How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a detachable boom mic that turns a pair of HyperX Cloud Flight headphones into a proper gaming headset with rotary volume control, choose ABLET Cable Boom Microphone; if you need a complete over-ear headset with its own 50mm drivers, inline volume and mic mute, choose Egghead Skylab.
• ABLET Cable Boom Microphone — biggest strength: it's a modular upgrade, not a whole new headset. A flexible SteelFlex arm, detachable boom mic, rotary volume control and mute switch on a 3.5mm cable.
• ABLET Cable Boom Microphone — biggest trade-off: it only works if you already own compatible 3.5mm headphones (it's built around HyperX Cloud Flight), and it needs a Y-adapter on devices with split mic/headphone jacks.
• Egghead Skylab — biggest strength: everything in one box — over-ear leatherette ear cups, two 50mm drivers, a 6.5' anti-winding braided cord, omni-directional noise-cancelling mic, inline volume and mute.
• Egghead Skylab — biggest trade-off: it's a closed, fixed headset. You can't swap the mic or the cable, so there's no modular upgrade path.
• Who each is for: ABLET is for the tinkerer who already loves their headphones; Egghead is for the buyer who wants one complete, comfortable headset out of the box.
This is a problem-solver, not a flagship. The ABLET Cable Boom Microphone is a 200cm, 3.5mm male-to-male audio cable with a detachable boom mic built into it. The SteelFlex arm lets you position the mic where you actually want it, and because the boom also carries a rotary volume dial and a mute switch, you get two of the most useful gaming controls without touching your console or PC. It uses a unidirectional polar pattern, which is the sensible choice for voice chat — it favours the sound in front of it over the noise around you.
The key point is compatibility. On the input side, ABLET says it works with devices that output 3.5mm audio: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S controllers, PC, laptop, iPhone and Android phones. On the output side, it's designed to fit HyperX Cloud Flight and other 3.5mm-jack headphones. If your headset has a detachable 3.5mm cable and you've been putting up with a dead or missing mic, this is the clean fix. There's also a dual 3.5mm Y-adapter in the box for devices that split mic and headphone into two sockets — the classic desktop-PC situation.
Who should skip it? Anyone who doesn't already own a compatible 3.5mm headphone. If you're starting from nothing, buying a cable-and-mic combo and then still needing a headphone is the long way round. It's also not the pick if you want a single sealed product with a warranty covering the whole thing — ABLET sells you one component, and it lives or dies by the headphone you plug it into. In my opinion, this is a niche tool for a specific owner, and it's excellent within that niche.
The Egghead Skylab is the opposite approach: a self-contained stereo gaming and multimedia headset. You get over-ear, passive noise-reducing ear cups with padded leatherette, plus an adjustable headband — the two things that decide whether a long session ends in comfort or a headache. The ear cups are designed to dampen ambient noise passively, which matters if you game near a TV, a fan or a busy household.
The audio side is genuinely specified rather than hand-waved: two 50mm NdFeb drivers, 32 Ohm impedance (±10% at 1kHz) and a 20Hz–20kHz frequency response. That's a full-range claim on paper, and 32 Ohm is an easy load for a controller, phone or laptop to drive — you shouldn't need an amp. The mic is omni-directional and noise-cancelling, and both volume and mic mute sit inline on the cable, so you're not diving into menus mid-match. The cord itself is a 6.5' fabric, anti-winding braided cable, which is a small thing that becomes a big thing after a few months of tangles.
Build details worth knowing: it's black, faux leather on the ear cups, wired via a 3.5mm plug, and it carries a CPSIA certification along with a 3-year limited warranty — plus 6 months specifically on the ear cushions. That cushion carve-out is honest, because ear pads are the first thing to wear out on any headset.
Who should skip it? If you already own a headphone you love and only need a mic, the Skylab replaces rather than upgrades. And if you want to swap cables, mics or pads down the line, this isn't a modular system. It's a finished product, not a project.
• You already own HyperX Cloud Flight (or another 3.5mm headphone) and need a mic → ABLET Cable Boom Microphone. It plugs in and instantly adds voice chat.
• You want one complete headset, nothing else to buy → Egghead Skylab. Drivers, cups, mic, cable and controls all included.
• Best for volume control on the fly → both, but differently. ABLET puts rotary volume and mute on the boom; Egghead puts inline volume and mic mute on the cord.
• Best for long sessions and comfort → Egghead Skylab. Over-ear padded leatherette cups plus an adjustable headband are built for it.
• Best for PC setups with separate mic/headphone jacks → ABLET Cable Boom Microphone. The included dual 3.5mm Y-adapter is exactly for that.
• Best for console controller gaming → ABLET Cable Boom Microphone on the input side, since it explicitly lists PS4, PS5 and Xbox controllers; the Skylab's 3.5mm plug is the standard controller connection too, so both work if your controller has a jack.
• Best for a wide range of devices → Egghead Skylab, thanks to its low 32 Ohm impedance and standard 3.5mm wired connection.
• Best for peace of mind → Egghead Skylab. A 3-year limited warranty is a real commitment; ABLET's listing makes no equivalent claim.
If I'm buying for myself, it comes down to what's already on my desk. If I own a HyperX Cloud Flight or any decent 3.5mm headphone and just want working voice chat with a mute switch, I'd buy the ABLET Cable Boom Microphone — it's the cheaper-feeling move in spirit, and it keeps the headphone I already like. But if I'm starting from zero, I'd buy the Egghead Skylab. Two 50mm drivers, a comfortable over-ear fit, an inline mic with mute, and a 3-year limited warranty is a complete, self-contained answer with no adapter hunting. That's my pick for most people.
It's a cable with a built-in boom microphone. You plug it into compatible 3.5mm headphones — the listing names HyperX Cloud Flight — and it adds a mic, rotary volume control and a mute switch.
It uses a standard 3.5mm wired plug, which is the connection current PlayStation and Xbox controllers accept. It connects to anything with a 3.5mm audio jack, including PC, laptop and phone.
The Egghead Skylab attacks it from two sides: passive noise-reducing leatherette ear cups for what you hear, and an omni-directional noise-cancelling mic for what others hear. The ABLET's unidirectional boom focuses on your voice in front of it, which helps reject side noise.
Possibly for the ABLET. It ships with a dual 3.5mm Y-adapter for devices that separate mic and headphone inputs, which is common on desktop PCs. The Egghead Skylab is a single 3.5mm plug.
Check the current price on Amazon for both — this page doesn't quote prices. The practical difference is that ABLET only makes sense if you already own compatible headphones; otherwise you're paying for two things instead of one.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Connect It Home Office Headphones vs 3M QUIETSPSIOC Quiet Space, SONTINH OpenAir2 vs Vvikizy Language Translator Earbuds, Holibanna 2pcs vs keephifi KZ EDZ Type-C, AKHQC Replacement Ear Pads vs jojofuny Luxury Solid Wood