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If you want a lightweight wired USB-C earbud with a secure ear-hook fit and in-line call controls for sports and everyday phone use, choose Avantree C171; if you need an over-ear wireless gaming headset that runs on 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.3 and a 3.5mm jack with a 40-hour battery, choose ACER 2.4GHz.
• Avantree C171 — biggest strength: A wired USB-C connection with a built-in mic and physical in-line buttons, plus an ear-hook design that keeps each bud planted during runs and workouts.
• Avantree C171 — biggest trade-off: It's wired and USB-C only, so Lightning iPhones (11–14), 3.5mm jacks and possibly the Samsung S24 are off the table.
• ACER 2.4GHz — biggest strength: Three ways to connect (2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm) with a 40-hour battery and large 50mm dynamic drivers in an over-ear frame.
• ACER 2.4GHz — biggest trade-off: It's a full-size over-ear headset with passive noise cancellation only — bulkier than earbuds and no active noise cancelling.
• Who each pick is for: Avantree C171 for phone-first users who want a wired, sporty earbud with a mic; ACER 2.4GHz for gamers and desk users who want one wireless headset across PS5, PS4, PC and Switch.
The C171 is a wired USB-C earbud, and that single fact shapes everything about it. You plug it into a USB-C port — iPhone 15 and 16, most recent Android phones from Samsung, Google and others, plus USB-C tablets — and you're done. No pairing, no charging, no dongle. The 25 g build and silicone ear-hook design are clearly aimed at movement: the hook wraps over the ear so the bud stays put, and Avantree includes three sizes of eartips so you can dial in the seal. That combination is what makes it a sensible pick for running, gym sessions and commutes where a loose bud is a nuisance.
The feature I'd point a buyer toward is the in-line control pod. Physical buttons handle play/pause, volume, track skip and replay, call answer/reject, and voice-assistant activation — all without touching your phone. For a wired earbud with a mic, that's the practical difference between "it works" and "I actually use it." The built-in microphone handles calls, and the audio side is a 32-ohm dynamic driver running 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, which is a standard full-range spec — Avantree describes the tuning as balanced rather than bass-heavy. Sound isolation is listed as the noise-control approach, meaning the seal does the work rather than electronics.
ACER 2.4GHz: Who It's For
The Acer model (OHR630) is a different animal entirely: an over-ear wireless gaming headset built around flexibility. It connects three ways — 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.3, and a 3.5mm jack — which means it can serve a PS5 or PS4, a PC, a Switch, and a phone or laptop over Bluetooth without you owning separate headsets. That tri-mode design is the headline feature, and for a lot of people it's the reason to buy: one headset, several devices, no juggling.
The spec sheet backs up the long-session intent. Battery life is listed at 40 hours with a 2.5-hour charge time, so a week of evening sessions between charges is realistic for most players. The drivers are 50mm dynamic units — noticeably larger than typical earbud drivers — which is the kind of hardware you'd expect in a headset meant to fill a room with game audio. Noise control is passive: the over-ear cups physically block some outside sound, but there's no active noise cancelling here, so don't buy it expecting silence on a plane.
Who should buy it: gamers who want one wireless headset spanning console, PC and Switch, plus anyone who takes long calls or watches a lot of video at a desk and wants the battery to outlast the session. Who should skip it: people who want something pocketable for the gym, or anyone who needs active noise cancelling or a fully wired, zero-latency-by-design monitoring setup. It's an over-ear headset with a 1-year manufacturer warranty, and it behaves like one — comfortable for long stretches, but not something you toss in a jacket pocket.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for wired simplicity → Avantree C171. USB-C in, no pairing, no battery to think about.
• Best for battery life → ACER 2.4GHz. A listed 40 hours per charge versus a wired earbud that never needs charging at all — pick based on whether you want a cable or a long-lasting battery.
• Best for sports and running → Avantree C171. The ear-hook design and three eartip sizes are built for movement; an over-ear headset is not.
• Best for gaming across PS5, PS4, PC and Switch → ACER 2.4GHz. 2.4GHz wireless plus Bluetooth 5.3 plus 3.5mm covers all of them.
• Best for phone calls on the go → Avantree C171. A built-in mic with physical call-answer and reject buttons right on the cable.
• Best for long desk sessions without recharging → ACER 2.4GHz. 40 hours of playback and a 2.5-hour top-up.
• Best if you own an iPhone 11–14 → neither, honestly. The C171 needs USB-C (not Lightning) and the Acer headset isn't aimed at that use case — check your port before buying.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the ACER 2.4GHz headset — for the money-in-my-head reasoning that it replaces more gear. In my opinion, three connection modes, 40 hours of battery and 50mm drivers make it the more versatile purchase for anyone who games or works at a desk across multiple devices. But that's my use case, not everyone's. If your life is a phone in one pocket and a run in the other, the Avantree C171 is the better fit — wired, secure, and built for exactly that. Buy the Acer for range and battery; buy the C171 for simplicity and sport.
how to use headphones with mic on pc
With the Avantree C171, plug the USB-C connector into a USB-C port and the system should recognize it as both headphones and microphone; on Windows you then pick it as the input and output device in sound settings. With the Acer headset, use the 2.4GHz dongle for the lowest-latency link, or pair over Bluetooth 5.3, then select it as your default mic and speaker. Either way, confirm the mic is set as the active input before you join a call.
how to connect headphones with mic on pc
The C171 is plug-and-play over USB-C — no pairing step. The Acer headset gives you three options: 2.4GHz wireless (plug in the receiver), Bluetooth 5.3 (pair from your PC's Bluetooth menu), or the 3.5mm jack if your PC has a combo audio port. For gaming, 2.4GHz is usually the smoother choice.
how to use headphones with mic on phone
The C171 works with USB-C phones including iPhone 15 and 16 and most recent Android models — just plug in and use the in-line buttons for calls and volume. Note it isn't compatible with iPhone 11–14 (Lightning) or 3.5mm ports, and Avantree flags possible incompatibility with the Samsung S24. The Acer headset can also connect to a phone over Bluetooth 5.3 if you want an over-ear option.
how to test headphones with mic
Make a test recording or voice call and listen back to judge mic clarity, then check the controls: on the C171, verify the in-line buttons handle play/pause, volume and call answer/reject. On the Acer headset, test each connection mode separately — 2.4GHz, Bluetooth and 3.5mm — and confirm audio comes through both earcups and that the mic registers in your chat app. If a device isn't detected, check that it's selected as the default input and output.
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