Most Bluetooth headsets suffer from the lack of call clarity offered, or the fact that they are plainly uncomfortable to wear. However, Plantronics M100 does offer a huge improvement on both fronts. The call clarity on offer (for both parties involved) is extremely good. And even if you wear this one for an hour or more, the ear still doesn�t start paining. The price of Rs 4,199 is a bit steep though.
First Impression: Simple elegance
The Plantronics M100 looks superb whichever way you look at it. The slightly metallic finish to the dark gray and blue colour combination just oozes class, but in an understated way, which is the only way class should err ooze. The call connect/disconnect button is nicely masqueraded within the contours, only highlighted by the blue coloured borders. The indicator is on the inner side of the headset, and doesn’t flash on the outside. The earloop can be twisted and turned in many directions, making it flexible and comfortable. The eartips are the patented “gel” ones, which fit well inside the ear. My ears are very susceptible to any uncomfortable in-ear headset designs, to the extent that even remotely uncomfortable ones are immediately flagged. However, even after extremely long calls, the M100 did not feel uncomfortable at all.
Features: Size doesn’t matter!
While the M100 looks extremely classy, it is partly because of the very sleek form factor. This one is available in multiple colour combinations- Charcoal Gray, Electric Blue, Glow Green, Sparkle Pink and Radiant Red. The gel based ear tips, which come in three sizes as a part of the package, are extremely comfortable. The slightly soft nature of these ear tips make them hurt the ear lesser, and are a lot more comfortable than the traditional plastic ones.
Performance: Pin drop silence
[RELATED_ARTICLE]The M100 Bluetooth headset is extremely easy to use. What the M100 has is the traditional on/off button combo on the device, which takes away all need of learning confusing “press of x seconds to switch on and press for y seconds to switch off” commands. Switch it on, switch on Bluetooth on the phone, and discover the headset to pair. It takes a couple of seconds for the pairing process to complete.
Move beyond the simple pairing process, and the M100 really impressed us with its overall brilliant package. The voice commands are just brilliant. Every time you switch on the headset, the voice command will tell you the battery level left in terms of hours/minutes of talktime left. This is an extremely neat feature. In case the connection with the phone drops for any reason, the voice command will let you know immediately.
The audio clarity on offer is extremely brilliant. Both parties on the call had no problems with any ambient noise disturbing the conversation. Loudness was also not an issue, with adequate level of loudness available even at 70% setting (this is controlled by the phone’s loudness control). The only issue was that the other party at times complained of the disturbance due to the wind blowing where I was located. The M100 could have done with more improved wind noise reduction capabilities.
The battery backup on offer is tremendous. We got between 5 hours and 6 hours of talktime, depending on the volume levels. This is extremely good, ensuring that you won’t be clamoring to charge the M100 more than once a day.
Our Take: Sleek and smart
The Plantronics M100 is one of the better Bluetooth headsets available out there. The performance on offer is fantastic. The ease of use is literally unmatched. And the battery life is excellent. The only thing which may turn you off is the price, which is a steep Rs 4,199. However, don’t let the other cheaper (and even more expensive ones) Bluetooth headsets fill your head otherwise! Have money? Buy this!
Specifications:
Bluetooth headset; QuickPair; Multi-point for connecting to 2 phones simultaneously; 30 feet transmit range; Dynamic DSP for wind noise reduction; weight: 9 grams; Talktime: 6 hours
Ratings:
Features: 7
Performance: 8
Build: 7.5
Value: 6.5
Overall: 7
Contact: Plantronics India
Phone: 01244545700 / 18001021064
Website: www.plantronics.com/in
Email- N.A
Price- Rs 4,199