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More and more phone manufacturerson the market are switching to USB-C ports as a one-size-fits-all connection for power, file transfer, and audio connection. As such, the headphones market has followed suit and started releasing more models that come with USB-C cables. Some USB-Cheadphones are wired-only, while others offer the flexibility of being used wirelessly.
We've tested over 770 pairs of headphones, and below are our recommendations for the best USB-C earphones and headphones. For more picks, check out our recommendations for the best headphones, the best Bluetooth headphones, and the best true wireless earbuds.
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Best USB-C Headphones
26
Neutral Sound
7.0
Commute/Travel
7.7
Sports/Fitness
7.4
Office
7.7
Wireless Gaming
5.8
Wired Gaming
6.9
Phone Calls
7.2
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling Yes
Mic Yes
See all our test results
The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Wireless are the best USB-C headphones we've tested. These premium headphones are designed to work via Bluetooth, USB, or analog, so they're very versatile. They have a sturdy, premium design and a comfortable fit that's ideal for longer listening sessions, with extra features like active noise canceling and multi-device pairing to improve their performance. The ANC feature does a very good job of blocking background noises, so these headphones are a solid pick for listening while on the go.
These headphones have a bass-heavy sound profile out of the box. The extra thump, punch, and boom can help make mixes with a prominent bassline feel more lively, but it also slightly muddies vocals and instruments in your mix. While it's not the most robust equalizer out there, the Bowers & Wilkins Music app offers bass and treble sliders to give you some control over their sound. Unfortunately, you'll only be able to receive audio via wired USB as this connection doesn't support mic input.
See our review
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Best Mid-Range USB-C Headphones
21
Neutral Sound
7.0
Commute/Travel
7.6
Sports/Fitness
7.4
Office
7.5
Wireless Gaming
5.9
Wired Gaming
7.0
Phone Calls
7.2
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling Yes
Mic Yes
See all our test results
Check out the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless for premium headphones at a lower price point. Like their more premium cousin, they're designed to work via Bluetooth, USB, and analog. They have a snug, comfy fit around your ears, but the headband puts pressure on the side of your head, negatively affecting comfort over long listening sessions. Their ANC also works well, isolating you from mid and high-range background noise, like office chatter and PC fans. However, they don't do quite as well isolating you from low-frequency noises compared to the. However, like the Px8, they only support audio via wired USB.
Out of the box, these headphones have an excited, V-shaped sound profile that delivers extra bright treble and thumpy bass. While this makes them well-suited for genres like pop and hip-hop, the mix ends up sounding a bit muddy and piercing. Fortunately, their companion app lets you change their sound to your preferences via a graphic EQ and presets. They're a good choice if you're looking for more wallet-friendly USB-C headphones.
See our review
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Best Sounding USB-C Headphones
Focal Bathys Wireless 15
Neutral Sound
7.8
Commute/Travel
7.6
Sports/Fitness
7.1
Office
7.5
Wired Gaming
7.0
Phone Calls
7.0
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling Yes
Mic Yes
See all our test results
If sound quality is your thing, the Focal Bathys Wireless are the best-sounding USB-C headphones we've tested. These Bluetooth headphones are designed for audiophiles on the go and have several connection options, including a USB-C to USB-C cable for newer devices. While they have perceptible latency via wired USB since they're performing analog-to-digital conversion, it's not much of an issue if you're only listening to audio. Thanks to their DAC, the USB connection also allows you to benefit from higher audio quality than via Bluetooth.
They have French-made aluminum-magnesium dynamic drivers, which deliver a rich sound profile with a well-balanced bass range and clear vocals and instruments. You can fine-tune their sound using their companion app if you want a different sound. However, this high-quality design makes them significantly more expensive than the. They're also bulky and have a high weight and clamping force that can cause fatigue after long listening periods, especially if you wear glasses.
Fortunately, they have good noise cancellation performance. While they can't eliminate all the noise from a rumbly bus engine, they'll keep you isolated from nearby chit-chat and whiny AC units. They also last nearly 30 hours on a single charge, meaning they'll get you through a few long work days without recharging if you use them wirelessly.
