We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-03 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a single pair of open-ear USB-C headphones that plug straight into a MacBook (or any USB-C phone or tablet) and stay comfortable for hours, choose HGCXING Open Ear USB; if you need a tiny 2-in-1 dongle that lets you keep using your existing wired 3.5mm headphones on both Lightning iPhones and USB-C MacBooks, choose KETAKY Plus USB C.
• HGCXING Open Ear USB — biggest strength: a complete, ready-to-wear open-ear USB-C headset with adjustable ear hooks, an inline mic and button controls, and a zippered storage case.
• HGCXING Open Ear USB — biggest trade-off: it only connects over USB-C, so it won't work with Lightning iPhones or any 3.5mm jack.
• KETAKY Plus USB C — biggest strength: one compact 2-in-1 dongle that revives your existing wired headphones on both Lightning and USB-C devices, with MFi certification.
• KETAKY Plus USB C — biggest trade-off: it's an adapter, not headphones — you still need your own 3.5mm headset, and the Lightning side doesn't support playback controls.
• Pick HGCXING Open Ear USB if you want one self-contained headset for a USB-C MacBook and don't want anything in your ear canal.
• Pick KETAKY Plus USB C if you already own wired headphones you love and want to use them on a MacBook and an iPhone without buying two dongles.
This is a full headset, not an accessory. The HGCXING Open Ear USB is a wired USB-C pair built around a hook-shaped earpiece that sits over your ear rather than inside it. The design keeps the driver out of your ear canal, so nothing presses into your ear and air can still move — a real difference if you find regular earbuds get itchy or uncomfortable after an hour. The ear hooks are adjustable, so you position them where they actually stay put instead of fighting to keep a bud seated.
For a MacBook user, the appeal is straightforward. It's a USB-C plug, so on a MacBook Pro or any modern USB-C laptop it connects directly to the port with no dongle and no pairing dance. There's a built-in mic and push-button controls on the cable, so you can take a call or pause playback without reaching for the keyboard. The audio side is a 32-ohm dynamic driver with a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz frequency range, 105 dB sensitivity, and a sound profile the spec describes as clear with balanced bass and treble and clear calls. It also comes with a cable fixer clip and a zippered storage case, which matters more than people admit — the case keeps the cord from turning into a knot at the bottom of a bag.
Who should buy it: people who want one cable, one connection, and an open-ear fit for long stretches at a desk, on calls, or while walking around the house with a laptop or USB-C phone. It's also a sensible pick if you dislike sticking things in your ears. Who should skip it: anyone with a Lightning iPhone, an older 3.5mm-only device, or a preference for fully sealed, noise-isolating earbuds. The spec lists sound isolation as the noise-control approach, but the open-ear design is the opposite of a sealed in-ear fit, so don't expect heavy passive blocking. And if you need wireless freedom, this isn't that — it's wired by design. It carries an 8-month warranty.
The KETAKY Plus USB C is a different animal entirely: it's a 2-in-1 adapter, not a headset. One small dongle gives you a Lightning-to-3.5mm side and a USB-C-to-3.5mm side, so you can plug your existing wired headphones into either a Lightning iPhone or a USB-C device. For a MacBook owner that's the whole point — the USB-C side turns your laptop's port into a headphone jack, and the same little gadget covers your iPhone on the Lightning side.
The audio story is the headline here. It uses a dongle DAC chipset rated up to 24-bit/96kHz, which is the spec you'd look for if you care about clean, high-fidelity playback rather than a basic passthrough. The USB-C side also supports full playback controls — play/pause, volume, track skip, and answer/end calls — which is more than most bare adapters offer. The Lightning side is plug-and-play but, importantly, does not support those advanced controls; the spec is explicit about that, so don't buy it expecting volume buttons to work on the iPhone side. It's MFi-certified, which is the detail that matters most for iPhone users: it's built to avoid the "Accessory Not Supported" error and work without drivers. It's also tiny and light, so it lives in a pocket or bag without you noticing.
Who should buy it: anyone who already owns a good pair of 3.5mm headphones and refuses to give them up, and anyone who bounces between a Lightning iPhone and a USB-C MacBook or Android device. Who should skip it: people who want a headset included, and anyone who wants one cable and nothing extra to keep track of. It's a dongle — it can be misplaced, and it needs a companion pair of headphones to do anything at all. It carries a 2-year warranty.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for a single-cable MacBook setup → HGCXING Open Ear USB. One USB-C plug, mic and controls on the cable, nothing else to carry.
• Best for keeping your favorite wired headphones → KETAKY Plus USB C. It's the bridge between your 3.5mm cans and a modern laptop or phone.
• Best for all-day comfort and open-ear fit → HGCXING Open Ear USB. Adjustable hooks and nothing inside the ear canal.
• Best for higher-resolution audio → KETAKY Plus USB C. The 24-bit/96kHz DAC rating is the more audiophile-leaning spec of the two.
• Best for call controls on a laptop → HGCXING Open Ear USB. Built-in mic and push-button control on the headset itself.
• Best for travel and pocket carry → KETAKY Plus USB C. It's a fraction of the size and weighs almost nothing.
• Best for someone who hates dongles → HGCXING Open Ear USB. Nothing to lose, nothing to forget, no adapter in the chain.
If I were buying for a MacBook-first setup, I'd take the HGCXING Open Ear USB. In my opinion, the simplest path wins when the goal is plugging into a laptop and getting on with work — one USB-C cable, an open-ear fit I can wear for hours, a mic and buttons built in, and a case so it doesn't tangle. The KETAKY Plus USB C is the smarter buy only if you're anchored to a pair of 3.5mm headphones you refuse to replace, or if you genuinely need one dongle to cover both a Lightning iPhone and a USB-C laptop. Different jobs. Pick the one that matches the gear already on your desk.
how to use headphones for macbook
Plug the headset or adapter into a USB-C port on the MacBook. With the HGCXING Open Ear USB, that's the whole setup — it's a wired USB-C headset with a built-in mic and controls. With the KETAKY Plus USB C, you plug the dongle into the port and then plug your own 3.5mm headphones into the dongle.
how to connect headphones macbook
There's no pairing involved with either product. The HGCXING connects over USB Type C directly. The KETAKY Plus connects over USB Type C on one side and accepts a standard 3.5mm plug on the other, and it's designed to work without drivers.
how to connect headphones macbook air
Same as any USB-C MacBook: use the USB-C port. The HGCXING Open Ear USB is listed as compatible with MacBook Pro and other USB-C audio devices, and the KETAKY Plus USB C lists MacBook Air and MacBook Pro among its supported devices. If your MacBook Air only has USB-C ports, the KETAKY dongle is how you'd attach 3.5mm headphones.
how to use headphones macbook pro
For the HGCXING, plug the USB-C connector into the MacBook Pro and use the inline buttons for playback and calls. For the KETAKY Plus, insert the USB-C side of the dongle, then connect your 3.5mm headphones — and note that full playback controls work on the USB-C side, while the Lightning side is plug-and-play only.
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