Gaming with a headset is a truly magical experience. The enhanced sound and drowning out sounds around you really make a difference, but what if you don’t want to drop $500+ on a top-of-the line headset for your console? Well, JBL wants to make that easier with the $150 JBL Quantum 360 P and JBL Quantum 360 X headsets. And to be honest, for the price point, there is a lot of headset packed in here.
So why is there an X version and a P version?
The short answer is that Microsoft and Sony are annoying. The X version is compatible with Xbox consoles, and the P version is compatible with PlayStation consoles. These headsets are great and offer Bluetooth connectivity, so you can connect to your PC, your Switch, and your phone. But Xbox and PlayStation don’t allow native Bluetooth on the console, and as such, they need a dongle that is compatible with their box.
Style and comfort
One thing that stands out here is that JBL has taken the time to make their P and X versions fit the style of the consoles. The P is white with some blue in the padding, and the Xbox version is black with some green in the padding. They look fantastic and give off the vibe of official products.
When it comes to comfort, they are nice and light. The cushions are a nice memory foam that uses a faux leather type of material to cover them. I am not the biggest fan of those materials, as I am a sweaty boi, but that’s purely my thing. With the added cushioning in the middle of the headband, this headset is damn comfortable, even after wearing it for ages. Given its price, this is seriously excellent.
Performance
JBL is pretty damn good at sound. From speakers to headsets, it’s what they do, and the Quantum 360 P/X packs some damn good sound for the price. At lower to medium volume, I had absolutely no issues with it. Sure, it’s not quite as exceptional as $500 headsets, but I expected a lot worse for $150 than what I got. It all sounded great.
If I cranked the sound up loud enough that I couldn’t wear them, I could hear a bit of tinniness, but this was a test for test sakes. At any normal volume, I didn’t have any issues whatsoever.
The mic was also damn solid for the price. I have used $200+ headsets that didn’t sound this good for the player at the other end. The mic is detachable, so you can completely remove it for general gaming and pop it back in when you need to play. As a bearded man, one issue I have is my beard brushing against mics. The JBL Quantum 360 P/X comes with a little bit of foam you can pop over the mic, which reduces this massively.
Battery life is also exceptional. The box says it is 22 hours via the dongle, and since gaming for 22 hours straight isn’t feasible for a dad, I just tested cumulative game time, and I was consistently getting over a week from it. It also claims you can get an hour’s charge from five minutes, and seriously, the thing charged so damn quick. Needless to say, JBL’s claims are pretty spot on.
Should you get one?
If you have an Xbox or a PS5, then the JBL Quantum 360 P/X offers an exceptional headset for $150. It has its minor drawbacks, like not having a 3.5mm jack to make them compatible with both consoles, but again, look at that price. In the $150 price range, I’ll be surprised if you can beat it because I can’t see anything better.
If you are after a headset for your console in this price range I don't think you'll find better.