See our review
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Best Type-C Headphones For Phone Calls
Audeze Maxwell Wireless 118
Neutral Sound
7.9
Commute/Travel
7.0
Sports/Fitness
6.8
Office
7.3
Wireless Gaming
7.8
Wired Gaming
7.7
Phone Calls
7.9
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Planar Magnetic
Noise Cancelling No
Mic Yes
See all our test results
The best call-centric USB-C headphones are the Audeze Maxwell Wireless. Even though they're gaming headphones, they have a fairly non-descript look, and their USB-C connection offers full mic and audio compatibility. What also sets them apart from other picks on this list is that they come with a detachable boom mic and an integrated mic, which is handy if you want them to look even more casual. Both mics make your voice sound very clear and natural. The boom mic also has fantastic noise handling, ensuring you're audible throughout the call, no matter where you are.
These headphones deliver an extremely neutral sound profile. Whether listening to others on a conference call or enjoying music in your downtime, their sound is accurate and well-balanced from bass to treble. You can also fine-tune them using their companion app's EQ presets. Keep in mind that they lack ANC. While they do a solid job of reducing ambient chatter, some noise, like heavy traffic from an open window, can make your voice sound less clear on the other end of your call. Additionally, these headphones are hard to find in stock, which can be a deal-breaker if you don't want to wait for restocks.
See our review
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Best USB-C Earbuds
Samsung AKG Type-C 1
Neutral Sound
7.3
Commute/Travel
5.7
Sports/Fitness
6.5
Office
6.4
Wireless Gaming
5.3
Wired Gaming
7.2
Phone Calls
6.5
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling No
Mic Yes
See all our test results
The Samsung AKG Type-C are our top pick among USB-C earbuds. They're a great, affordable option for those who need USB-C compatibility, and you can often find them for under $20. While they're simple in design, these buds don't require a 3.5mm to USB-C adaptor, as is the case with similarly-priced alternatives. This results in a lower latency performance that's well-suited to watching movies or playing mobile games. They're also comfortable enough to wear during long workdays and portable enough to bring with you on the go.
They have a well-balanced default sound profile, with a lively bass response and smooth mid and treble response that'll suit a diverse range of genres. However, they don't have any customization features to help you adjust their sound to your liking. That said, they do a sub-par job of isolating you from external noise, meaning you'll easily be distracted by the rumble of bus engines or neighboring conversations. Their relatively straightforward control scheme also doesn't let you perform rudimentary functions, like skipping tracks forward or backward.
See our review
Recent Updates
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Feb 28, 2024: The Logitech G333 have been discontinued, so we've replaced them with the Samsung AKG Type-C as our 'Best USB-C Earbuds' pick. We've checked all our other picks to ensure they're still relevant and in-stock.
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Jan 04, 2024: We've checked our picks for accuracy and product availability. However, our recommendations have remained the same.
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Nov 02, 2023: We've changed this article's text to ensure consistency with our Test Bench 1.6 results, which changed how we measure latency. Our picks have remained the same, though. For more information on this test bench, please see our changelog.
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Sep 05, 2023: Added the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Wireless as the top pick. The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless move to the 'Best Mid-Range' pick. Removed the Sennheiser Momentum 3 as 'Best Noise Cancelling' since the Px8's noise isolation performance is roughly similar. Added the Sennheiser Momentum 3 and the Beats Solo Pro Wireless as Notable Mentions.
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Jul 11, 2023: Added the Focal Bathys Wireless as our pick for the 'Best-Sounding USB-C Headphones' and the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless as our pick for the 'Best Noise Cancelling USB-C Headphones'.
All Reviews
Our recommendations aboveare what we think are currently the best headphones with a USB-C connectionfor most people in each price range. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you want to check out our reviews yourself, here is the list of all our reviews of USB-C headphones. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no headphones are perfect, most are greatenough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not too noticeable unless you look for them.
