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Updated: 2026-09-21 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a desk-bound call controller that turns a Jabra Engage 50 II headset into a proper Microsoft Teams command center, choose Jabra Engage 50; if you need a complete plug-and-play stereo headset with a long cable and a noise-canceling boom mic for calls anywhere, choose Hewlett HP Poly Blackwire.
• Hewlett HP Poly Blackwire 3325 — Biggest strength: a complete, self-contained wired stereo headset with a noise-canceling boom microphone, echo reduction, a 7 ft cable and both USB-C and 3.5 mm connectivity. Biggest trade-off: it's a straightforward headset with no separate control unit, so advanced call-control hardware isn't part of the package.
• Who the Jabra is for: contact-center and heavy Teams users who want physical, tactile call controls on the desk and already run (or will run) an Engage 50 II headset.
• Who the Poly is for: anyone who wants one box, one cable and a working headset — office, hybrid or on-the-go — without building a system around a control unit.
The Jabra Engage 50 II Link Call Control Unit is a specialist piece of kit, and it's worth being clear about that up front. It connects an Engage 50 II Mono or Stereo USB-C headset to a computer or mobile device over USB-C, and it puts the controls you actually touch all day onto a small desk unit instead of a cord. You get a wheel for volume, dedicated call, mute and hold functions, a re-programmable Busylight, and a speed dial button for selected contact center platforms. The control unit weighs 68 g (2.4 oz), and the whole package is MS Teams certified, with an LED that glows purple when connected, pulses purple on notification and turns green when you're active on a call through Teams.
Sound-wise, the wider Engage 50 II family is built around a dynamic driver with a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz frequency range, and the platform includes active noise cancellation. Note that this listing is the Link Call Control Unit specifically — it's the controller and USB-C cable, not a standalone headset — so the audio experience comes from the Engage 50 II headset you pair it with. It's also listed as Microsoft Teams certified while working with other platforms, and it carries a 3-year manufacturer warranty.
In my opinion, this is the right pick if your job is the phone or Teams. If you live on calls, a physical mute button and a volume wheel you can find without looking are genuinely better than hunting for on-screen controls. The Busylight is a small thing that matters in an open office — it signals "on a call" without you saying a word. Buy it if you're a contact-center agent, a support or sales desk user, or a heavy Teams caller who wants tactile control and already has (or is buying) an Engage 50 II USB-C headset. Skip it if you just need a headset for occasional meetings — you'd be paying for control hardware you won't use, and a plain headset will do the job.
The HP Poly Blackwire 3325 is the opposite philosophy: one product, out of the box, ready to work. It's a wired, on-ear stereo headset with a boom microphone that uses noise-canceling technology and echo reduction to keep your voice clear on calls. It's certified for Microsoft Teams with dedicated controls, so the mute and call buttons are where Teams users expect them. The 32 Ohm impedance is tuned for clear audio output and broad device compatibility, and the 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz frequency range covers the full spectrum for natural-sounding reproduction. Stereo audio gives you proper left/right separation rather than a single mono channel.
Connectivity is where the Blackwire 3325 earns its keep. It ships with a USB-C/A adapter and also supports a 3.5 mm mini-phone connection, so it moves between a laptop, a desktop and a phone without a drawer full of dongles. The 7 ft cable is the detail people underestimate — it's the difference between standing up to grab something mid-call and yanking the headset off your head. The headset measures 6 x 2.01 x 7 inches and weighs 10.4 ounces.
This is the pick for the hybrid worker, the hot-desker and the person who just wants to sound professional on a call without thinking about it. Buy it if you want a complete headset that works with Teams and plugs into whatever you have in front of you. Skip it if you specifically want a separate desk control unit with a Busylight, speed dial and wheel volume — that's the Jabra's territory, not this one.
• Best for contact-center and heavy Teams call volume → Jabra Engage 50. The dedicated wheel volume, call/mute/hold buttons and speed dial button exist precisely for people who take calls back to back.
• Best for a complete, ready-to-go headset → Hewlett HP Poly Blackwire. It's a full headset with a mic, not a control unit that needs a headset to go with it.
• Best for cable reach and movement → Hewlett HP Poly Blackwire. Its 7 ft cable gives noticeably more room to move than a typical short cord.
• Best for device flexibility → Hewlett HP Poly Blackwire. USB-C, USB-A (via adapter) and 3.5 mm mini-phone covers laptops, desktops and phones.
• Best for tactile, visible call control → Jabra Engage 50. Physical buttons plus a re-programmable Busylight beat on-screen controls when you're on calls all day.
• Best for clear voice pickup in a noisy room → Hewlett HP Poly Blackwire. Noise-canceling boom mic with echo reduction is built into the product, not the headset you pair it with.
• Best for pairing with an existing Engage 50 II headset → Jabra Engage 50. If you already own the headset, the Link controller completes the setup.
• Best for a single purchase with nothing else to buy → Hewlett HP Poly Blackwire. No headset pairing required.
If I had to pick one for most people, I'd buy the Hewlett HP Poly Blackwire 3325. It's a complete headset — stereo audio, a noise-canceling boom mic with echo reduction, Teams certification, a 7 ft cable and USB-C/A plus 3.5 mm connectivity — so it works the moment you unbox it, on almost any device you own. The Jabra Engage 50 is the better tool if your entire job is calls and you're already in the Engage 50 II ecosystem, because that control unit with its Busylight and speed dial is genuinely useful at that volume of call time. But for the average buyer reading this, the Poly is the safer, more complete choice. Check the current price on Amazon before you decide.
It's a Link Call Control Unit — a USB-C controller for Engage 50 II Mono and Stereo USB-C headsets, not a standalone headset. You need one of those headsets to use it.
Yes. It's Microsoft Teams certified with dedicated controls, and it also connects via USB-C, USB-A (with the included adapter) or a 3.5 mm mini-phone jack.
The Poly Blackwire 3325 has a noise-canceling boom microphone with echo reduction built in, which targets your voice directly. The Engage 50 II platform includes active noise cancellation, but this listing is the control unit, so the audio depends on the headset you pair it with.
In my opinion, the Poly Blackwire 3325. It's a complete wired stereo headset with a mic, a long cable and multi-device connectivity, so there's nothing else to buy. Only go with the Jabra if you're building around an Engage 50 II headset and want dedicated desk controls.
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