Jabra Evolve 30 II vs Evolve 40: Which to Buy Refurbished

Quick verdict

The Jabra Evolve 30 II and Evolve 40 are close cousins in Jabra's corded Evolve range — both are USB/3.5mm UC headsets built for office calls and focused work. The short answer: the Evolve 40 is the slightly more refined pick, with an upgraded in-line controller and better passive noise isolation, while the Evolve 30 II delivers most of the same daily experience for less. If budget leads your decision, the 30 II is excellent value; if you want the more polished controls and a touch more isolation, step up to the 40. Both are available as refurbished Jabra headsets, which narrows the price gap even further.

Connection and compatibility

Both headsets are wired and both are certified for the major UC and softphone platforms, with versions optimised for Microsoft Teams and others for general UC use. They typically come with a USB connector for your computer plus a 3.5mm jack, so you can move between a laptop softphone and a deskphone or mobile. There is no wireless or Bluetooth here — these are plug-in headsets, which means zero pairing hassle, no battery to charge, and rock-solid reliability for hot-desking. On connectivity, the two are effectively equal; choose based on the connector variant (USB-A, USB-C or Teams button) that matches your setup. You can compare both alongside other corded options in our USB & UC headsets collection.

Comfort and build

Both share the lightweight Evolve design with foam ear cushions and a padded headband, and both come in mono (one ear open to the room) and stereo (both ears, more focus) variants. The Evolve 40 has slightly more substantial ear cushioning that improves passive noise isolation — useful in a louder open-plan office — while the Evolve 30 II is marginally lighter and more minimal. For most people the day-to-day comfort is very similar; the 40 just feels a small step more premium.

Microphone

Each uses a noise-cancelling boom arm microphone that rotates up out of the way, with a handy visual setup: when the boom is up it mutes, when it is down it is live. Voice clarity is strong on both and well suited to back-to-back calls. The Evolve 40's controller and acoustics are tuned a notch higher, but in real-world calls the difference is subtle rather than dramatic.

Controls

This is the clearest practical difference. The Evolve 30 II has a simpler in-line control unit, while the Evolve 40 ships with a more capable in-line controller offering easier access to answer/end, volume and mute, with clearer tactile feedback. If your team takes a high volume of calls and values quick, confident control without looking down, the 40's controller is the upgrade you will actually notice.

Battery and price

Neither headset has a battery — both draw power over USB — so there is nothing to wear out or recharge, which is one of the quiet advantages of a corded UC headset and a reason they age so well as refurbished units. On price, the Evolve 30 II is the more affordable of the two when new, and that ordering holds refurbished too. Buying either one Certified Renewed compresses the difference, so the choice becomes less about cost and more about which feature set fits.

Who should pick which

• Choose the Evolve 30 II if you want a dependable, comfortable UC headset for everyday calls at the best price, and the simpler controller suits you.
• Choose the Evolve 40 if you work in a louder room, take heavy call volumes, or simply want the upgraded controller and slightly better isolation.
• Either way, pick the stereo variant for deep-focus work and the mono variant if you need to stay aware of colleagues around you.

Both available refurbished

Because both models are corded with no battery to degrade, they are ideal candidates for refurbishment — there is genuinely no compromise versus new. Every unit we sell is professionally tested, cleaned and fitted with fresh ear cushions, graded Grade A for cosmetics, and covered by a one-year warranty. That makes the decision easy: get the headset that fits your workflow and let the savings take care of the rest.

Ready to choose? Browse our current refurbished Jabra headsets and the full USB & UC headsets range to compare live stock and connector options for your office.