Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex Review – Are these cool foldable wireless headphones the ultimate flex for mobile workers?

We managed to acquire an example of one of the latest wireless headphones for business use from Jabra dubbed the Evolve2 65 Flex for review a while back. After putting it through its paces, here’s our Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex review if it’s worth your money.

Online video and voice calls are part and parcel of modern working life though the means to do so haven’t exactly improved with many desk jockeys relying on small earbuds with dubious noise cancelling capabilities or huge oversized cans better suited for use on a Formula One race track that are both cumbersome and heavy to wear for extended periods of time. 

For mobile workers looking for a reliable, comfortable pair of cans for voice and video calls alike that is also portable enough to be tossed into a backpack, Jabra has created the Evolve2 65 Flex wireless headphones. 

Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex – Specifications

Here’s how the Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex stacks up on paper…

Specifications
Price RM1,880
Driver 28mm
Driver max input power 30mW
Frequency response range 20Hz – 20,000Hz
Microphone type  Analog MEMs / 4 digital MEMs (stereo)
Microphone sensitivity -30dBv/Pa (analog microphone) / -26dBFS/Pa (digital microphone)
Microphone frequency range Analog 20Hz-10,000Hz | Digital 20Hz – 10,000Hz
Connectivity Bluetooth 5.2 w/ A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.6, HFP v1.8, HSP v1.2, PBAB v1.1, SPP V1.2, USB-C, USB-A
Battery 20 hours talk time (with ANC on, quoted), 21 hours music playback (with ANC on, quoted)
Size/Weight 200 x 108 x 155mm / 136g

Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex review – Build and Design

Our Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex review unit is primarily made of polycarbonate built around a lightweight foldable aluminium frame with plush faux leatherette upholstery on the cans and the headpiece itself.

In essence, the Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex are an on-ear pair of wireless headphones that are exceptionally compact, weighing just 136g and featuring a foldable frame that enables it to be folded down into dimensions slightly larger than a conventional pair of sunglasses. It also ships with a protective sleeve that houses a charging cable, a wireless charging pedestal and a USB-A Bluetooth adapter in scenarios where it can’t effectively pair with a host PC.

When folded completely down, it doesn’t so much resemble a pair of headphones as it does a rather outlandish art deco sculpture though the full scope of its genius design is revealed when you fully unfurl it into its final form. The headpiece itself can be extended out slightly to accommodate larger sized heads while the cans themselves can swivel too in order to provide exceptional flexibility and comfort. Both cans are finished in polycarbonate with padded foam overlaid with faux leatherette done up in black.

In terms of controls, the right can is densely clustered with a host of controls and features. Not only does it host a flip down microphone boom, it also has an MS Teams talk button, a button to summon a virtual assistant and the rather novel Jabra Busylight that lights up when you’re in a call so that colleagues don’t interrupt you when you’re in the middle of a work call. 

The rear of the right can also has a set of volume controls and if you press both the up and down volume buttons simultaneously, you can turn the Busylight on or off. The left can is more simply designed and hosts a power button that also doubles as a Bluetooth pairing button, a button that toggles ANC and HearThrough mode along with a USB-C port for charging duties. Alternatively, users can rely on the wireless charging pedestal for easier juicing especially in a static deskbound scenario.

Belying its mostly polycarbonate construction, our Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex review sample looked and felt solid while featuring a smooth opening and closing mechanism that ensured that it could be deployed with a minimum of fuss. Even after weeks of opening and closing it, often several times daily on the commute and back, the folding mechanism remained in excellent condition without any creaking or signs of the mechanism cracking or chipping.

Unfortunately, the design itself isn’t rated for any dust or water resistance so some care needs to be taken when using it outdoors. Another quibble with the design is that the buttons are clustered tightly close together and are tiny which makes them difficult to find by touch and interact with especially in an emergency. Thankfully, the microphone self-mutes if you flip it up.

Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex Review – Performance

On paper, our Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex review sample hosts a pair of 28mm drivers to kick out sound accompanied by hybrid Active Noise Cancellation support though the level of noise cancellation performance is not officially stated anywhere in their official literature.

Of note here for audiophiles is that the earphones only support the 16-bit SBC codec and not the higher end 24-bit AAC or AptX codecs which have higher sampling rates and lower latency which may preclude this as a choice for hardcore audiophiles.

The design also hosts a flip-down boom mic with an elegantly simple mechanism that mutes the mic when you flip the boom up and activates it when you flip it down. Multitaskers will also appreciate the fact that the headphones are able to have simultaneous pairing with two devices at a time such as your phone and a laptop that you can switch to at will.

Getting our Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex review unit up and running is a relatively simple affair and it paired up with a Galaxy Z Fold5 in seconds.

To get the most out of it, users need to download the free Jabra Sound+ app. Within the app itself, users can conduct a hearing sensitivity test to create a specialised sound profile for customised sound, select from one of six different sound equaliser presets, create customised equaliser sound settings and toggle through ANC/Hearthrough modes.

For those working in areas with especially irritating background noise beyond even what the built-in ANC can tackle – and it can tackle quite a fair bit – the app has a Soundscape mode that plays canned white noise in a loop with such relaxing selections as the sound of ocean waves, a rainy day, songbirds singing away and more.

In terms of overall performance, our Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex review unit is ideally suited for tackling tasks in a mildly busting place like an office or a café. The built-in noise cancelling can mute out most of the background noise of keyboards, footsteps and mute all but the noisiest, or shrill conversations. It worked well in a quiet co-working space and was helpful to get work done at a Starbucks near a bustling train stop but it didn’t manage to help in negating the noise in a suburban kopi tiam at lunch hour with waiters screaming food orders at the top of their lungs.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to dial the intensity of the ANC though you can select a HearThrough mode if you’re using it outdoors such as when you’re passing through oncoming bustling traffic. Sound quality for the microphone is excellent with clear vocal clarity while being able to mute out a modest amount of irksome background noise like a whirring fan in the background. 

The built-in speakers offer good volume and detail though bass was modest at best. It proves to be ideal for videos, listening to a lecture or briefing and ploughing through a Spotify playlist though the open air nature of the design and the limited codecs available mean that more audiophile oriented headphones still trump it for music playback quality. However, the ability to customise sound to taste does offer it an extra advantage over many mainstream designs and ensures better tuned sound reaches your ears.

Of particular note is the especially comfortable cushioning on the headpiece and on each can that ensured that it didn’t pinch or feel painful even after using it all day taking in several back-to-back video calls. However, the nature of the material used does mean it gets a bit sweaty especially in Malaysia’s hot and humid weather.

Battery life overall is excellent and it is rated on paper to offer at least 21 hours of music playback time. This has proven to be true and it has easily lasted two days of use on the commute and in stretches of several hours through a work day for video calls and music, with plenty of charge left over for a few more hours of use.

Should you buy the Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex?

The Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex is a specialised design optimised for mobile workers who need excellent call quality in a highly portable form factor paired with exceptional comfort. Unfortunately, the design is not rated for the elements and it also doesn’t come cheap but for those seeking a quality portable headphone solution for work and a bit of casual use on the side, this is well worth a look.

Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex review sample courtesy of Jabra Malaysia. For more details, please visit https://www.apac.jabra.com/business/office-headsets/jabra-evolve/jabra-evolve2-65-flex