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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-25 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• iClever OWS01 biggest strength: Air-conduction, non-in-ear design with a 74 & 85 dBA volume limit, 360° bendable memory-steel frame and just 0.8 oz of weight on the head.
• iClever OWS01 biggest trade-off: It's wireless only — no 3.5 mm jack — and it has no active noise control, so it's built for awareness, not isolation.
• ARTIX Headphones biggest strength: A wired 3.5 mm over-ear set with an inline mic, 40 mm dynamic drivers and sound isolation that plugs straight into almost anything.
• ARTIX Headphones biggest trade-off: It's corded, heavier at 6.5 oz, and volume control works on mobile devices only.
• Choose iClever OWS01 if you're buying for a child and want safety limits, a flexible fit and cable-free freedom.
• Choose ARTIX Headphones if you want one durable pair for calls, schoolwork and gaming across PC, console and tablet.
The OWS01 is designed around one idea: a kid should hear what's going on around them. The earpieces sit outside the ear canal rather than inside it, so nothing is jammed into the ear and ambient sound still gets through. That matters on a bike, in a hallway, or crossing a parking lot. iClever also builds in a 74 & 85 dBA volume ceiling, which is the kind of feature a parent notices immediately and a kid never has to think about.
The build is the other half of the story. There's a memory steel wire in the back-hanging section that lets the frame bend through 360° without deforming, which is exactly the part of a kids' headphone that usually dies first. At 0.8 oz with a three-point pressure dispersion system, it's meant to disappear on the head during a long car ride or a full school day. The physical buttons are a smart touch too — no touch panel to mis-swipe, just push-button volume and playback a child can learn in a minute.
Sound comes from 14.2 mm dynamic drivers with Dynamic Range Control boosting the low end, and Bluetooth 5.4 handles pairing with phones, tablets, laptops, PCs and smartwatches. Battery is rated at 11 hours of average life with an 11.5-hour charge time, and it charges over Type-C. The soft TPE surfaces are chosen with skin contact in mind.
ARTIX Headphones: Who It's For
The ARTIX CL750 goes the opposite direction. It's a wired, on-ear/over-ear design that terminates in a 3.5 mm jack, which means no pairing, no charging and no battery to run down. Plug it into a Chromebook, an iPad, a laptop, a desktop, a PS4 or PS5, an Xbox, and it just works. For a household juggling several devices, that reliability is the whole appeal.
The 40 mm dynamic drivers are noticeably larger than the iClever's 14.2 mm units, and the design leans on sound isolation — cushioned cups that sit over the ear and physically reduce what gets in. That's the right call for studying, commuting or focusing in a busy room. There's also a sound-isolation approach rather than electronics, so nothing needs to be powered to get the effect.
The inline remote carries a microphone, which turns these into a headset for work calls, video meetings, gaming chat and online classes. The foldable frame and adjustable headband make them easier to toss in a bag, and the cushioned cups are aimed at all-day wear. The metal-and-plastic construction reads as the more rugged of the two, and 6.5 oz is a real weight but a normal one for this category.
Two honest caveats. First, the inline volume control works on mobile devices only — on some computers and consoles you'll adjust volume at the source. Second, at 88 dB sensitivity and 32 ohm impedance they're efficient but not especially loud for hard-to-drive sources; that's a design trade-off, not a flaw.
Who should buy it: older kids, teens and adults who want one wired pair for school, calls and gaming, and anyone tired of charging things. Who should skip it: a parent specifically buying for a young child who needs a volume limit and an open-ear design — the ARTIX doesn't offer either, and the cord is a genuine snag risk for little ones.
• Best for young children → iClever OWS01. The 74 & 85 dBA limit and non-in-ear fit are the deciding features.
• Best for battery life → iClever OWS01. 11 hours of average playtime with an 11.5-hour charge, plus Type-C charging.
• Best for awareness and safety outdoors → iClever OWS01. Open-ear air conduction keeps surroundings audible.
• Best for durability against rough handling → iClever OWS01. The 360° bendable memory-steel frame is built for exactly this.
• Best for calls and video meetings → ARTIX Headphones. The inline microphone is the feature that decides it.
• Best for focus and blocking distractions → ARTIX Headphones. Sound isolation is the point of the over-ear design.
• Best for multiple devices with zero setup → ARTIX Headphones. A 3.5 mm jack works with PC, Mac, Chromebook, tablet and consoles.
• Best for long-term value without charging → ARTIX Headphones. No battery means no degradation and no dead-listening days.
If I were buying for a younger child, I'd take the iClever OWS01 without much hesitation. The volume limit, the 0.8 oz frame and the bendable build solve the three things that actually go wrong with kids' headphones. If I were buying for a teen or for myself — classes, calls, gaming, a laptop bag — I'd take the ARTIX Headphones. The inline mic, the isolation and the plug-and-play jack make it the more useful tool for grown-up and teen use. In my opinion the tiebreaker is simple: child safety points to iClever, everyday versatility points to ARTIX. Before you decide, check the current price on Amazon for both, since that can shift the balance for a budget purchase.
how to make cheap headphones sound better
Start with fit and seal: the ARTIX's cushioned over-ear cups need to sit properly to get the isolation they're designed for, and the iClever's open-ear earpieces need to be positioned over the ear opening rather than pressed in. Beyond fit, both sets respond to source-side EQ — the iClever already applies Dynamic Range Control to lift bass, so keep EQ changes modest. Volume and a clean source signal matter more than any accessory.
how to get cheap headphones
The practical route is to decide your connection type first, because that's what limits your options. If you need one pair for a laptop, Chromebook, tablet and console, a wired 3.5 mm set like the ARTIX Headphones covers all of them with no charging. If you want cable-free listening with a volume limit for a child, an open-ear Bluetooth set like the iClever OWS01 fits that brief. Then compare the current price on Amazon for the models on your shortlist.
what budget headphones
Budget headphones are best judged on the features you actually need, not on a single spec. In this comparison the iClever OWS01 brings air conduction, a 74 & 85 dBA limit, Bluetooth 5.4, 14.2 mm drivers and an 11-hour battery. The ARTIX Headphones bring 40 mm drivers, sound isolation, an inline mic, a foldable frame and a 3.5 mm jack. Both are 32 ohm with a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz range, so the split is wired versus wireless, not audio format.
how long do cheap headphones last
There's no fixed lifespan, but the design tells you where each one is likely to hold up. The iClever OWS01 uses a memory steel wire rated for 360° bending, which targets the most common failure point on kids' frames, and it's backed by a 12-month replacement warranty. The ARTIX Headphones use metal-and-plastic construction with cushioned cups and carry a 1-year warranty. Cable care matters most on the wired set; battery care matters most on the wireless one.
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See also: LORELEI X8 vs iClever BTH18: Lightweight Headphones, iClever Noise Cancelling Headphones vs AOC Headset, Rythflo Headphones vs iClever Auraa Active Noise