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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro earbuds provide a balanced experience with better noise isolation, longer battery life, and active noise cancellation; they excel in calls, meetings, and air travel but may be less suitable for engaging music listening compared to other options. On the other hand, JBL Quantum 100 headphones offer a superior microphone, are optimally designed for gaming with low latency, and better soundstage which can offer a more immersive experience for gaming and TV. The JBL's are wired, which could hinder portability, and they lack noise-cancelling features. Ultimately, if portability, noise isolation, and use during travel are priorities, and you don't mind spending more, go for the Outlier Pro. However, if you're looking for a budget-friendly option primarily for gaming and do not need wireless capabilities or noise cancellation, the JBL Quantum 100 would be a sensible choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Creative Labs Outlier Pro
Very good for phone calls
Very good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Quantum 100
Good for music
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
5.9/10
7.0/10
The JBL Quantum 100 is good for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is poor.
Gaming
5.3/10
8.5/10
The JBL Quantum 100 is very good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is poor.
Phone Calls
8.3/10
5.5/10
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9/10
4.5/10
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
TV and Video
5.5/10
7.1/10
The JBL Quantum 100 is good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3/10
5.3/10
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The JBL Quantum 100 does not have a battery.
Cost
$50
$20
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has a price of $50 and the JBL Quantum 100 costs $20.
Build Quality
9.0/10
6.5/10
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has excellent build quality, while the JBL Quantum 100 has only fair build quality.
"If you listen to music for extended periods such as commuting and work, and you hate having to pause to charge, give the Creative Outlier Pro wireless earbuds a try. You should be able to enjoy your tunes all day, or longer, without interruption."
"I appreciate a functional piece of tech as much as I do gear on the bleeding edge, and the JBL Quantum 100 certainly falls in the former category. The sound is reasonably good, the built-in microphone is surprisingly reliable and it has a thoughtful design for the price. It lacks the convenience of Bluetooth, sure, but sometimes it’s nice not to have to worry about the finicky nature of wireless communication and go with good old hard-wired tech."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Pro or the JBL Quantum 100
About Creative Labs
Creative Labs is a Singaporean technology company specialized in the manufacture of multimedia products. They created the world-famous Soundblaster soundcard back in 1989 which was a staple of the gaming community for a long time. Nowadays, besides still marketing their discrete audio systems, they offer a wide array of headphones, gaming headsets and speakers that still preserve that same heritage.
About JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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