Jabra Evolve2 65 review: Superb professional performance

The Jabra Evolve2 65 is a Bluetooth headset designed with professional use in mind. It’s part of Jabra’s new Evolve2 range, which has seen the company re-engineer and refine its successful Evolve Series. The series features in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headsets that are compatible with the full gamut of office hardware and cater for office workers whatever their communication needs. The on-ear Evolve2 65 is the series’ mid-range option – also part of the latest generation of releases are the Evolve2 40, which is essentially the same headset as the Evolve2 65 but isn’t Bluetooth compatible, and the premium, active noise cancelling Evolve2 85. The Evolve2 85 isn’t only considerably more expensive, but it’s an over-ear rather than on-ear headset and offers active noise cancellation to cut out ambient office sound.

What do you get for the money?

What you get depends on how much you’re willing to pay. The most basic package costs £203 and includes a mono headset, Bluetooth adapter, durable carrying pouch and USB Type-A to USB-C charging cable. For an extra £10 you can upgrade to the stereo headset; should you also want to add a handy charging stand into the bargain, you’ll pay £244 for the mono version and £254 for the stereo model, which is what we tested.

The Evolve2 65 can be used for any form of telephonic or video communication – it works well with Skype, FaceTime and Zoom among others – but is primarily designed with business platforms in mind. As standard, it comes optimised for use with Unified Communications platforms such as Cisco, Mitel and Avaya but there’s also a version specifically tailored for use with Microsoft Teams.

Regardless of which iteration you go for, you get the choice of white and beige colour schemes and a USB-A or USB-C Bluetooth adapter. You’ll also get oodles of battery life: Jabra states up to 37 hours music playback and 35 hours talk time, which it says is industry-leading. Once you’re out of battery the headset can be fully charged in 90 minutes, while 15 minutes in the charging stand provides eight hours of use.

How easy is it to use?

In a word, very. Pairing is a breeze and you can pair with up to eight different devices, though you can only connect to two at once. The on-headset controls are also quick and easy to use. You’ve got all the usual options: a power/pairing button and buttons for turning your volume up and down and playing/pausing audio. Pressing both volume buttons simultaneously turns what Jabra calls the Busylight. This mode activates automatically when in a call or meeting, illuminating two red lights on each earcup to let those around you know that you’re not to be disturbed.

There’s also a microphone mute button, although you can just flip up the mic to achieve the same effect, and an answer/end call button on the outside of the right earcup, which can also be used to open Microsoft Teams notifications or join Teams meetings if you’re signed in to the software. Each button is nicely spaced out so you won’t accidentally be pressing the wrong one mid-call.

Charging using the stand, which is available in both USB-A and USB-C variants, is a no-nonsense affair, too. All you have to do is sit the right earcup in the dock and after 90 minutes the headset will be fully charged.

How are the sound quality and microphone?

The Evolve2 65’s 40mm drivers reproduce audio very cleanly. The headset excels in the mid and upper ranges, which is where they do most of their work during calls and conversations. I had no issues making out what my colleagues were saying as we spoke over the headset.

And, should you decide to take a musical break from your work, the Evolve2 65 does a more-than-adequate job at reproducing music. Despite the sound signature erring on the more delicate side, there’s still a decent punch to bassier tracks and if you feel the need to tweak the EQ levels you can do so via the Jabra Sound+ app or choose one of the six preset options. There’s the default setting in addition to Bass and Treble Boost modes, music-focused Smooth and Energize settings, and Speech, which, unsurprisingly, works best when on calls. All-in-all, the app is very simple to use and offers a nice bit of customisation.

The three-microphone technology used in the Evolve2 65 incorporates works excellently, resulting in exceptional clarity. At no stage did those I was on a call with experience any crackling, distortion or echoing and I could be heard accurately throughout testing. The mic does a good job of isolating your voice, too, keeping background noise to a minimum.

How comfortable is the fit?

Weighing a mere 180g, the Evolve2 65 headset is extremely light and this makes for a supremely comfortable wearing experience. Chances are you’ll be wearing them most of the day but the soft memory foam cushions sit on your ears so unassumingly you won’t experience any discomfort. The headband is flexible and easily adjusted so the headset will fit snugly on just about any size head. I typically prefer either over-ear or in-ear headsets but the Jabra Evolve2 65 may well have converted me to the ways of on-ear communication, it really is that comfortable.

Should I buy it? 

The Evolve2 65 is a pricey piece of office headwear. Even the mono option without a charging stand will set you back over £200. But its quality goes a long way to justify the price. Call clarity at both ends of the line is faultless and it’s a headset you can wear all day without discomfort.

Throw in the Evolve2 65’s superb battery life and ability to get a day’s worth of charge in just 15 minutes and what you end up with is a fantastic all-round office headset. If you (or your company) have the budget, you won’t find many better headsets to fulfil your professional needs.