JBL Quantum 100P Headset - Review

Over the years we have reviewed a large number of headsets, usually at the more expensive end of the price range, but every now and then a more affordable option does present itself, which is the case with the JBL Quantum 100P headset. Does this budget friendly option provide what a modern gamer needs, or like its price, should you lower your expectations?

First off let's discuss the form factor, as this is a headset and if you can’t wear it, then he rest matters not. If you have seen any of the other JBL headsets over the past few years, then you are going to see a lot of similarities here and for good reason. The layout that JBL have come up with works, it keeps everything to the left ear cup and that is really it. On that cup you have a volume adjustment wheel, a mute button and the microphone, which is thankfully removable. Beyond those, there is nothing else going on with the headset, it doesn’t have wireless connectivity of any kind, nor does it sport any active noise cancellation. What it does contain however is some soft padded ear cups and a decently padded top portion of the headband, which is adjustable as you might expect. Inside the ear cups are one 40mm driver each, which delivers crisp sound, but there is a tradeoff, that headband is not as flexible as other JBL headsets.

Now I have a larger head than most, which does make reviewing headsets somewhat challenging at times and for the most part, some of them do get better with use. A great headset should be somewhat flexible front the moment you take it out the box, a good one may take a few hours of wearing to adapt, the JBL Quantum 100P took far too long. Again, this could be because of my larger than average head size, so perhaps younger gamers may not encounter this issue, but if you fall into the same category as myself, than it is something to be aware of. This is not a deal breaker, as much as it feels like it tries to squish your head at first, it’s just something you need to be aware of, like breaking in a good pair of shoes.

The connection method on offer here is via a 3.5mm jack, which means it connects to your home console, any of them, your PC and any portable device like an iPhone or Android tablet, additional connection requirements being met for those last two. The Quantum 100 actually comes in two variants, the White P and the Black X, like most headsets one is designed for PlayStation and the other Xbox. The reason why I opted for the P when JBL asked me which one I wanted, is that it was promised to work with the 3D Audio found on the PlayStation 5, something very few headsets do and the ones that do, usually cost a fair bit more than the RRP for these. As I was still in the afterglow of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 I booted back into that game, to test out how well the 3D Audio worked and honestly it was pretty great. With the decent sized audio drivers and the closed ear cups, I was immersed in the sounds of New York all over again. The 3D Audio is not exactly the same as what you get on the official PlayStation 5 headset, as the 3D Pulse Wireless headset is vastly more connected to the console, but still for the price it is great.

As the headset connects via a 3.5mm it also works with almost every other device around and I put it to good use on my Switch, while I was enjoying more Red Dead Redemption. The quality of the sound that I got from it was great, not the best, but the headset again for its price punches well above its weight. I could hear the ground crackle as I snuck through the grass, the shots from outlaws and lawman ringing across the grounds, it was honestly a joy to listen to. Attaching it to my iPad via a USB-C dongle meant I would enjoy some Spotify whilst working on the go and the range the speakers were able to deliver meant most of the music sounded great.

The microphone was able to pick up my voice without the need for me to shout or speak louder than my normal speaking voice, with both Discord and Teams having no issues. The in-built mute function was nice, with the mute button being easily accessible, perhaps my only gripe with it is that it’s a tad too small for my liking. As the mic itself is removable, that means that you can just drop it from the headset and get a nice clean headset to wear out of the house, there is not cap for the hole it leaves behind though, so just be aware of that.

JBL over the past few years have made some incredible gaming headsets, with each offering up a unique feature that tempts one into buying them, but they usually have a price point attached. The Quantum 100 series, coming in at under $50 and the 100P offering up 3D Audio is insane and the company could have easily charged more. There are cheaper headsets about, however the features offered here, while basic are far and away the best bang for your buck you are ever going to see. While the headsets band may not be suitable for all users, this is perhaps the best starting headset you could even consider and you really should.

The Score

9.0

Review unit provided by JBL

The Pros

The sound quality delivers in almost every use case, no matter the source

The basics are on the headset and they do almost everything without any issue…

The Cons

…that being said the mute button could stand to be a little bigger

The headband is quite tight and may not be suitable for all users