Jabra TALK 65 – essential headset for mobile workers (AV UC review)

The Jabra TALK 65 is the quintessential mono, behind-the-ear, earphone, and boom mic. It is for people on the go that need communication via something small and light at work or work-from-home.

Although it has a full-range speaker, it is not meant for music. It is for communication via Bluetooth 5.1 paired to a smartphone or a unified comms device and is perfect to hear what is going on around you. When you make or receive a voice call, its quite sensitive dual MEMS microphones pick up your voice and provide up to 80% background noise reduction in calls.

So, it may look kind of dorky, 80s-like, but that is because there is no better design to achieve what its users want.

Australian Review: Jabra TALK 65 review

Website	Product Page and PDF Manual
Price	$149 but shop around for a bargain.
Colours	Black
From	Jabra online – free shipping and 100-day returns  Unified comms specialists and major IT stores
Warranty	1-year ACL
Country of Origin	Danish design and made in China
More	CyberShack Jabra news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.

First Impression – Pass+

In the 90s and noughties, I used a similar behind-the-ear headset as I needed to be on the move throughout the office, and I wanted to keep both hands free for keyboard interaction. So, the aim of this device is to wear and almost forget it is there while keeping in touch.

Setup is easy – charge, pair and go. No app is necessary – only for firmware updates.

Comfort – Pass+

It is a little bigger all-around – 20g versus 5-10g for the rest of the Jabra range, but its design is ultra-comfortable, and you forget it is there until you have a little chirp in the ear indicating a call.

It is IP54 rated, so a bit of perspiration won’t hurt it. It is not for sports use even though it fits quite well behind the ear.

And as it is on-ear, not in-ear, there is no discomfort. For left-and-right-hand use.

Controls – Exceed

There is a power button and volume up and down buttons behind the ear. A pad above the mic boom is to answer or reject calls.

Battery – Exceed

Claimed battery life is 14 hours talk time and up to 17 days standby (meaning you charge it every couple of weeks). It charges via USB-C (Cable provided)

We could not put it through the usual battery tests, but after five days x eight hours of wearing (not that many calls), it showed 87% battery remaining – claim verified.

The charge time is 150 minutes.

Sound – Exceed for clear voice

It has three soft ‘reverse conical’ gel ear tips that must sit outside the ear canal – not in it. While its specs say it is capable, don’t expect bass or high treble. Its focus is HD voice – clear voice, and it does that very well.

Noise-cancelling – Exceed for calls

It is not a noise-cancelling earphone – it is to reduce background noise by up to 80% during calls. Callers commented on my clear voice, and I commented on theirs.

BT – Exceed

Provided your host device has BT 5.1 or later, you can get up to 30 metres distance from the Jabra TALK 65. Our tests confirm this, but we recommend 20m as optimal.

It remembers eight devices, and has NFC and multi-point pairing making it easy to swap phones or use a phone and PC.

Other uses – In the car

I have noticed that several Uber/taxi drivers use similar headsets to discretely hear incoming calls, navigation prompts, and use Google Assistant or Siri while driving.

CyberShack’s view – Jabra TALK 65 keeps your hands where you need them

It works well, is well-made, and is the solution to bulky over-the-ear and often uncomfortable in-ear headphones.

If you are not looking for a music device, this is perfect for office, car, and home use.