Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 vs Realme Buds Air8 Pro: which should you buy?

On aggregated review scores the Realme Buds Air8 Pro comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 85. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.

Our pick: Realme Buds Air8 Pro - Outstanding overall at around $74.

True Wireless

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2

79Great

$230

Full review data

True Wireless

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

Realme Buds Air8 Pro leads on 6 of 7 measures.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2
Realme Buds Air8 Pro

HearWiki score

Sound

8.1

8.4

Noise cancelling

8.2

8.4

Battery

7.8

7.2

Calls

8.0

8.5

Value

7.2

9.2

Price (USD)

$230

$74

Generation & platform

The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?

Half a step newer

Realme Buds Air8 Pro (2026) against Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 (2024). The Realme Buds Air8 Pro edges ahead on platform, but only just: Bluetooth 6.1 against 5.3. The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 answers on convenience features: it adds Wireless charging and Water resistance IP68 against IP55.

Elite 8 Active Gen 22024
Buds Air8 Pro20262 yr newer

What differsElite 8 Active Gen 2Buds Air8 Pro

Bluetooth: 5.3; 6.1
Wireless charging: Yes; No
Water resistance: IP68; IP55

Level on: Top codec, ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Wear detection, Custom EQ, Companion app.

Specifications

Elite 8 Active Gen 2Buds Air8 Pro

Type: True Wireless; True Wireless
Price (USD): $230; $74
HearWiki score: 79; 85
Released: 2024; 2026
Availability: Discontinued; Sold new
Driver: 6 mm dynamic; 2-driver hybrid
Driver type: dynamic; hybrid
Driver size: 6 mm; 11 mm
Drivers per side: 1; 2
Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz; 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Bluetooth: 5.3; 6.1
Codecs: AAC, aptX Voice, LDAC; SBC, AAC, LHDC
Multipoint pairing: Yes; Yes
Latency: -; 45 ms
Battery life: 14 h; 12 h
Battery life (ANC on): 8 h; -
Battery incl. case: 56 h; 50 h
Full charge time: -; 120 min
Quick charge: 10 min → 1.5 h; 10 min → 11 h
Wireless charging: Yes; No
Active noise cancelling: Yes; Yes
ANC type: adaptive; adaptive
Transparency mode: Yes; -
Companion app: Yes; Yes
Custom EQ: Yes; Yes
Wear detection: Yes; Yes
Controls: buttons; touch
Voice assistant: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri; -
Weight: 10 g; 4.8 g
Case weight: 47.5 g; 53 g
Water resistance: IP68; IP55
USB-C: Yes; Yes
Microphones: 6; 6
Call noise reduction: -; Yes
Call NR technology: -; AI ENC

Specification comparison of Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 vs Realme Buds Air8 Pro
Spec	Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2	Realme Buds Air8 Pro
Type	True Wireless	True Wireless
Price (USD)	$230	$74
HearWiki score	79 / 100 Great	85 / 100 Outstanding
Released	2024	2026
Audio
Driver	6 mm dynamic	2-driver hybrid
Driver type	dynamic	hybrid
Driver size	6 mm	11 mm
Drivers per side	1	2
Frequency response	20 Hz - 20 kHz	20 Hz - 20 kHz
Wireless
Bluetooth	5.3	6.1
Codecs	AAC, aptX Voice, LDAC	SBC, AAC, LHDC
Multipoint pairing	Yes	Yes
Latency	-	45 ms
Battery
Battery life	14 h	12 h
Battery life (ANC on)	8 h	-
Battery incl. case	56 h	50 h
Full charge time	-	120 min
Quick charge	10 min → 1.5 h	10 min → 11 h
Wireless charging	Yes	No
Features
Active noise cancelling	Yes	Yes
ANC type	adaptive	adaptive
Transparency mode	Yes	-
Companion app	Yes	Yes
Custom EQ	Yes	Yes
Wear detection	Yes	Yes
Controls	buttons	touch
Voice assistant	Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri	-
Design
Weight	10 g	4.8 g
Case weight	47.5 g	53 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP55
USB-C	Yes	Yes
Calls
Microphones	6	6
Call noise reduction	-	Yes
Call NR technology	-	AI ENC

What reviewers said

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2

The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 are rugged wireless earbuds with adaptive noise cancellation and an IP68 rating, making them ideal for intense workouts and wet conditions. They offer a long-lasting battery, solid Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with multipoint support, and a compact, durable design. Their sound is driven by a 6mm dynamic driver, and they come with app-based customization for a tailored listening experience.

Pro:Excellent durability with IP68 water and dust resistance
Pro:Long battery life, especially with the charging case
Pro:Adaptive noise cancellation that adjusts to your environment

Con:Battery life drops significantly when ANC is enabled
Con:Only one physical size for earbuds may not fit all ears perfectly
Con:Price is on the higher side for the feature set

Realme Buds Air8 Pro

The Realme Buds Air8 Pro are feature-packed wireless earbuds that deliver strong active noise cancellation, clear call quality, and versatile multipoint connectivity at an accessible price. They offer a balanced, customizable sound signature with hybrid dual drivers, though achieving the best audio requires some tuning. With a comfortable fit, decent battery life, and practical water resistance, they stand out as a solid budget-friendly option.

Pro:Effective adaptive noise cancellation
Pro:Clear call quality with multiple mics
Pro:Supports multipoint for up to three devices

Con:Battery life could be longer
Con:Best sound requires manual tuning
Con:No wireless charging support

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

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