Although black and white is a classuc choice, in your case I prefer the white top.

If you like black, have you considered granite? Black granite is bullet proof. Much better than quartz and probably cheaper.

Since its in a basement, I’d prefer white

I prefer white. But I agree with Nancy K - if you are going with black, might as well use granite instead of quartz. I have quartz now and while it is easy to clean, I don't like being careful of putting hot stuff on the surface.

the real question is what are you doing for a back splash? Is there any natural light?

What will it look like at night?

If you have set your mind on something, which counter top color will it look best with?

Are you looking for a den atmosphere? or is the rest of the space light?