JBL has unveiled a new pair of true wireless earbuds, and they're absolutely packed with cool features. The JBL Quantum TWS feature surround sound, active noise cancellation, long battery life, super-clear microphones, and even an optional USB-C dongle so they can connect to non-Bluetooth devices…
Lots of the best true wireless earbuds are focused on 3D audio and noise cancellation these days, so it's no surprise to see JBL including them here – JBL says the focus is on having full surround sound when gaming, and blocking noise to keep you in the zone, but they're features anyone can take advantage of. I hope they'll work great for immersive movies while travelling too…
There are six microphones for picking up your voice clearly – which should be just as good for team comms in a game as for calls or video chats – and the eight-hour battery life in the buds (plus 16 hours from the case) is strong.
One of the most interesting features is that USB-C dongle feature. This is really uncommon among true wireless earbuds – with the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 being a major exception – and can be massively useful, since it means you can use these buds with a PS5, for example, or you can just plug the dongle into a computer or tablet you haven't paired with and instantly have use of your earbuds, which can be really useful at work.
And they have a second trick here: they can actually connect to the dongle and to a Bluetooth device at the same time, playing audio from both together. This means they're a great option for playing online on the Nintendo Switch, because you could hear the game audio from the dongle, and then use your phone for voice chat with teammates. Or you could just listen to music or podcasts at the same time as playing.
You'll also be able to customise their sound using the JBL QuantumENGINE PC software or JBL Headphones app.
With a price of £129/$149, they're really competitive on cost too – especially considering the features. Take a look at our JBL discount codes to see if you can get an even lower price. As long as they stand up in the sound department, they're one of my most anticipated headphones of the year. Here's hoping they stand up in the full review.
