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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
These two look like they belong in the same "cheap wired headphones" pile, but they solve completely different problems. One is a sport earhook design that wraps around the ear so it stays put. The other is a traditional on-ear headphone with cushioned cups and a folding headband. In my opinion, most buyers already know which shape they want — the real question is whether the specs back it up. They do, and the gap between them is bigger than the shared 3.5 mm plug suggests.
• Joysico's biggest strength: the earhook design and small-size earbuds, made for people whose ears reject normal earbuds, plus a sweatproof thicker cord and inline controls for running.
• Joysico's biggest trade-off: it's a wired in-ear with a 3.5 mm plug, and newer phones without a headphone jack need an adapter.
• ARTIX's biggest strength: a foldable over-ear build with a 40 mm dynamic driver, cushioned cups, adjustable headband and metal-and-plastic construction for desk, school and travel use.
• ARTIX's biggest trade-off: it's on-ear, so it's bulkier than an earbud and not something you'd want bouncing around during a run; volume control only works on mobile devices.
• Who Joysico is for: petite women, boys and girls age 8+, runners, joggers and anyone who has never found an earbud that stays in.
• Who ARTIX is for: students, commuters, remote workers and gamers who want one wired pair that folds up and covers the whole ear.
The Joysico set is a sport earbud first and a headphone second. The whole design revolves around the earhook: a thin, flexible wire loops over the top of your ear and holds the bud in place. That matters if you've ever had a normal earbud pop out mid-jog, or if you wear glasses and can't stand extra bulk behind your ear. The buds themselves are deliberately smaller than standard earbuds, and the tip is rounded rather than deep-set. You're not jamming anything into the ear canal — the bud nestles in place instead. For petite women, kids around 8 and up, and anyone with narrow ear canals, that's the entire point.
Sound-wise, the spec sheet lists a dynamic driver covering 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, with the company describing strong bass and no distortion at high volume. The angled in-ear shape gives you passive sound isolation, and there are extra memory foam tips in the box if you want a tighter seal and more low end. Practically, that combo works well for podcasts, audiobooks and radio as much as music — the kind of audio you consume while moving. The inline remote sits below your jaw and handles calls, track skipping, volume and voice assistant activation, with a mic that's positioned to pick up your voice rather than the wind around you.
Who should skip it: if you want a big, immersive over-ear soundstage for desk work, this isn't that product. And if your phone dropped the headphone jack, you'll need an adapter — the plug is 3.5 mm and the listing notes lightning adapters for iPhone 7 and later, and possibly a USB-C adapter for newer Android phones.
ARTIX Headphones: Who It's For
ARTIX takes the opposite approach. This is a foldable on-ear headphone with oval cushioned cups, an adjustable headband, and a metal-and-plastic frame in rose gold. It weighs 6.5 ounces — roughly four and a half times the Joysico — and that weight is the trade you make for ear cups that sit over your ears instead of inside them. The headband adjusts, so it works for kids and adults, and the cups fold so the whole thing collapses into a bag for school or travel.
The audio side is where ARTIX separates itself. It uses a 40 mm dynamic driver with 32 ohm impedance and 88 dB sensitivity, which is a normal, easy-to-drive spec for phones, laptops and consoles. A 40 mm driver moves more air than a small earbud driver, so you get a wider, fuller presentation — better for movies, gaming and long listening sessions than for a 5K. Noise isolation here is passive, from the cups sealing around your ears, and the company positions it for focus while studying, commuting or working. The inline remote handles volume, but note the listing's caveat: volume control works on mobile devices only, so on a PC or console you'd manage levels at the source.
The built-in mic is the other headline. It's designed for calls, video meetings, podcasts and gaming, with plug-and-play 3.5 mm support for PC, Mac, PS4, PS5 and Xbox. If you need one wired headset that does school classes, work calls and console gaming, this covers all three without a dongle.
Who should skip it: runners. An on-ear headphone with a fixed headband isn't built to stay put through sweat and motion, and there's no earhook or sport cable management here. It's also the wrong pick if you specifically need something small that disappears into your ears.
• Best for running and jogging → Joysico Sport Running Headphones. Earhook retention, sweatproof cord, cable clip, and a fit that survives movement.
• Best for small ears and kids → Joysico Sport Running Headphones. The buds are intentionally smaller than standard earbuds and designed for ages 8 and up.
• Best for desk work, study and gaming → ARTIX Headphones. The 40 mm driver, over-ear cups and console compatibility fit long sessions.
• Best for travel and packing → ARTIX Headphones. It folds; the Joysico is a fixed earhook earbud.
• Best for calls in noisy places → ARTIX Headphones if you want cup-level isolation around your ears; Joysico if you'd rather have the mic close to your jaw and nothing on your head.
• Best for wearing with glasses → Joysico Sport Running Headphones. The thin earhook wire is designed to sit alongside glasses arms without pressure.
• Best for kids at school → ARTIX Headphones for the adjustable headband and foldable build, or Joysico if the child has small ears and can't keep earbuds in.
• Best for older phones without an adapter → either, with a caveat. Both use 3.5 mm; Joysico's listing spells out the adapter situation for newer iPhones and USB-C phones.
If I had to pick one for myself, I'd buy the ARTIX Headphones. In my opinion, the 40 mm driver, over-ear cups and folding design make it the more versatile everyday pair — it covers work calls, studying, movies and console gaming, and the adjustable headband means it fits more people in one household. I'd only switch to the Joysico Sport Running Headphones if my actual problem were earbuds falling out during exercise, or if I had small ears that regular buds don't fit. That's a real problem, and Joysico solves it specifically. But as a general-purpose wired headphone, ARTIX does more jobs.
Check the current price on Amazon before you commit — both are budget-tier wired options, and the value question depends on what you're replacing.
FAQ
Yes — that's their main design goal. The buds are smaller than normal earbuds, the tip is rounded rather than deep, and the earhook holds them in place. The listing recommends them for petite women, boys, girls and kids age 8 and up.
Yes. The listing states plug-and-play 3.5 mm compatibility with PC, Mac, PS4, PS5 and Xbox, plus the inline mic for game chat. Just remember volume control works on mobile devices only.
You'll need an adapter. Joysico lists a lightning adapter for iPhone 7 and later, and possibly a USB-C adapter for newer Android phones, since the plug is 3.5 mm.
Joysico, without much debate. It's described as sweatproof with a thicker cord, a cable clip and an earhook that keeps the buds from slipping. ARTIX is a foldable on-ear headphone — great for study and travel, not built for sweat.
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