Headsets and good audio quality don't tend to go hand-in-hand. In the world of gaming, you usually have to take a loss somewhere, whether it's the mode of connectivity, the microphone quality, or the sound. JBL, however, offers a headset that claims to be a jack of all trades, and even a master of some. Boating a 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth, and 2.4 dongle connections, 7.1 surround sound, and some serious 50mm drivers, the JBL Quantum 810 headset comes out of the gate swinging. 

For reference, this isn't unheard of; Corsair, HyperX, and Logitech all offer similar headsets, at least on paper. They're all in the $200 range, though, putting them on the higher end of the headset market. The Quantum 810s are no different, coming in at $199.99, but having tried out all four, I believe JBL's offering is the best of the bunch. 

Being able to switch between Bluetooth, 2.4gHz wireless via dongle, and 3.5mm cable gives you the best of all worlds, allowing you to use the headset for just about every platform imaginable. You do lose a few features when you use the 810s on anything that isn't a Windows PC, namely the 3D audio/surround sound, and you can't use wireless with consoles. Even so, it's nice not to juggle headsets for various occasions. 

One of the standout features of the JBL headset is the active noise-canceling function. They're closed-back headphones, which means you're already shutting out a decent part of the outside world when you put them on, but the Quantum 810's ANC boosts the audio quality, and makes every detail a bit crisper. It's especially great for those who might have a lot of background noise in their house that they want to filter out. 

The earcups are positively huge, giving you an almost comical look when wearing them. They're absolutely plushy and luxurious, though, and rank as top tier comfortable headphones. The headband is surprisingly thin, but still sits nicely atop my head, without putting too much pressure. It's a delight to wear, and I say this as someone who hates the feeling of wearing bulky headsets. The weight is distributed quite well, and the deep earcups seal out noise without even being turned on. 

It wouldn't be a gamer product if there weren't some RGBs somewhere, and the Quantum 810s are undeniably gamer-y, with a big ring around the earcups lit up by RGBs, as well as the JBL logo on each side. I'm a little mixed on the idea of an RGB headset--mostly because you don't get to enjoy the RGBs yourself, and they only matter if you're, say, streaming with a webcam on. Worse yet, having the RGBs on totally tanks the battery life, which normally gets 40 hours with them off, but an alarmingly short 7 hours with them on (both numbers include the ANC being on, which also takes a toll on the battery). 

With big 50mm drivers powering the audio quality, these headphones have some seriously good audio quality. I would go so far as to say they're the best sounding non-audiophile headphones I've tried, and trust me, I've run through a lot of headphones. You get a frequency response of 20Hz-40Hz, assuming you've got the ANC on, which is wonderful. Regardless of platform, the output quality will be great. PC does get a bit of an edge, thanks to the 7.1 surround sound feature, making the Quantum 810s more of a PC-centric headset. For whatever reason, you don't get the spatial audio on either Xbox or PlayStation, which is a shame. As it's a gaming headset, you'll also get incredible bass that you might not be used to, if you're coming from open back headphones, all without sounding overtuned like other headsets tend to. 

There's only one glaring downside with the 810s, and that's the microphone. Wired, it sounds fine; you could even describe it as "good for a headset". Once you take things wireless, that's when it all falls apart. The mic works, sure, but it's noticeably lower quality, and while nothing cuts out, there's a crunchy quality to it that wouldn't be pleasing to listen to. For gaming chats, it'll do, but if you want a microphone for chatting on Discord to friends on a regular basis, you'd have to go wired. 

If you need a mixed-use headset that can handle a Steam Deck, phone, Xbox, and computer, the JBL Quantum 810 headset is the cream of the crop. If you're willing to be a little spendy and invest in a good headset, and don't mind losing out on a handful of features when you're not on PC, they'll do the job and then some.