We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-21 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want featherlight open-ear buds for running, workouts and all-day awareness, choose JOYROOM Open-Ear; if you need a low-latency gaming headset with a boom mic and console/PC connectivity, choose EKSA 2.4GHz.
• JOYROOM's biggest strength: a true open-ear hook design at roughly 10g per bud, with 12.5 hours per charge and a 50-hour total case reserve — built for movement and staying aware of your surroundings.
• JOYROOM's biggest trade-off: it's an open-ear acoustic design with no active noise cancellation, so it won't isolate you from a noisy room or deliver the kind of closed, thumping bass a sealed headphone gives.
• EKSA's biggest strength: 2.4GHz wireless at under 30ms latency plus a slot-in noise-cancelling boom mic — exactly what competitive gaming and voice chat demand.
• EKSA's biggest trade-off: it's a 169g over-ear headset with a fixed boom mic and RGB, which is simply not the thing you'd want to wear on a run or in the office.
• Pick JOYROOM if you're a runner, cyclist or gym-goer who wants music and calls while still hearing traffic and the world around you.
• Pick EKSA if you game on PS5, PS4, PC, Switch or Mac and need instant audio response and a clear mic for callouts.
Start with the shape. The JOYROOM Open-Ear is a hook-style earbud that sits outside your ear canal rather than plugging it. Each bud is about 10g, and the enclosure mixes plastic with silicone — a sensible combination for something that hooks over your ear and stays there through sweat and movement. In my opinion, that featherlight hook structure is the whole point of this product: it's designed so you can wear it for hours without the pressure and heat buildup that sealed in-ears cause.
The battery story is the other headline. You get roughly 12.5 hours from a single charge, and the charging case pushes the total to about 50 hours, with an LED digital display showing the remaining percentage. For a runner or commuter, that's a genuinely relaxed charging rhythm — you're not babysitting the case every couple of days. Bluetooth 5.4 handles auto-pairing as soon as you lift a bud out, and dual-channel transmission keeps the connection stable and low-latency for its class. Touch controls cover volume, playback and calls.
Audio-wise, JOYROOM uses 16mm dynamic drivers with a bass-enhancement algorithm and a directional sound field that the spec sheet says reduces sound leakage by up to 80%. That last figure matters more than it sounds: open-ear buds are notorious for broadcasting your podcast to everyone nearby, and directional transmission is the fix. The frequency range is a standard 20Hz–20KHz, and the tuning is aimed at music, calls and podcasts rather than competitive gaming.
Here's who should skip it. If you want noise cancellation, this product has none — that's not a flaw, it's the deal you make for open-ear safety and comfort. And if you need a boom mic for team voice chat, JOYROOM doesn't have one. Finally, IPX4 means sweat and light rain are fine, but don't submerge it. For runners, cyclists, gym-goers and anyone who needs to hear traffic or a doorbell while listening, this is the right tool.
The EKSA 2.4GHz is a different animal entirely — an over-ear gaming headset with a proper boom mic. The core feature is its 2.4GHz wireless connection rated at under 30ms latency. That number is the reason to buy it: in a shooter, the gap between seeing a muzzle flash and hearing the shot is what gets you killed, and 2.4GHz dongle-style wireless is engineered specifically to close that gap. It also supports Bluetooth 5.4, so you can use it untethered from a phone or laptop when you're not in a match, plus wired options via 3.5mm and USB-C.
Sound comes from tuned 40mm dynamic drivers with 80-ohm impedance, and EKSA splits the tuning into two modes — a game mode tuned for positional accuracy and low latency, and a music mode for a fuller, richer listen. One button swaps between them. I like that approach: a single headset that doesn't force you to compromise between competitive clarity and everyday enjoyment.
The microphone is the other half of the pitch. It's a flexible, slot-in noise-cancelling boom mic that suppresses background noise so teammates hear your callouts instead of your keyboard. When you're done, it folds into the earcup for a low-profile look — a smart touch if you also want to wear these on a commute or while travelling.
Comfort and stamina are handled well on paper. At 169g it's light for an over-ear headset, and breathable mesh earpads are there to cut heat buildup during long sessions. The headband adjusts and the whole thing folds for packing. Battery life is rated at up to 35 hours, with fast charge giving you hours of play from a short top-up and a full charge taking about 2.5 hours over USB-C. There's also downward-facing RGB with one-button control if you want ambient glow — or you can switch it off.
Who should skip it? Anyone who wants buds for running, cycling or workouts. This is a headset you wear at a desk or on a couch, not one you hook over your ear and sprint in. And if you specifically want to hear the world around you, a closed over-ear design works against that.
• Best for running and workouts → JOYROOM Open-Ear. 10g per bud, hook fit, IPX4 sweat and rain resistance.
• Best for competitive gaming → EKSA 2.4GHz. Under 30ms 2.4GHz latency and a low-latency game mode.
• Best for voice chat and team callouts → EKSA 2.4GHz. The slot-in noise-cancelling boom mic is built for exactly this.
• Best for total battery runtime → JOYROOM Open-Ear. Roughly 50 hours with the case versus 35 hours on EKSA.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → JOYROOM Open-Ear. The open-ear design lets ambient sound in by nature.
• Best for console and PC gaming → EKSA 2.4GHz. PS5, PS4, PC, Switch and Mac are all in its compatibility list, with 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.4 and wired options.
• Best for long desk sessions → EKSA 2.4GHz. 169g, breathable mesh pads, adjustable headband and foldable build.
• Best for private listening in public → JOYROOM Open-Ear. Directional audio transmission cuts leakage by up to 80%, which matters in a quiet carriage or office.
• Best for calls and podcasts on the move → JOYROOM Open-Ear. Tuned for music, calls and podcasts with touch controls for volume, playback and calls.
If I had to buy one, I'd pick based on the room I'd be sitting in. For gaming at a desk — especially anything competitive or anything involving voice chat — I'd take the EKSA 2.4GHz (B0G4WFN9HM). The sub-30ms 2.4GHz link, the dual game/music tuning and the noise-cancelling boom mic are the three things that actually decide whether a gaming headset feels right, and EKSA checks all three. If instead my priority were running, cycling or simply not sealing the world out, I'd take the JOYROOM Open-Ear without hesitation: 10g buds, 50 hours total and directional leakage control add up to the more pleasant everyday companion. Two good products, two different jobs — pick the job first.
JOYROOM Open-Ear. It's a 10g-per-bud hook design with IPX4 waterproofing, so it handles sweat and rain, and the open-ear fit lets you hear traffic. EKSA is a 169g over-ear gaming headset — not built for running.
No. Its noise control field lists none, because the open-ear design is intentionally letting ambient sound in. EKSA's noise cancelling applies to its microphone, not to the audio you hear.
JOYROOM Open-Ear wins on total runtime: about 12.5 hours per charge and roughly 50 hours with the charging case. EKSA is rated at up to 35 hours, with a full charge taking about 2.5 hours via USB-C and fast charge for quick top-ups.
It's flexible. EKSA has a dedicated music mode alongside its game mode, supports Bluetooth 5.4 and wired 3.5mm/USB-C, and the boom mic folds into the earcup when you don't need it — so music, travel and everyday listening are all reasonable uses.
Value depends on what you'll actually do with it. If you game on PS5, PS4, PC, Switch or Mac, EKSA's low-latency wireless and boom mic are the features you're paying for. If you run, ride or work out, JOYROOM's open-ear comfort and 50-hour runtime are the features you're paying for. Check the current price on Amazon for both before deciding.
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