Jabra Enhance Select M3 Review (2026): Big price for small wins
The brand's latest top-of-the-line direct-to-consumer devices work well, but represent only incremental improvements over previous models.
The brand's latest top-of-the-line direct-to-consumer devices work well, but represent only incremental improvements over previous models.
Excellent quality. Excellent noise control at lower volumes The autofocus improvement is noticeable, if not life-changing.
The massive case is in dire need of a redesign. It is still very expensive. Poor playback quality
This fall, hearing aid manufacturers are rolling out new and improved devices in droves, including Jabra, the leading manufacturer of direct-to-consumer, over-the-counter devices. The brand has replaced its entire product line with brand new gear, quickly retiring the Jabra Enhance Select 700, 500, 300 and 50R, all of which are only a year or two old. Three new models replace them: Enhance Select M3, M2 and M1. Each of the M Series hearing aids look and work just like last year's models and the year before that. Most of the updates here happen under the hood, but as I learned with the pair of M3s I tested, even those changes are hardly drastic.
Historically, a more expensive device has meant a smaller chassis – not so with Jabra's new hearing aids. Each of the three new models weighs the same: 2.12 grams, give or take a few hundredths of a gram depending on which ear tip you choose. While the M2 and M1 have the same form factor, the M3 is a bit more crowded in terms of design and is a few millimeters shorter than its siblings. However, all three are almost indistinguishable unless you look at the fine print—that is, unless you choose the red model. This is an M3 gift, as the M1 and M2 are not available in that color.
The M3 aids in the traditional form of behind-the-ear teardrops with a button on the back. Different presses and holds allow you to use these buttons for power on/off, volume adjustment, and ambient mode changes that work with varying degrees of usefulness. Nevertheless, this device is one of the best available right now.
Jabra calls its sound enhancement system SoundScape, launched last year, and it claims it reduces noise and improves overall speech intelligibility. SoundScape features are available as variants on the three devices in the M line, and two new features are exclusive to the M3. These include a revised autofocus tool that locks on speech in complex and noisy environments, such as restaurants, which I found to be fairly effective. I experienced clean dialogue, even when a conversation partner walked completely around me in a circle.
Group property insert: IMG_3735 and IMG_3734
Another new SoundScape feature for the M3 is an advanced adaptive listening mode that responds to a given environment (be it a restaurant, outdoor space, or multiple options) in real-time to optimize noise reduction. Environmental modes were not very useful. Keeping the hearing aids in "around" mode, then manually adjusting the levels (especially noise reduction) was the best way to improve the listening experience.
I tested the M3 hearing aids in a variety of settings, and I'm happy to report that they work just as well as previous Jabra generations. Clarity in quiet environments (such as one-on-one conversations or watching TV) was nearly perfect. Keeping the volume at 30% maximizes hearing improvement while minimizing hissing, which gets geometrically louder with each tick up the volume.
Bluetooth playback quality has never been Jabra's, and while these new devices support Auracast - which allows various audio sources to be streamed directly to the hearing aids - I don't expect to use any of the playback modes much. Overall, the M3's audio streaming quality offers a slight improvement over previous generations, but both music and video volume drop below the highest volume at any level. And any amount of ambient noise still completely ruins the experience.
The app and other features on the new set are remarkably similar to Jabra's previous models. Jabra has a history of excellent customer service: all purchases include three years of access to audiologists who can make adjustments live via video chat and train new users of their hearing aids. Jabra's built-in self-testing system is also top-notch, allowing you to create an audiogram from scratch in just a few minutes.
The big body unfortunately hasn't changed, it recharges your used hearing aid three times before you plug it in. A fully charged pair of hearing aid, as it turns out, will still last 24 hours. In fact, I got closer to 26 hours in my testing before needing to turn on.
Notably, pricing also remains the same, with the M3 starting at $1,995 — the same price as the Jabra 700's launch last year. If history is any guide, a few months of waiting will likely reward you with a $200 price drop, and Jabra coupons are available almost regularly. That's still a big ask for an over-the-counter product. But to be fair, you'd probably pay twice as much to help out with a version that could match the quality of these latest M3s.
My top recommendation? If you can afford two large Jabra M3 hearing aids, you're getting the most advanced over-the-counter devices available. That said, those with less means will do just as well with the $1,695 M2 or $1,195 M1 hearing aids — or one of the more affordable options featured in my Best Hearing Aid Buying Guide.