The Jabra Evolve 65 is a stylish new wireless headset from Jabra, which has been designed to improve your focus at work by eliminating distractions from background noise. And where better to test out the Evolve 65 than in our very own customer services call centre.
Related: Top 10 Best Wireless Headsets of 2024
Sound quality
Perhaps the most important aspect of any headset is sound quality. Whether you’re on your umpteenth call of the day working in a busy call centre or enjoying some down time listening to your favourite music, you want to be able to hear clearly. Thankfully the Jabra Evolve 65 comes with 28mm speakers that are backed up by quality drivers to deliver remarkably crisp sound and call clarity. Whilst the experience of streaming music on the Evolve 65 doesn’t match that of my Sony headphones it is the closest any headset I have ever used has come and is more than adequate for in between calls so you don't need to switch.
And the specially designed ear cushions worked well at blocking out background noise so that I could hear clearly regardless of what was going on around me.
Noise-cancelling
Jabra claim that their EVOLVE range of headsets has been designed with even better noise-cancelling and I have to admit that when I first heard this I was more than a little sceptical . Working in this industry you get used to taking anything a manufacturer says with a pinch of salt so I was pleasantly surprised to find that for once my cynicism was unwarranted as the quality of the noise-cancelling is indeed impressive.
We tested the quality of the integrated noise-cancelling microphone and compared it with some rival wireless headsets, and found the Evolve 65 the undisputed champion. It picked up less ambient noise and the wearer sounded clearest when using it so definitely gets our recommendation for use in noisier offices or even outside (if you don’t mind a few sideward glances from passers-by).
Set-up
Jabra advertises the Evolve 65 as a plug-and-play headset, and upon testing we found it to be… exactly that. It connects to PC via the included Jabra Link 360 USB adapter instantly, and worked perfectly with our VoIP softphone. It’s important to note what kind of softphone system you’re using as there are two variations of the headset depending on what you use – UC (Unified Communication) and MS (Microsoft Skype for Business).
I also tested the headset with an iPhone and it was a similar story – very easy to pair. After holding the switch on the earcup to the Bluetooth position for 3 seconds the headset was discoverable and connected without issue. There are voice guided instructions to help as well but it’s very straightforward.
Comfort
Standing alongside sound quality as perhaps one of the most important aspects of buying a new headset (especially if you’re going to be wearing it for a large proportion of your working day) is comfort. And the Jabra Evolve 65 is every bit as comfortable as it looks stylish. It feels like a well-made top-quality product when you take it out the box and when you're wearing it.
One of my favourite features of the Evolve 65 was the boom mic, which can be tucked back into the headband when not being used. The leatherette ear cushions are extremely comfortable and help to block out surrounding noise. And as a glasses wearer I was elated to find that I could wear the Evolve 65 without the temple (glasses arm) being pressed in the side of my head or ear. So for comfort I’d give it a solid 5/5!
Verdict
The Jabra Evolve 65 is an excellent wireless headset for PC that rivals others at a much higher price point. If you need to be heard, want to hear clearly, and wear a headset all day then you really can’t go wrong with this.
- What we liked: The truly exceptional noise-cancelling makes the Jabra Evolve 65 one of the best professional wireless headsets we’ve come across in a while. It’s easy to use, comfortable to wear, and the sound quality is excellent.
- What we disliked: The one complaint is the weakness of the magnetic strip designed to hold the mic in place when tucked away in the headband - prepare for it to come unstuck!
You can find the full range of Jabra Evolve 65 Wireless Headset here, available in Stereo and Mono and for UC or MS. Alternatively you can shop from our full range of wireless headsets.
