At CES 2020, I covered JBL's first gaming headset. I was looking forward to seeing what unique twists this venerable audio manufacturer would bring to a crowded category. But when the JBL Quantum One and JBL Quantum 800 debuted, I walked away with a shrug: while JBL could make a competent gaming headset, it could not make one that justified its high price and complex interface. With the JBL Quantum 910, however, that may change.
As part of its CES 2022 lineup, JBL announced the Quantum 910 headset. This is a significant price drop from the $300 Quantum One, and it should be remembered that the Quantum One is also a wired headset. Still, $250 is quite expensive for a gaming headset, and JBL is trying to justify the high price of this peripheral with a number of features not available on less expensive gear.
First, there is JBL's innovative head-tracking feature, which changes the directionality of the sound as you move your head; in our review of the Quantum One, we explained how this feature sets JBL's gear apart from most competitors, but in reality, while looking directly at the monitors, you don't actually turn your head that often. I don't necessarily turn my head that often while looking directly at the monitors, so it doesn't necessarily make a huge difference.
The Quantum 910, on the other hand, also offers 50mm drivers, two wireless connections (USB and Bluetooth), a high-end microphone, Discord chat integration, leather ear cups, and software customization options. It also offers 24-hour battery life and playback and recharging capabilities that previous models struggled with. [The Quantum 910 is not the only JBL headset to be released this year; there is also the JBL Quantum 810 ($200), which drops the head-tracking features of the 910, and the JBL Quantum 610, which offers no Bluetooth options or microphone goodness.
JBL is also entering two new gaming spaces with the JBL Quantum Stream microphone ($100) and the JBL Quantum TWS earphones ($150).The Quantum Stream seems to target streamers, with easy installation and RGB functionality, while the Quantum TWS offers both USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity for a variety of systems.
JBL has put a lot of resources into the development of gaming gear, but there is still no standout product in this area. So far, the JBL gaming products reviewed by Tom's Guide have been competent, albeit usually overpriced and lacking features that come standard on competing devices. The sound quality, on the other hand, is impeccable, which is not surprising given JBL's pedigree.
For more on this year's technology announcements, stay tuned to Tom's Guide's CES 2022 live blog. We will also be reviewing future JBL products as they become available.
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