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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Avantree C171 biggest strength: Ear-hook design plus in-line buttons that handle volume, playback, calls and your voice assistant without touching your phone.
• Avantree C171 biggest trade-off: The hook shape is built for movement, not for lying back on a couch, and the fit is specific to active use.
• Jiunai USB C biggest strength: Magnetic earbuds that snap together around your neck, a nylon braided cable, and three sizes of ear tips in the box.
• Jiunai USB C biggest trade-off: The earbud shape depends on tips for security, so it moves more than an ear hook when you run.
• Pick Avantree C171 if you want a MacBook headset that stays put during workouts, runs and hands-free calls.
• Pick Jiunai USB C if you want a plug-and-play pair for commuting, classes and travel where tangles and lost earbuds are the real enemy.
The C171 is a wired USB-C in-ear headphone with an ear-hook shape. That hook is the whole personality of this product. Instead of relying only on a silicone tip to hold the bud in place, the hook wraps over the top of your ear and keeps the earpiece anchored. If you have ever had a bud pop out mid-jog, you know why that matters. The eartips are soft, and the combination of hook plus tip is exactly what Avantree is aiming at with sports and active scenarios.
The controls are the second thing I like here. Everything is physical and in-line: play and pause, volume up and down, track skip and replay, answer and reject calls, and a trigger for your voice assistant. On a MacBook that means you can adjust volume or take a call without reaching for the keyboard or the trackpad. When you are on a video call and need to mute fast, buttons you can find by feel are genuinely useful.
On audio, Avantree lists a 32 ohm impedance, a dynamic driver and a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range with an emphasis on balanced output. The built-in microphone handles calls, and the noise control is sound isolation from the fit rather than active cancellation. There is also a 2-year manufacturer warranty, which is the kind of detail that tells you the brand expects this thing to survive daily use.
Jiunai USB C: Who It's For
The Jiunai pair takes the opposite approach. Instead of locking the bud to your ear, it makes the earbuds easy to live with when they are not in your ears. Each earbud has a built-in magnet, so they snap together and hang around your neck like a necklace. For a student moving between classes or a commuter on a crowded train, that is a small feature that solves a real, daily annoyance: no more buds swinging on the cable or dropping onto the floor.
The cable is nylon braided, and Jiunai ships three sizes of ear tips plus a mini zipper carry case. The driver is a 10mm dynamic unit, with 32 ohm impedance, 114 dB sensitivity and a 20,000 Hz frequency response. Jiunai also mentions a smart DAC chip in the connector, which is the piece that handles the digital-to-analog conversion when you plug straight into a USB-C port.
That last point matters for a MacBook. Modern MacBooks have no headphone jack on many configurations, so a USB-C headphone is plug-and-play: no adapter, no dongle, no Bluetooth pairing. Jiunai lists compatibility across iPhone 15, 16 and 17 series, Samsung Galaxy S23 through S26, Google Pixel 9 and 10, iPad Pro and Air, MacBook, and basically any USB-C phone, tablet or laptop. The controls are button-based and in-line, and there is a built-in microphone for calls.
The trade-off is the fit. With a bud shape and tips, security comes from the tip seal. That is fine for walking, sitting and commuting, but it is not the same locked-in feel as an ear hook. Also worth noting: the warranty is 3 months, which is much shorter than what Avantree offers.
Who should buy it: commuters, students, travelers, anyone who wants a cheap-feeling-free, tangle-resistant cable and a case to throw in a bag. Who should skip it: serious runners and anyone who needs the bud to stay put no matter what.
• Best for running and gym work → Avantree C171. The ear hook plus soft eartips is designed for movement, and it will not rely on tip friction alone.
• Best for commuting and travel → Jiunai USB C. Magnetic buds, a nylon braided cable and a carry case make it the easier pair to live with on the move.
• Best for hands-free control → Avantree C171. Volume, playback, track skip, call answer and reject, plus voice assistant, all on physical in-line buttons.
• Best for cable durability → Jiunai USB C. The nylon braided jacket is the more abrasion-resistant option of the two.
• Best for fit customization → Jiunai USB C. Three sizes of ear tips let you tune the seal; the C171 gives you soft tips plus the hook instead.
• Best for warranty peace of mind → Avantree C171. A 2-year manufacturer warranty versus 3 months is a meaningful difference in how long the maker stands behind it.
• Best for a MacBook-only desk setup → either, but it depends on your posture. If you lean back and take calls, the C171 buttons are handier. If you plug in and forget it, the Jiunai cable is less fuss.
• Best for sound signature preference → hard to call from specs alone. Both use dynamic drivers at 32 ohm; Avantree emphasizes balanced output, Jiunai emphasizes punchy bass from a 10mm driver.
In my opinion, I would buy the Avantree C171 for a MacBook. The reason is not sound — the specs are close enough that both will do fine for calls, podcasts and streaming. The reason is the combination of the ear hook, the full set of physical in-line controls, and a 2-year manufacturer warranty. For a headset you plug into a laptop and wear while moving, that is the package that holds up best. If your priority is a tangle-free cable and magnetic buds for commuting rather than running, the Jiunai USB C is the better pick, and I would not argue with you for a second.
how to use headphones for macbook
Plug the USB-C connector straight into a USB-C port on your MacBook. Both the Avantree C171 and the Jiunai USB C are wired, so there is no pairing step — the Mac should recognize the headset and route audio to it automatically. From there, use the in-line buttons for volume and playback, and pick the headset as your input and output device in your sound settings.
how to connect headphones macbook
There is nothing to connect in the wireless sense. These are wired USB-C headphones, so you push the plug into the port and that is it. If your MacBook has no USB-C port, neither of these will work without an adapter, and you should look for a different connector type instead.
how to connect headphones macbook air
The same way as any other MacBook: insert the USB-C plug into one of the USB-C ports. Both the Avantree C171 and the Jiunai USB C list USB-C laptops including MacBook in their compatibility, so a MacBook Air with USB-C ports is a straightforward plug-and-play match. If your Air only has older ports, you will need an adapter.
how to use headphones macbook pro
Plug the USB-C connector into a port on your MacBook Pro, then select the headset as your audio output in the sound menu. Both models include a built-in microphone, so you can also set them as your input for calls and video meetings. If you want fast mute or volume control mid-call, the Avantree C171's physical in-line buttons are the easier option to find by touch.
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