Many people are going to get AirPods just because of Apple's sleek marketing machine, regardless of what any other company happens to offer. And that's too bad, because there are some really compelling alternatives out there. Case in point: In our review of the Jabra Elite 65t, CNET's David Carnoy thought they were, in some ways, superior to AirPods. And while they usually cost $150, you can now get a pair of Jabra Elite 65t earbuds for just $50 on eBay. What you're buying are factory refurbished earbuds -- these have a 180-day warranty, direct from Jabra.
At this price, these earbuds will not last long. That's because this is an excellent product -- they sound great, fit comfortably and thanks to a pair of microphones in each ear, are really good for making calls. They have a solid, AirPods-competitive five-hour battery life, and you tote them around in a carrying case that that can provide two full charges.
Read more: The best true wireless earbuds of 2020
In fact, there are some really good reasons to prefer the Elite 65t to AirPods. Many people might find they fit more securely. They seal your ear canal more effectively, keeping distracting ambient sound out (though you can enable HearThrough mode, which lets you blend outside sounds with the audio you're listening to). And you can choose which assistant you want to use with the 65t -- Alexa or Siri on iPhone, and Alexa or Google Assistant on Android.
Bottom line: These are really solid earbuds that, refurb priced at $50, are punching way above their weight. Grab a pair before they're gone, which is sure to be soon.
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