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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-18 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3WH — biggest strength: open-back 45 mm drivers that create a wide, precise soundstage, plus a sub-220 g build that basically disappears on your head.
• Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3WH — biggest trade-off: it's wired only, there's no active noise cancelling, and open-back earcups leak sound both ways, so it's a poor fit for noisy rooms or shared spaces.
• CINPUSEN CG-01 — biggest strength: four ways to connect (2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-A adapter or 3.5 mm cable) with an 80-hour battery and a retractable noise-cancelling mic.
• CINPUSEN CG-01 — biggest trade-off: closed-back oval earcups and a plastic-heavy build mean it prioritizes features and battery over the airy, detail-first signature of a dedicated open-back pair.
• Pick the ATH-GDL3WH if you play at a desk, want to hear footsteps from every direction, and don't mind a cable.
• Pick the CINPUSEN CG-01 if you want one headset for Switch, console, PC and phone, and you hate charging things.
The ATH-GDL3WH is built around one idea: give you as much spatial information as possible. Those 45 mm dynamic drivers run from 10 Hz up to 35,000 Hz at 45 ohms, and the open-back aluminum enclosure lets sound escape instead of bouncing around inside the cup. The practical result — as Audio-Technica describes it — is that you can localize an approaching opponent inside a wide sound field. In an open-back design, that sense of space usually comes with a lighter, more natural feel than the sealed echo you get from closed cups.
The second thing you notice in the spec sheet is the weight: under 220 grams. That is genuinely light for an over-ear gaming headset, and combined with replaceable earpads and a detachable headpad, it's designed to stay comfortable across long sessions rather than just the first hour. The mic is equally considered — a flexible, detachable boom with highly directional pickup and a windscreen, which is exactly the kind of design that keeps your voice clear while rejecting keyboard clatter. Volume and mute live on the left earcup, so you're not alt-tabbing to fix audio mid-fight. You also get two cables: a 3.0 m one with separate 3.5 mm mic and headphone plugs for PCs, and a 1.2 m TRRS cable for consoles.
Buy it if you game at a desk on a PC (or a console with a standard 3.5 mm jack), you value hearing exactly where a sound came from, and you want something light enough to forget you're wearing it. Skip it if you play in a loud room, need isolation from background noise, want a wireless setup, or game mostly on a Nintendo Switch where cable routing is awkward. Open-back also means your audio leaks outward — great for awareness, bad for a shared bedroom late at night.
The CG-01 is the opposite philosophy: one headset, every device, no wires if you don't want them. CINPUSEN tailored it for the Nintendo Switch, and the red-and-blue colorway is clearly meant to sit next to the console. You get a Type-C transmitter and a USB-A adapter in the box, plus 2.4 GHz wireless for low-latency play — the sheet claims latency as low as 20 ms and a 15-meter wireless range, which is the kind of headroom that matters if you like to stand up, pace, or play across a big room. Bluetooth 5.4 covers phones, tablets and laptops, and a 3.5 mm cable covers anything else with a headphone jack.
The battery is the headline number: up to 80 hours of playtime, with an 8-hour charge time. Even accounting for real-world variation, that's a headset you charge once and forget about for days. The 40 mm dynamic drivers sit behind closed, oval over-ear cups, so you get isolation rather than an open soundstage. CINPUSEN also leans hard into comfort for mixed-age households — memory foam pads wrapped in breathable fabric, an adjustable headband, and a 235 g weight that's designed to fit kids and adults alike.
Then there's the mic. It's a telescopic, noise-cancelling boom that retracts into the shell when you're just listening, and CINPUSEN says it filters out up to 90% of background noise. There's a dedicated M-button for muting without digging through menus — a small thing that matters a lot mid-match. Buy it if you want one headset for Switch and PS5 plus phone calls and laptop use, or if you want wireless freedom and long battery life. Skip it if you're chasing the most detailed, spacious stereo image, or you mainly play competitive PC shooters where open-back localization is the priority.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for competitive PC positional audio → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3WH. Open-back 45 mm drivers and a wide sound field are made for pinpointing footsteps.
• Best for wireless freedom → CINPUSEN CG-01. 2.4 GHz plus Bluetooth 5.4 with a 15 m range means no cable tether.
• Best for battery life → CINPUSEN CG-01. Up to 80 hours per charge versus a wired headset that never needs charging at all — different answers, same goal.
• Best for Nintendo Switch → CINPUSEN CG-01. It's purpose-built for the console with a Type-C connector and USB-A adapter included.
• Best for multi-device households → CINPUSEN CG-01. Four connection methods cover Switch, PS5, PS4, PC, Mac, phone and tablet from one headset.
• Best for voice clarity in a noisy room → CINPUSEN CG-01. A retractable noise-cancelling mic with a dedicated mute button is the more practical setup there.
• Best for mic flexibility → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3WH. A detachable, highly directional boom with a windscreen gives you clean voice and lets you remove it entirely.
• Best for isolation from your surroundings → CINPUSEN CG-01. Closed-back cups block outside noise; the ATH-GDL3WH deliberately lets it in.
If I had to pick one, I'd take the CINPUSEN CG-01 — for most people, one headset that works with a Switch, a PS5, a PC and a phone, stays wireless, and runs for up to 80 hours is simply more useful day to day. The quadruple connection setup and retractable noise-cancelling mic cover almost every situation a normal player runs into.
That said, if your setup is a desk, a PC, and a preference for hearing everything around you, I'd go the other way and buy the Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3WH. Its open-back 45 mm drivers and sub-220 g build are aimed squarely at players who care about soundstage and comfort above all. In my opinion, that's the better headset for competitive positional play — just not the better headset for everything else.
FAQ
No. The ATH-GDL3WH is a wired headset using 3.5 mm connections, with a 3.0 m PC cable and a shorter TRRS cable for consoles. If wireless is a must for you, the CINPUSEN CG-01 is the one to look at.
It works with all of them. It's tailored for the Switch, but it also supports 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth 5.4 for PS5, PS4, PC, Mac, laptop and phone, plus a 3.5 mm cable for anything else.
Based on the design, the Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3WH. Its open-back earcups and 45 mm drivers are specified for localizing sounds within a wide sound field. The CG-01's closed-back cups favor isolation instead.
CINPUSEN lists up to 80 hours of playtime with an 8-hour charge time. The CG-01 weighs 235 g, while the Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3WH comes in under 220 g — both are light enough for long sessions.
Both are positioned differently, so check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page before deciding. In my opinion, the CG-01 delivers more features per headset, while the ATH-GDL3WH delivers more specialized audio hardware — let the price decide between them.
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