We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want one desktop dock that handles video, data, charging and your wired headphones at the same time, choose HUBFINDER USB C Hub; if you need a single, sturdy replacement audio cable for a SteelSeries Arctis headset on a USB-C laptop, choose Arzweyk Replacement USB C.
• HUBFINDER's biggest strength: nine ports in one body — 4K@30 HDMI, three USB 3.0 data ports, a USB-C data port, SD/TF slots, 100W pass-through charging and a 3.5mm jack with a built-in DAC.
• HUBFINDER's biggest trade-off: it is a hub, not a cable. Nothing works unless you plug it into your laptop, and the audio jack only exists while the hub is connected.
• Arzweyk's biggest strength: purpose-built for one job — a 1.5m/5ft USB-C to audio cable for SteelSeries Arctis Prime, Pro, 7, 5 and 3 headsets, with a braided nylon shell rated for over 20,000 bends.
• Arzweyk's biggest trade-off: it does exactly one thing. No video, no card reader, no extra ports — and it only fits headsets with the matching connection.
• Who each pick is for: HUBFINDER for the MacBook owner who wants one small brick to expand everything; Arzweyk for the Arctis owner who just needs to plug their existing headset into a USB-C MacBook.
Think of this as the "everything port" your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro stopped shipping with. The 9-in-1 layout combines an HDMI output, three USB 3.0 data ports, one USB-C data port, SD and TF card slots, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB-C Power Delivery input rated up to 100W. For a laptop with two or three USB-C ports and nothing else, that's a meaningful expansion — monitor on HDMI, SSD in a USB 3.0 port, SD card from a camera, charger in the PD port, all at once.
For the headphones-for-MacBook angle specifically, the headphone jack is the part that matters. Modern MacBook Air and Pro models dropped the analog jack's usefulness for some users by moving to USB-C-only accessories, and this hub puts a 3.5mm jack back on your desk. It supports microphone input, and the built-in DAC processes the digital signal into Hi-Res audio up to 384kHz/32-bit — well beyond what most wired headphones or headsets can resolve. If you own a wired headset with a 3.5mm plug, this is a clean way to keep using it with a MacBook without hunting for a dongle.
The data side is solid rather than spectacular: USB 3.0 at up to 5Gbps for the three type-A ports and the USB-C data port. That's fine for flash drives, external SSDs and card offloads. HUBFINDER itself notes that when you attach a hard drive for file transfers, you should power the hub through the 5V USB-C port for stable speed — worth remembering before you blame the hub for a slow copy.
Two honest caveats. First, the USB-C port on this hub does not support video output — video only comes out of the HDMI port, so you need an HDMI-to-HDMI cable (HDMI 2.0 for 4K). Second, it warms up: HUBFINDER states 50°C is normal when charging over PD or when every port is in use. That's not a defect, but it's real, and it's the kind of detail that separates a desk hub from a pocket dongle.
Buy it if: you have a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPad Pro or similar USB-C laptop and want one accessory that covers monitor, storage, charging and a wired headphone jack. Skip it if: you only need to connect a headset and nothing else — you'd be paying for eight ports you'll never touch.
This is a replacement cable, and it's worth being precise about that. One end is USB-C, the other is the audio connector that SteelSeries Arctis Prime, Arctis Pro, Arctis 7, Arctis 5 and Arctis 3 headsets use. It's male-to-male, 24-pin, and it exists so you can run an Arctis headset into a device that only has USB-C — which, for a lot of MacBook owners, is the entire problem. The headset is fine; the cable that came with it assumed a different port.
The build is where this cable earns its keep. The core is high-purity oxygen-free copper with a braided shielding layer, which Arzweyk says reduces signal interference and loss — the practical upshot being clean, uncolored audio rather than the hiss and buzz you get from a cheap unshielded cord. The outer shell is high-density nylon, which resists tangling and scratching, and Arzweyk rates it for over 20,000 bending cycles. For a cable that lives in a backpack and gets coiled and uncoiled daily, that number is the one I'd care about most.
Length is 1.5m/5ft. That's a considered choice: long enough to lean back, stand up or reach a controller without yanking your laptop off the desk, short enough that you're not managing a coiled snake. Arzweyk lists it for indoor and outdoor use and describes the intended job as audio transmission.
