We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-25 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want one wired headset that doubles as a game-chat and work-call tool across almost every platform you own, choose Joso One Ear Headset; if you need an over-ear PC gaming headset with virtual surround sound, a boom mic, and RGB attitude, choose ETWAR EG100. These two are solving completely different problems, and once you see that, the choice gets easy fast.
• Joso's biggest strength: a single-ear, open-ear design with a 3.5mm jack plus USB-C and USB-A adapters, so it moves between PS5, PS4, Xbox controllers, Switch, PC, Mac, iPad, tablet and phones — and it works for calls and coaching too.
• Joso's biggest trade-off: it's a chat headset, not an immersive one. One 40mm driver on one ear means you hear your game and your teammates, not a surround-sound soundstage. No noise cancellation either.
• ETWAR's biggest strength: a proper over-ear PC gaming build — 50mm drivers, USB 7.1 virtual surround, a noise-cancelling boom mic, protein leather earcups and RGB lighting, backed by a 2-year warranty.
• ETWAR's biggest trade-off: USB only. It works with PC, laptop, Mac, PS4 and PS5 (USB port), but not Xbox at all, and it won't plug into a phone or a controller's 3.5mm jack.
• Pick Joso if you want one headset for cross-platform chat, softphone calls, online classes and casual play.
• Pick ETWAR if you game primarily on a PC and want the fuller, bassier, over-ear experience with a surround-sound chip and RGB.
The Joso is a wired one-ear headset built around flexibility. Its 3.5mm jack reaches PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S/X and Xbox One S/X controllers, Switch, PC, laptop, Mac, iPad, tablet and mobile devices — with a caveat the spec sheet is honest about: it does not work with older Xbox One controllers. In the box you get the headset, a 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter and a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter, so the same unit can hang off a console controller, a laptop port or a tablet without hunting for dongles.
That's the whole point of this headset: it's a communication tool. It's for the player who wants to hear their squad and their room at the same time, the remote worker juggling Skype, Lync, softphone and UC calls, the coach on a headset all afternoon, the student in an online class. Skip it if you want to be swallowed by a game's soundscape, if you need active noise cancellation, or if you game on an older Xbox One controller. In my opinion, buying this as your only "gaming headphone" for single-player immersion would be the wrong use of it.
ETWAR EG100: Who It's For
The ETWAR EG100 is the opposite philosophy. It's an over-ear, closed-back gaming headset that wants to put you inside the game. Inside each cup is a 50mm dynamic driver fed by a built-in USB 7.1 audio chipset — no drivers to install, plug and play. The stated frequency range is 100Hz–10kHz, which tells you the tuning leans toward the low end: deep bass and punchy effects rather than studio-flat detail. If you've ever wanted footsteps and explosions to feel like they have weight, that's the pitch here.
The mic is the other headline. It's an omnidirectional unit with noise-cancelling processing designed to filter background noise around you, mounted on a long flexible boom so you can angle it where you want. The earcups are protein leather over a retractable leather headband, and ETWAR claims the design reduces heat and sweat on long sessions. There's RGB lighting on the earcups for the full desk-setup look, and the company backs the headset with a 2-year warranty and 24-hour support.
Here's the catch, and it's a real one: this is a USB headset. It works with PC, laptop, Mac, PS4 and PS5 — and on PS4/PS5 you must plug it into the console's USB port. It does not work with Xbox, and it won't connect to a phone or a controller's 3.5mm jack. So it's for the desk gamer: someone planted in front of a PC or a PlayStation, who wants one cable, surround sound, a clear mic and lights that match the rig. If you play handheld, on an Xbox, or need one headset for work calls, this isn't your pick.
• Best for cross-platform chat and work calls → Joso One Ear Headset. 3.5mm plus USB-C and USB-A adapters covers consoles, computers and tablets in one unit.
• Best for immersive PC gaming audio → ETWAR EG100. 50mm drivers and USB 7.1 virtual surround are built for exactly that.
• Best for hearing your surroundings while you play → Joso. Open-ear, single-cup design keeps one ear free.
• Best for a serious boom mic setup → ETWAR. Omnidirectional noise-cancelling mic on a long flexible boom.
• Best for PlayStation 5 → either, with a caveat. Joso plugs into the controller; ETWAR needs the console's USB port.
• Best for Xbox → Joso. ETWAR explicitly does not support Xbox at all.
• Best for phone and tablet use → Joso. ETWAR is USB-only and won't connect to mobile devices.
• Best for long-session comfort in an over-ear format → ETWAR's retractable leather headband and protein earcups are designed for it, though at 0.47 kg it's the heavier of the two.
• Best for a low-hassle warranty → ETWAR, which carries a 2-year warranty.
If I had to pick one for the way most people actually use a headset — gaming plus calls plus the occasional console session — I'd buy the Joso One Ear Headset. It goes everywhere, it's light, and it's honest about being a chat tool rather than pretending to be a home theater. But if your world is a PC desk and you want the thump, the surround processing and the RGB, I'd buy the ETWAR EG100 instead. Different jobs, different headsets. Match the tool to the job and you won't regret either one.
are in ear headphones good for gaming
They can be, but they're a different category from both of these. The Joso is an open, single-ear headset and the ETWAR is a closed over-ear design, so neither is in-ear. For gaming chat and positional awareness, the over-ear ETWAR with its 7.1 surround chipset is the more game-focused of the pair.
do over ear headphones damage hearing
Any headphone can contribute to hearing problems if you listen too loud for too long. ETWAR states its earcup design is intended to reduce heat and sweat for comfort, and the ETWAR's active noise cancellation plus the sealed over-ear fit can let you listen at lower volumes. Keep levels sensible and it's a non-issue.
how do over ear headphones work
A driver inside each earcup converts electrical signal into sound, and the sealed cups around your ears shape and contain that sound. In the ETWAR, a 50mm dynamic driver per side is fed by a USB 7.1 chipset, while the Joso uses a single 40mm driver in an open, one-ear format.
is gaming headphones good for music
It depends on tuning. The ETWAR's 100Hz–10kHz range leans warm and bass-forward, which suits games and heavier music but won't give you audiophile sparkle up top. The Joso's 20Hz–20kHz range is wider on paper, but it's a chat-focused single-ear design, so it's not my first pick for critical listening either.
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