The JBL has headphones for all types of ear and pocket. Now they are targeting Chinese models, which have gained more and more consumer attention. To compete with Xiaomi, Realme, Edifier and QCY, they presented the JBL Wave 100 TWS, popular model that arrived in the country costing about R $ 300. The brand not only wants to conquer by sound and also tries to draw attention by the unusual look.
The Wave 100 TWS is a headset that promises to deliver deep bass, ergonomically fit design, and only five hours of playback or 20 hours with the case. Can it attract those xiaomi consumers and company? I spent a few days with the JBL Wave 100 TWS and share all the details in this review.
Ethics Notice
Tecnoblog is an independent journalistic vehicle that has helped people make their next purchasing decision since 2005. Our analyses are not intended to be advertising, so they highlight the positive and negative points of each product. No company has paid, reviewed or had early access to this content.
The JBL Wave 100 TWS was provided by JBL by donation and will not be returned to the company. For more information, visit tecnoblog.net/etica.
I start with the design of the case that has no cover — it was designed anyway. JBL justifies this by saying that the product was developed for everyday use, for people who are always on the move. Therefore, removal would promote more practicality. The headphones, however, are exposed all the time and there is a magnetic solution that leaves the gadgets firmly inside the case. Indeed, the magnets present here can inhibit the fall and give a sense of security.
I confess that I found the strategy somewhat curious and even unnecessary. After all, you do not waste so much time opening the lid and, in addition, in a sudden fall, the top can protect the headphones from possible damage. If it’s the best solution? Only time and consumers will be able to tell, but I found this strange. This case does not bring any pairing buttons and there is only one internal LED and USB-C connection to power.
The headphones are of the intra-auricular type and are well trapped in the ear canal, promoting passive noise cancellation. In terms of construction, they are simple with a plastic finish. Like many Chinese models, the Wave 100 TWS is small, lightweight, comfortable and discreet in the ear. JBL has already earned points with me for delivering these features that I value a lot in a fully wireless headset.
However, it seems that the company did not care much for protection and resistance. In addition to the opening in the case, this model only has IPX2 rating, while many competitors offer at least IPX4. Will he take spatter of water and sweat? Absolutely. But heavy rain can damage the product.
Features and connectivity
Songs playing can be controlled directly by TWS. However, it is not touch sensitive and there are physical buttons in the device structure. It is not the most comfortable method, considering that the person needs to put pressure, but around here works without a setback. One tap on either side pauses or plays the song; two taps jump to the next track; three taps, go back. It is also feasible to trigger the virtual assistant of the connected device when tightening and holding.
Because the product is not compatible with the official brand app, you can’t change these commands, but this isn’t negative taking into account your category. I just missed the option to control the volume of the music directly through the headphones. In fact, I very much hope that companies will offer this command in the entry wearables that will arrive in 2022.
The Wave 100 TWS has Bluetooth 5.0. It may choke at some point when the phone is distant, but does not lose the connection easily. I tested it on some devices here on Tecnoblog and the performance was satisfactory. The latency for videos and games is low and you will be able to use it without limitations during these actions mentioned.
The headphones are evolving very fast in sound quality