One nice detail: if your Arctis headset has RGB, the USB-C end can power the headset's PrismSync lighting. That's a small thing, but it means the cable isn't just an audio path — it's also the power path for the lighting.
The honest limitation is scope. This cable carries audio, and that's it. No HDMI, no card reader, no charging passthrough for your laptop. It's also headset-specific — if your headphones use a standard 3.5mm plug, this isn't the product for you. It's the right answer to a narrow question, not a general-purpose accessory.
Buy it if: you own a SteelSeries Arctis Prime, Pro, 7, 5 or 3 and want to use it with a MacBook, iPhone 15/16/17, Samsung Galaxy S25/S24/S23/S22/S21/S20, Google Pixel 9/8/7, iPad or any other USB-C device. Skip it if: you need anything beyond a single audio connection.
• Best for expanding a MacBook → HUBFINDER USB C Hub. Nine ports versus one cable; there's no contest if you need video, storage and charging together.
• Best for wired headphone audio only → Arzweyk Replacement USB C. If your Arctis headset just needs a USB-C path, this is the direct, no-compromise answer.
• Best for a 4K monitor setup → HUBFINDER. HDMI 2.0 at 4K@30Hz or 1080p@60Hz, provided you use an HDMI-to-HDMI cable and a 4K-capable display.
• Best for frequent travel and packing → Arzweyk. A single 5ft braided cable takes up less room and has nothing to break off.
• Best for desk clutter control → HUBFINDER. One brick replaces a dongle for video, a dongle for SD cards and a dongle for audio.
• Best for durability under daily coiling → Arzweyk. Over 20,000 bend cycles and a tangle-resistant nylon shell are built for that abuse.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity → HUBFINDER. No drivers, no setup, and it works across macOS and Windows.
• Best for a focused, single-purpose fix → Arzweyk. No ports to configure, no heat to think about, nothing to power.
In my opinion, this comes down to whether you're solving a laptop problem or a headset problem. If you're a MacBook owner who wants a monitor, storage, charging and a wired headphone jack handled by one accessory, I'd buy the HUBFINDER USB C Hub — the 9-in-1 layout, the 100W PD passthrough and the 384kHz/32-bit DAC cover far more of what a modern USB-C laptop is missing. If you already own a SteelSeries Arctis headset and just need to plug it into a USB-C machine, I'd buy the Arzweyk Replacement USB C instead — it does one job with a shielded, braided cable that should outlast the headset. Buying the hub for a headset alone is overkill; buying the cable for a docking setup is impossible.
how to use headphones for macbook
On a MacBook with USB-C ports, you have two realistic routes. If your headphones end in a 3.5mm plug, a hub with a built-in audio jack — like the HUBFINDER, which includes a 3.5mm jack with microphone support and a DAC — gives you an analog connection. If your headphones use a USB-C audio cable, such as the Arzweyk cable for SteelSeries Arctis models, you plug straight into the laptop's USB-C port.
how to connect headphones macbook
Match the connector to the port. A USB-C audio cable like the Arzweyk is male-to-male and 24-pin, so it goes directly from the headset into a USB-C port on the MacBook. A 3.5mm headset needs a port that accepts it — either the laptop's own jack (where fitted) or the 3.5mm jack on a hub such as the HUBFINDER. Both approaches are plug-and-play; no software is required.
how to connect headphones macbook air
The MacBook Air is USB-C only, so the same logic applies with a bit less room to maneuver. The Arzweyk cable suits Arctis Prime, Pro, 7, 5 and 3 headsets and runs 1.5m/5ft, which is handy when the laptop is on a stand. For a 3.5mm headset, the HUBFINDER adds the analog jack back and doubles as your monitor and card reader at the same time.
how to use headphones macbook pro
The MacBook Pro has the same constraints, and the same two options. Use a USB-C audio cable like the Arzweyk for a compatible SteelSeries Arctis headset, or add a hub with a 3.5mm jack and DAC — the HUBFINDER handles up to 384kHz/32-bit output and supports microphone input. Whichever route you take, check the current price on Amazon before committing, since both are inexpensive enough that the port count, not the cost, should decide it.
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See also: Callez Replacement Audio Cable vs esbeecables USB C, Arzweyk Replacement vs Joso One Ear Headset, SIMOLIO Manyshare Series- Kids vs Wuopzf USB C