Review: Jabra Storm

With the recent announcement of multiple new products at IFA 2014, Jabra unveiled two new headsets and we will be taking a look at the Jabra Storm; a new generation of Bluetooth headsets with microPower battery technology. It promises to create a smaller footprint for the headset while delivering longer talk time and improved comfort during use.

Features:-

• Weight: 7.9 grams
• Dimensions: L 8.4 x W 1.6 x H 6.2 mm
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, Near Field Communication (NFC)
• Speakers: Wideband Speakers with HD Voice frequency
• Microphone: Dual Microphone with Noise Blackout
• Battery Life: Up to 10 hours Talk Time, Up to 240 hours Standby Time
• Charging: Micro-USB
• Operating Range: 98 feet

Review

Design & Build Quality

The design of the Jabra Storm reminded us of the original Jabra’s behind-the-ear approach. We find this a little old-fashioned but definitely provides more comfort and tends to fit better. With that said, Jabra did a great job adding a touch of modern design to it. The headset is made of silicon rubber, with plastic trims along the edge of the piece to make up the control panels. Weighing at 7.9 grams, the Jabra Storm definitely feels sturdy and has a premium feel to it.

On the top edge of headset, users will find a rubber grommet that when opened will reveal the microUSB port used for charging the device. Moving along the plastic trim, users will find the volume rocker placed. Build quality on the buttons are great, and it provides a good feedback to users when pressed. Continuing along the trim, users will find the power switch and indicator icons. Lastly, at the edge of the headset is where the call answer/reject button is located. The same button could also be used to activate voice commands by holding it for 1 second.

Battery Life

Jabra rated the Storm with a 10 hours of talk time and we were not disappointed by it. With an average of 5 calls per day, each lasting about 30-40 mins and leaving the headset powered on the entire time, we managed to get about 4 days out of it before needing to plug it in to charge. It takes approximately 2 hours for the headset to be fully charged.

Audio Quality

The sound produced by the Jabra Storm is comparable to the other heasets we have tested. It is loud and clear for conversation purposes but will not suffice for audio streaming, though headsets are usually not meant for audio streaming.

Features

The Jabra Storm features NFC connectivity for pairing purposes. Simply tap a NFC enabled phone to the Jabra Storm and the headset will be paired within seconds. The Storm also features a rotatable earpiece that would fit comfortably on both the left or right ear; depending on the preference of individual users.

Jabra also introduced its new generation of Noise Blackout technology, and it works really well, especially when we were outdoors.

Real-World Test

We find the Jabra Storm to be surprisingly comfortable and after an hour of having it on, we barely even noticed it was there. One issue we had was the initial mounting of the headset; it took some adjustments to finally get it to stay in place but it still felt loose and not entirely secured. We also noticed that while adjusting the volume, it might cause the headset to move about and come loose at times.

Voice commands worked flawlessly as it lends the technology from Google and we were able to make calls using just voice.

Feedback we received from parties on the other line were that our voice seemed faint and muffled over the headset. However, conversations were clear and defined. It also does not seem as though there is an option to increase the microphone sensitivity on the device.

Final Thoughts

The Jabra Storm is a great bluetooth headset with a lot to offer, especially when equipped with NFC and a 10 hour battery life for $79.99. The only thing we wished for is that there is a way to increase the microphone volume.