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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-28 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Hcman's biggest strength: a purpose-built RGB headset stand with 10 light effect modes, 2 USB 2.0 ports and 1 Type-C port for data and charging.
• Hcman's biggest trade-off: it is not a headset — it holds and displays one, and it adds no audio capability of its own.
• IAIEIO K98's biggest strength: a complete wired over-ear headset with RGB lighting, a retractable noise-cancelling mic and broad 3.5mm multi-platform compatibility.
• IAIEIO K98's biggest trade-off: it is a headset only — there's no stand, no USB hub and no charging ports for your other devices.
• Choose Hcman if you already own a headset you like and want a display-and-charging hub for your desk.
• Choose IAIEIO K98 if you still need the headset itself and want RGB plus a mic for PS5, PS4, PC or Xbox.
The Hcman Headphone Stand Gaming is a desk accessory first and a lighting piece second. It's built around a lacquered ABS body in black, measuring 4.33 x 4.33 x 11.81 inches — a tall, narrow footprint that sits on a tabletop and holds a headset up off the surface. The RGB element is the centerpiece: 10 light effect modes made up of 2 color cycle modes, 1 breathing mode and 7 static modes, with the base and the lamp shifting color together as you switch effects. Control is handled by sensitive touch buttons, and there's a memory function that remembers your last color pattern after power-off, so you don't reset it every time you sit down.
What makes it genuinely useful beyond the lighting is the port cluster. Hcman includes 2 USB 2.0 ports for moving data to a keyboard, USB stick or mouse, or for charging a phone, tablet or similar device, plus 1 Type-C port for fast charging and data transfers. It's plug-and-play with no driver required, and it works across various operating systems — you can feed it from a computer's USB outlet or an ordinary USB charger plugged into a power strip.
IAIEIO K98: Who It's For
The IAIEIO K98 is the headset itself. It's a wired over-ear model with a 3.5mm jack, built with an aluminum alloy, protein leather and memory foam construction in a white, minimalist black-and-white scheme. The RGB lighting runs on a USB cable plugged into your PC to activate multi-color effects, and it can be switched off if you don't want the glow. Audio comes from a dynamic driver, with passive noise cancellation rather than active electronics.
Comfort is clearly the design priority here. The K98 weighs 280g with 3.5cm of vertical adjustability to fit different head shapes, and the ultra-soft protein leather ear cups are paired with a breathable design to keep ears cooler over long sessions. The padding is also shaped to work with glasses wearers, conforming to facial contours. That's a headset aimed at people logging extended hours, including competitive and esports players.
The mic is the other headline. It's a 120-degree adjustable boom that extends for use and retracts flush against the body when you're done. An inline control box handles volume adjustment and one-touch mic mute/unmute. IAIEIO states the mic blocks up to 95% of ambient background noise for clearer voice pickup. Compatibility is broad: PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One (older models need a separate adapter), PSP, iPad, laptops, tablets, smartphones and anything with a 3.5mm jack. A dedicated audio adapter cable is included, and the brand notes that static or interference on PC is usually an audio-port incompatibility issue they've accounted for. It carries a 1-year warranty.
Buy it if you need a headset and a mic in one purchase. Skip it if you want the RGB to be the whole point of a desk object, or if you need charging ports and a stand — the K98 is headphones, not furniture.
• Best for RGB desk aesthetics → Hcman Headphone Stand Gaming. 10 light modes with base-and-lamp color sync is a dedicated lighting feature, not an accent.
• Best for actual game audio → IAIEIO K98. It's the only one of the two that produces sound.
• Best for voice chat → IAIEIO K98. The retractable 120-degree mic with one-touch mute and up to 95% ambient noise blocking is built for team comms.
• Best for charging and data → Hcman Headphone Stand Gaming. 2 USB 2.0 ports plus 1 Type-C port for fast charging and transfers.
• Best for long sessions → IAIEIO K98. 280g, 3.5cm of adjustability, breathable protein leather cups and glasses-friendly memory foam.
• Best for multi-platform use → IAIEIO K98. PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PSP, iPad, laptops, tablets and smartphones via 3.5mm.
• Best for a gift when you don't know their setup → Hcman Headphone Stand Gaming. A stand works regardless of what console or PC someone plays on; a headset has to match their platform and audio preferences.
• Best if you already own a headset → Hcman Headphone Stand Gaming. No reason to buy a second headset just to get RGB on your desk.
In my opinion, the deciding question is simple: do you need sound or do you need a stage? If you're building out a desk and you already have a headset you trust, I'd buy the Hcman Headphone Stand Gaming — the 10 lighting modes, touch memory function and the USB 2.0 plus Type-C ports make it do real work instead of just glowing. If you don't yet have a headset, I'd buy the IAIEIO K98 first, because a stand can't play audio, and the retractable noise-cancelling mic and 3.5mm multi-platform support cover far more of what a gamer actually needs. Buy the stand to finish a setup; buy the K98 to start one.
what are rgb headphones
RGB headphones are headsets with built-in multi-color lighting, usually powered by a USB connection, that light up as a visual accent on a gaming setup. The IAIEIO K98 is an example: it has integrated RGB lighting activated by plugging the USB cable into a PC, and the lighting can be turned off if you don't want it. RGB is purely cosmetic — it doesn't change audio quality.
what is rgb headphones
It's the same idea: a headset whose design includes addressable colored lighting for looks rather than performance. On the K98 that means multi-color effects on a black-and-white aluminum alloy body using a dynamic driver for sound. If you want RGB lighting but not a headset, the Hcman Headphone Stand Gaming delivers it in a different form — 10 light effect modes across 2 color cycles, 1 breathing mode and 7 static modes.
They solve different problems, so it depends on what's missing. The IAIEIO K98 gives you audio, a mic and RGB on your head; the Hcman stand gives you RGB on your desk plus 2 USB 2.0 ports and 1 Type-C port. If you own neither, I'd start with the K98, since the stand has nothing to hold until you have a headset.
Based on the specs, the IAIEIO K98 is designed specifically for that: 280g, 3.5cm of vertical adjustability, breathable protein leather ear cups and memory foam that accommodates glasses wearers. The Hcman is a stand, so comfort doesn't apply — though its touch controls and light memory function mean less fiddling when you sit down.
If you're weighing either one, check the current price on Amazon before you commit — that's the one number that changes and the one I won't guess at.
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