Hm. Judging from the comparison of Novice Hall gear vs caster class quest gear, yeah, it might be that you're comparing the head+chest cowl with the Brand New Robe.

At low levels, it really won't matter too much what gear you're using, as long as it's class-appropriate, and at least somewhat near level-appropriate. The differences you'll see will be incredibly minute, and completely washed out by all the buffs/nerfs old content has gotten.

The Brand New Robe is usually the best you'll get at those levels, but you would also need to want to pair it with a good head piece.