4 Active are reduced by 42% from £119.99 down to £69 in the sale. Both are among the best running headphones, but is it worth spending extra on the Elite 8 Active?

Jabra Elite 8 Active: were £199.99now £129 at Amazon

Jabra Elite 8 Active: were £199.99, now £129 at Amazon

Save £70.99 The Elite 8 Active are a fairly new addition to Jabra’s range so it’s a pleasant surprise to see such a big discount on them this Black Friday. This is the cheapest they’ve ever been, and with great sound quality, ANC and battery life, plus a secure fit for sports, they are the best sports buds you can get for £129.

Read more in my Jabra Elite 8 Active review

Jabra Elite 4 Active: were £119.99,now £69 at Amazon

Jabra Elite 4 Active: were £119.99, now £69 at Amazon

Save £50.99 The Jabra Elite 4 Active are always worth looking out for in sale events and Amazon has not disappointed with this 42% discount for Black Friday. You can’t get better sports and lifestyle crossover headphones for this price, with the Elite 4 Active offering good sound quality, decent ANC and a reliable fit for workouts.

Read more in my Jabra Elite 4 Active review

I’ve tested both sets of headphones extensively, and the choice mainly comes down to how much value you place on sound quality and active noise cancellation, both of which are better on the Elite 8 Active.

If you’re often using the buds for traveling or just have high audio-quality standards, the difference will be noticeable. However, the Elite 4 Active still offer good sound quality and ANC, and I wouldn’t pay an extra £60 for the upgrade.

Another difference is that the Elite 8 Active have Jabra’s ShakeGrip coating, which makes the fit a little more secure than with the Elite 4 Active. I found both sets of buds stayed in my ears fine during runs and other vigorous workouts, but given that they don’t use wings, any extra features to make the fit more secure are useful.

Other differences include that the Elite 8 Active are a little hardier, with an IP68 rating compared to the IP57 of the Elite 4 Active. A higher rating is always a good thing, but I have no concerns about the durability of the Elite 4 Active either.

Both are great sets of headphones and although the Elite 8 Active are certainly better on several fronts, I’d still grab the Elite 4 Active for £60 less, but there’s also value in picking up the Elite 8 Active at such a significant discount in the sales.

Nick Harris-Fry
Senior writer

Nick Harris-Fry is a journalist who has been covering health and fitness since 2015. Nick is an avid runner, covering 70-110km a week, which gives him ample opportunity to test a wide range of running shoes and running gear. He is also the chief tester for fitness trackers and running watches, treadmills and exercise bikes, and workout headphones.

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