We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want to repair a broken power slider on Bose QuietComfort 35 or QuietComfort 45 headphones, choose Generic Power Button; if you need wired earbuds for gaming and chat on a Nintendo Switch 2, choose PowerA Earbuds. These two products share almost nothing except the word "switch" in the search bar — one is a tiny replacement part, the other is a complete audio accessory. Knowing which category you actually fall into is the whole decision.
• Generic Power Button — biggest strength: It restores the power/action slider on the left ear of Bose QC35 and QC45 headphones instead of forcing you to replace the whole headset.
• Generic Power Button — biggest trade-off: It is a single replacement part, not a working product on its own. If your headphones are fine, this does nothing for you.
• PowerA Earbuds — biggest strength: Officially licensed wired earbuds built for the Nintendo Switch 2, with 8 mm drivers, an inline mic and a mute slider.
• PowerA Earbuds — biggest trade-off: They are wired and connect through a 3.5 mm jack, so they are tied to devices that have that port.
• Who each pick is for: Generic Power Button is for a Bose owner doing a repair. PowerA Earbuds are for a Switch 2 player who wants game and chat audio in a compact in-ear package.
This is a repair part, and it should be judged as one. The Generic Power Button is a sliding spring switch replacement designed specifically for the left ear of Bose QuietComfort 35 and QuietComfort 45 headphones. It exists to bring back the original button functionality — the control you use for noise cancelling modes and related options — when the original slider has failed or gone missing. It is listed as compatible with the QC35 (wireless headphones I) and the QC45.
The pitch here is straightforward: instead of retiring a pair of headphones because one small control stopped responding, you swap in the replacement slider. The listing describes installation as something you can do without professional help, and it frames the part as a way to extend the lifespan of the headset rather than replace it. That is the entire value proposition, and for the right person it is a good one.
PowerA Earbuds: Who It's For
The PowerA Wired Earbuds are a finished product, and they are built around one ecosystem: the Nintendo Switch 2. They are officially licensed, meaning PowerA says the product went through Nintendo's testing and evaluation process for compatibility with that system. They connect through the 3.5 mm headphone jack, so there is no pairing, no charging and no battery to manage — plug in and play.
The audio side is handled by 8 mm dynamic drivers with a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz frequency range and 16 ohm impedance. In practice that is a standard, easy-to-drive spec that suits game audio and voice chat. The in-ear design ships with three swappable tips, which matters more than it sounds: a proper seal is what gives you bass response and blocks outside noise, and the silicone tips let you size that fit to your ears. PowerA lists sound isolation as the noise-control method — there is no active noise cancelling here, just the passive kind you get from a good in-ear seal.
For communication, there is an inline mic with a slider switch so you can mute yourself without digging through menus. There is also an adjustable cable slider to keep the wire tidy, plus a drawstring bag for storage. The whole thing weighs about 18 grams. A two-year limited warranty backs it.
Who should buy it? A Switch 2 owner who wants a lightweight wired option for handheld play and online chat, and who does not want to deal with Bluetooth latency or charging. Who should skip it? Anyone gaming on a device without a 3.5 mm jack, anyone who wants wireless freedom, and anyone expecting active noise cancellation. Also note that chat features may require internet, a Nintendo Account and a Nintendo Switch Online membership, which are sold separately.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for repairing existing headphones → Generic Power Button. It exists purely to restore the left-side slider on Bose QC35 and QC45.
• Best for voice chat → PowerA Earbuds. The inline mic with a mute slider is built for talking to your squad.
• Best for extending the life of gear you already own → Generic Power Button. The whole point is avoiding a full headset replacement.
• Best for fit and comfort tuning → PowerA Earbuds. Three swappable silicone tips let you dial in the seal.
• Best for tidiness and storage → PowerA Earbuds. The cable slider and drawstring bag are included.
• Best for portability → PowerA Earbuds. At roughly 18 grams, they disappear into a pocket.
• Skip both if → you have working Bose headphones and no Switch 2. Neither product solves a problem you have.
In my opinion, the honest answer is that these are not competitors — they are answers to two completely different questions, and the right pick depends entirely on which question you are asking. If your QC35 or QC45 has a dead power slider, I would buy the Generic Power Button, because a cheap part that restores a working headset beats replacing the headset. If you are setting up a Switch 2 and want wired game and chat audio, I would buy the PowerA Earbuds, because they are purpose-built for that console, include a mic and tips, and carry a two-year limited warranty. If you are torn, ask yourself one thing: am I fixing something, or am I outfitting something? Repair goes to the part. Play goes to the earbuds. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit to either.
How to switch headphones left right
This depends on what you mean by "switch." If you are swapping the physical part on Bose QC35 or QC45 headphones, note that the Generic Power Button is designed for the left ear specifically, so it is not a left/right interchangeable piece. If you mean switching audio channels in software, that is handled in your device's audio settings, not by either product here.
How to switch headphones between devices
The PowerA Earbuds are wired through a 3.5 mm jack, so "switching" means unplugging from one device and plugging into another — there is no pairing step. The Generic Power Button is a replacement part, not a connectivity product, so it has nothing to do with moving audio between devices. If you want multi-device switching, neither of these is the tool for it.
How to switch headphones to headset windows 11
On Windows 11, you change the output device from the sound icon in the taskbar or under Settings > System > Sound. That is a software step and applies to whatever headphones you have connected. Neither the Generic Power Button nor the PowerA Earbuds changes how Windows handles device switching — the earbuds simply appear as a wired audio device once plugged in.
How to switch headphones to speakers on computer
Again, this is an operating-system setting. You select the speakers as your output device in your computer's sound menu. Worth noting: the PowerA Earbuds are built and licensed for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, not for PC use, so if computer audio is your goal, they are not the intended fit.
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