Jabra's M3 Hearing Aids: High Price, Low Innovation

I've always said that a spec sheet is just a suggestion, and after looking at the new Jabra Enhance Select M3, I'm calling BS on the 'premium' price tag. When a company asks for nearly two grand for a gadget, I expect a leap forward, not a shuffle.

As Wired first reported, Jabra has completely overhauled its direct-to-consumer lineup, retiring the 50R, 300, 500, and 700 models—some of which were only a year or two old—to make room for the M-series (M1, M2, and M3). But here is the problem: the M3 looks and functions almost exactly like the gear from previous years. Even the physical differences are negligible. While the M3 is slightly shorter than the M1 and M2, all three weigh approximately 2.12 grams. Unless you buy the red model, which is exclusive to the M3, these devices are virtually indistinguishable.

**Opinion:** Incremental updates are not a reason to empty your wallet. If the hardware is essentially the same, the price should reflect that, not stay pegged at a premium.

Under the hood, Jabra is pushing its "SoundScape" audio enhancement system. According to Wired, the M3 gets two exclusive features: an adaptive listening mode for real-time environment optimization and a revamped autofocus tool designed to lock onto speech in noisy spots like restaurants. While Wired found the autofocus to be moderately effective, the environmental modes were deemed not very useful, with the reviewer finding better results by sticking to "all around" mode and adjusting noise reduction manually.

Then there is the streaming. The M3 now supports Auracast, but Wired reports that streaming quality remains a weak point. Music and movie audio are described as "washed out" unless the volume is maxed, and ambient noise continues to degrade the experience.

Even the accessories are stuck in the past. Wired notes that the "massive case" desperately needs a redesign, yet it remains unchanged. While the battery life is solid—lasting 24 to 26 hours—the lack of innovation in the physical package is glaring.

At $1,995 (the same launch price as last year's Jabra 700), Jabra is asking for a lot of trust. While the company does offer three years of access to on-staff audiologists for live tuning and a strong self-test system, the hardware itself isn't doing enough heavy lifting to justify the cost. If you're already rocking a recent Jabra model, there is almost nothing here to warrant the upgrade.