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If you want a simple set of wired earbuds you can plug straight into a MacBook's headphone jack for calls, music and schoolwork, choose AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones; if you need a USB-C audio cable to run a SteelSeries Arctis gaming headset into a MacBook or any other Type-C device, choose Arzweyk Replacement USB C. These two items are not really rivals — one is a complete pair of earbuds, the other is a single replacement cord — so the "right" answer comes down to one question: are you missing sound, or just missing a cable?
• AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones — biggest strength: a complete, ready-to-use in-ear headset with a 3.5mm plug, an in-line remote and a built-in HD microphone, so you get audio and call control in one piece of hardware.
• AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones — biggest trade-off: it is wired and 3.5mm only, and newer MacBooks (and most recent iPhones) have dropped the headphone jack, so you may need an adapter to use it there.
• Arzweyk Replacement USB C — biggest strength: it connects USB-C devices — including MacBooks — to SteelSeries Arctis Prime, Pro, 7, 5 and 3 headsets, with an oxygen-free copper core, braided shielding and a 5 ft reach.
• Arzweyk Replacement USB C — biggest trade-off: it is a cable, not a headset. If you don't already own a compatible Arctis headset, it does nothing for you.
• Who each pick is for: pick the AIAUXAI earbuds if you need sound right now on a laptop, Chromebook, ThinkPad, Kindle Fire tablet, Switch or Samsung phone; pick the Arzweyk cable if you own an Arctis headset and want to use it on a MacBook or other USB-C device.
The AIAUXAI earbuds are a straightforward, self-contained listening tool. They use a 35-degree in-ear design with silicone tips, and the joint where the buds meet the cable is reinforced — a small detail, but it's the spot where cheap earbuds usually fail first. Inside each side sits a 14.2mm dynamic driver, with a 32-ohm impedance, a 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency range and 105 dB sensitivity. In plain English, that's a normal, easy-to-drive set of earphones that a laptop, phone or handheld console can power without any help. The cable runs 3.93 ft (1.2 m), which is about right for desk work or a pocket.
The part I like most for MacBook-style use is the in-line remote. There's a button cluster and a built-in HD microphone on the cord, so you can play and pause, skip tracks, and answer or end calls without touching the computer. For anyone on back-to-back video meetings, that is genuinely useful — you can mute yourself or hang up with a thumb press rather than hunting for the right window. The box also includes a carrying box and two pairs of eartips, so you get a spare set and a place to keep them.
Who should buy it? Students, commuters and anyone using a 3.5mm port on a Chromebook, ThinkPad, Kindle Fire tablet, Switch, PC or a Samsung A-series phone. It's also a sensible pick for kids over seven, since it's light and simple with no pairing to manage. Who should skip it? If your laptop only has USB-C and no headphone jack, you'll need a 3.5mm adapter, and if you want wireless freedom or active noise cancellation, this isn't that — the "noise cancelling" here refers to sound isolation from the silicone seal, not electronic ANC.
The Arzweyk cable solves a very specific, very annoying problem: your Arctis headset's original cord died, or you want to plug that headset into something with a USB-C port. It's built for SteelSeries Arctis Prime, Pro, 7, 5 and 3 gaming headsets, and it connects through USB-C to iPhone 17/16/15 series, Samsung Galaxy S25 down to S20, Google Pixel 9/8/7, iPad 10th/Pro/Air/Mini, laptops and MacBooks. That last point is the one that matters here — this is the cable that lets a desktop-style Arctis headset live on a MacBook.
The build is the selling point. The core is high-purity oxygen-free copper with a braided shielding layer to cut signal interference and loss, and the outer shell is high-density nylon that resists tangling and scratching. Arzweyk rates it for over 20,000 bending cycles, which speaks to daily plugging and unplugging rather than a fragile one-off. Length is 1.5 m / 5 ft — noticeably longer than the AIAUXAI cord — so you can lean back, pace around or reach across a desk without yanking the plug out. It's a male-to-male 24-pin AUX-style connector, and if your headset has RGB, the USB-C port can also carry power for the lighting.
Who should buy it? Arctis owners, first and foremost. Also anyone who wants one cable that moves between a gaming headset, a MacBook and a modern phone. Who should skip it? Anyone who doesn't own a compatible Arctis headset — this is a replacement part, not a universal headset cable, and it won't magically turn a random pair of headphones into a USB-C set.
• Best for plug-and-play sound on a MacBook with a headphone jack → AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones. No setup, no pairing, just plug in.
• Best for using an existing SteelSeries Arctis headset on a MacBook → Arzweyk Replacement USB C. That's exactly what it's designed to do.
• Best for calls and meetings → AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones. The in-line controller and HD mic handle answer/end and play/pause directly on the cord.
• Best for cable length and desk freedom → Arzweyk Replacement USB C. 5 ft versus 3.93 ft makes a real difference when you're moving around.
• Best for durability under repeated bending → Arzweyk Replacement USB C. Nylon weave and a 20,000-bend rating target everyday wear.
• Best for travel and portability → AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones. They weigh 0.02 kg and ship with a carrying box and spare eartips.
• Best for modern USB-C-only devices → Arzweyk Replacement USB C. It's built for Type-C ports on MacBooks, iPads and recent phones.
• Best audio-driver spec on paper → AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones, with its 14.2mm dynamic drivers, 20 Hz–20 kHz range and 105 dB sensitivity.
In my opinion, most people searching this comparison want sound, not a spare cord — so I'd buy the AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones. They're complete, they work on the 3.5mm jack found on Chromebooks, ThinkPads, older MacBooks, tablets and handhelds, and the in-line mic and remote make them genuinely useful for calls. I'd only go with the Arzweyk Replacement USB C if you already own a compatible SteelSeries Arctis headset and need to run it into a USB-C MacBook or phone. Buy the cable for the headset you have; buy the earbuds for the headset you don't.
how to connect headphones macbook
On a MacBook with a 3.5mm jack, plug the AIAUXAI earbuds straight into the headphone port and the Mac switches audio automatically. On USB-C-only MacBooks, that jack isn't there, so you'd need a 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter for the earbuds — or, if you own a SteelSeries Arctis headset, use the Arzweyk Replacement USB C cable directly into the USB-C port. No pairing is needed either way, since both are wired.
how to connect headphones macbook air
The MacBook Air follows the same rule as the MacBook: if it has a headphone jack, the AIAUXAI earbuds plug in and just work. If it's a USB-C-only Air, the Arzweyk cable is the cleaner path for a compatible Arctis headset, because it goes USB-C to USB-C without an adapter in between. For the earbuds on a USB-C-only Air, add a 3.5mm adapter.
how to use headphones macbook pro
Plug the AIAUXAI earbuds into the 3.5mm port and use the in-line remote for play/pause, track skipping and answering calls. If you'd rather use a SteelSeries Arctis headset on a USB-C MacBook Pro, swap in the Arzweyk Replacement USB C cable, which also carries power for RGB lighting on headsets that support it. Both options are wired, so there's nothing to charge or pair.
No. The AIAUXAI Earbuds Headphones are a complete pair of wired 3.5mm earphones with a microphone, while the Arzweyk Replacement USB C is only a USB-C audio cable for compatible SteelSeries Arctis headsets. One gives you sound; the other connects a headset you already own.
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