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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
These two products only look like competitors because both have "headphone" in the name. One is a listening device. The other is a spare internal part. If your MacBook Air's 3.5 mm jack is dead, snapped, or scratchy, the APETOO earbuds won't fix it — and if you just want audio, the HAWSON board is useless to you. Work out which problem you actually have, and the decision makes itself.
• APETOO USB C Headphones biggest strength: a digital USB-C connection with a built-in DAC chip and 20 Hz–20,000 Hz dynamic drivers — plug-and-play audio for USB-C MacBooks, phones, and tablets, with volume controls and a mic on the cable.
• APETOO USB C Headphones biggest trade-off: it's wired, so you're tethered to the device, and on a Mac you may need to switch the sound output to "USB" in System Settings before you hear anything.
• HAWSON A2179 biggest strength: it's a direct-fit replacement audio board and flex cable for one exact machine — the MacBook Air Retina 13" A2179 from 2020 — so it restores the factory headphone jack rather than adding a dongle.
• HAWSON A2179 biggest trade-off: it's not a consumer gadget at all. It only works in that one model year, and installing it requires disassembling the laptop.
• Who APETOO is for: anyone who wants to listen on a USB-C MacBook, phone, or tablet today.
• Who HAWSON is for: a confident DIY repairer with an A2179 MacBook Air 2020 and a broken headphone jack.
The APETOO set is a wired in-ear headphone that ends in a USB-C plug instead of the old round 3.5 mm jack. That single design choice is the whole point. Inside the connector, APETOO uses a digital DAC chip, which means the earbuds take a digital signal straight from the device rather than relying on the laptop's own analog output. In practice, that's how these work across a wide spread of hardware: iPhone 15 and later, iPad, Samsung Galaxy phones, Google Pixel, and — importantly for this comparison — MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
For a MacBook user, the daily workflow is simple: plug the buds into the USB-C port, then go to System Settings → Sound → Output and pick "USB" if macOS doesn't switch automatically. That one extra step trips people up, and APETOO actually calls it out in its own documentation. Once it's set, you've got a wired headset that works for calls, video meetings, podcasts, music, and studying without any pairing or charging.
Who should buy it? Anyone whose laptop, phone, or tablet has a USB-C port and who wants zero-latency wired audio with a mic. Who should skip it? People who need true active noise cancellation, wireless freedom, or a 3.5 mm plug for older gear. And obviously, skip it if your actual problem is a broken internal jack — earbuds can't repair a port.
HAWSON A2179: Who It's For
The HAWSON A2179 is a completely different animal. It's an internal audio board with an attached flex cable — the little module that houses the headphone jack inside a MacBook Air. HAWSON states it's compatible with one specific machine: the MacBook Air Retina 13" A2179, 2020 model year. Not the M1 Air, not the 2018 or 2019 chassis, not a MacBook Pro. The A2179 identifier in the name is the model number you need to match.
The listing is refreshingly honest about what it is. HAWSON notes the board is tested before shipping and working, but also warns plainly that this is not an easy job for anyone without technical skill in disassembling and assembling laptops, and says to buy it only if you know how to install it. That's not modesty — replacing an audio board means opening the machine, disconnecting the battery, unseating the old board, routing the flex cable, and reassembling without damaging anything else. It's a job for someone who has done board-level repairs before, or who is paying a technician who has.
Who should buy it? The owner of an A2179 MacBook Air 2020 whose headphone jack has failed — dead audio, a jack that's loose, or physical damage — and who is comfortable doing the repair themselves or handing the part to a repair shop. Who should skip it? Everyone else. If you own any other Mac, if you're not sure of your model year, or if you'd rather not open your laptop, this part is the wrong purchase. HAWSON even tells you to double-check your computer's year against the description before ordering, and that advice is worth following literally.
• Best for simply listening on a USB-C MacBook → APETOO USB C Headphones. Plug in, select "USB" as the output, done.
• Best for restoring a dead 3.5 mm jack on a 2020 MacBook Air → HAWSON A2179. It's the correct internal part for that exact model.
• Best for calls and video meetings → APETOO USB C Headphones. The inline mic and button remote handle voice and volume without touching the laptop.
• Best for noise control → APETOO USB C Headphones. The silicone tips provide passive sound isolation; there's no equivalent benefit from a replacement jack board.
• Best for portability → APETOO USB C Headphones. It weighs about 20 grams and ships with a mini storage case and spare tips.
• Best for a DIY repair project → HAWSON A2179. But only if you're genuinely comfortable disassembling a laptop.
• Best if you want zero installation risk → APETOO USB C Headphones. Nothing to open, nothing to wire.
• Best if you're unsure which Mac you own → neither, until you check. Confirm your model year first; the HAWSON part fits only the A2179, and the APETOO buds need a USB-C port to work at all.
In my opinion, the vast majority of people searching this comparison want the APETOO USB C Headphones. It solves a real, everyday problem — wired audio on a USB-C MacBook, phone, or tablet — with a mic, volume controls, spare tips, and a case, and it needs no technical skill to use. I'd only point you to the HAWSON A2179 if you specifically own a 2020 MacBook Air Retina 13" (A2179) with a broken headphone jack and you're ready to open the machine or pay someone who is. Two different jobs, two different answers. Match the product to your actual problem and you won't waste the purchase.
how to use headphones for macbook
Plug the headphones into a USB-C port, then open System Settings → Sound → Output and select "USB" as the output device. APETOO documents this exact step, because macOS doesn't always switch automatically. After that, the inline volume buttons and mic work as normal.
how to connect headphones macbook air
On a USB-C MacBook Air, connection is physical, not wireless — insert the USB-C plug and confirm the "USB" output in Sound settings. There's no pairing, charging, or Bluetooth step. Just remember the HAWSON A2179 is a replacement jack board, not a headphone, so it isn't part of this process.
how to connect headphones macbook pro
Same approach: plug into a USB-C port on the MacBook Pro and set the sound output to "USB" if it doesn't switch on its own. APETOO lists MacBook Air and MacBook Pro among its compatible USB-C devices, so the procedure is identical across both lines.
No — and that's the key thing to understand. The APETOO earbuds are a listening device for USB-C phones, tablets, and MacBooks. The HAWSON A2179 is an internal audio board and flex cable that fits only the 2020 MacBook Air Retina 13" A2179. Buy the one that matches your problem, and check the current price on Amazon for whichever you pick.
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