We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want to add Bluetooth to a Windows PC so a teen can pair wireless headphones, a controller, or a phone without hunting for a dongle, choose Kinivo USB; if you need a physical 3.5mm headphone and mic jack back on a computer that lost one, choose SABRENT USB External. This is the short version of a question I get a lot from parents putting together a homework-and-gaming setup for teens: "which little USB stick actually gets my headphones working on Windows?" The two products get lumped together because both are cheap, thumb-sized USB accessories that promise to fix audio on a PC. They are not the same thing at all, and picking the wrong one is the most common way people waste a purchase here.
• Kinivo USB — biggest strength: a Bluetooth 4.0 Class 2 radio with up to 30 feet (10 m) of range, so wireless headphones, headsets, phones, printers, and an Xbox One wireless controller can all pair to a desktop or laptop that has no Bluetooth built in.
• Kinivo USB — biggest trade-off: it is a radio, not a sound card. It only helps you if your headphones are Bluetooth. Wired 3.5mm headphones get nothing from it, and Windows 11/10 need a driver installed first.
• SABRENT USB External — biggest strength: true plug-and-play audio with a 3.5mm stereo headphone output plus a separate 3.5mm mono mic input, recognized as a standard USB audio device with no drivers, no software, and no external power.
• SABRENT USB External — biggest trade-off: it is wired-only and strictly 2-channel stereo. It does not support 4-pole combo headsets on one plug, does not power passive speakers, and does not add surround sound.
• Who each pick is for: Kinivo for wireless-first setups (Bluetooth headphones, controllers, phones); SABRENT for anyone who needs a working headphone/mic jack on a laptop, desktop, or mini PC.
The Kinivo BTD400 is a Bluetooth adapter, and it is honest about that job. It turns a Windows 11/10/8.1/8 PC, a Raspberry Pi, or a Linux machine that has no built-in Bluetooth into one that does. Plug it into a free USB port and suddenly your computer can talk to mobile phones, printers, headsets, stereo headphones, and game controllers — including the Xbox One Wireless Controller with Bluetooth. The spec that matters most for a teen is the range: up to 30 feet (10 meters), Class 2, Bluetooth 4.0 with low energy. That is enough to walk across a bedroom or flop on a bed while still wearing wireless headphones, which is exactly the scenario this dongle is built for.
Who should skip it? Anyone whose headphones are wired. If your teen's headphones end in a 3.5mm plug — which is still most ear clip headphones and most budget gaming headsets — the Kinivo does nothing for them. It also won't help if the PC's own headphone jack is broken or missing; that is a hardware problem, not a Bluetooth problem. And if the goal is simply "make sound come out of my wired headphones," this is the wrong tool entirely. The Kinivo is backed by a two-year warranty and US-based support, and it is tiny — roughly half an inch long — so it stays out of the way in a laptop port.
SABRENT USB External: Who It's For
The SABRENT AU-MMSA is the opposite kind of fix. It is a USB external stereo sound card adapter: a USB Type-A plug on one end, a green 3.5mm stereo output and a pink 3.5mm mono microphone input on the other. Plug it in and it appears as a standard USB audio device — no drivers, no software, no external power, because it runs off USB bus power. You then select it as your sound output and input device in Windows, and you're done. It is driverless across a huge spread of systems, from Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP up through Windows 7/8, plus Linux and Mac OS X, and it is compliant with the USB Audio Device Class 1.0 spec.
Where it earns its place: laptops, desktops, and mini PCs whose onboard jack has failed or was never there. Plenty of modern thin laptops and small-form-factor machines either dropped the 3.5mm port or have one that has gone crackly and dead. This adapter adds a headphone port and a mic port back, which is a big deal for a teen doing online classes, voice chat, or recording. The green jack handles headphones or powered speakers; the pink jack takes a 3.5mm mic. It reports a 48 KHz maximum sample rate and a 98 dB signal-to-noise ratio, which is a normal, serviceable stereo spec.
The limits matter, so read them before buying. It is 2-channel stereo only — it does not add surround sound, whatever the "3D sound" field in the listing suggests. It will not drive passive speakers; they need their own power. And it does not support 4-pole headsets on a single combo plug, so a gaming headset with one TRRS plug for both audio and mic will not work properly — you need separate headphone and mic plugs, or a splitter. One more practical note: managed or work-issued computers can block new USB audio devices by policy, so if this is for a company machine, check with IT first. It carries a one-year limited warranty, extended to two years if you register within 90 days.
• Best for wireless headphones → Kinivo USB. It is a Bluetooth radio; wired headphones get nothing from it.
• Best for wired 3.5mm headphones → SABRENT USB External. It gives you a real headphone jack, no drivers required.
• Best for a broken or missing headphone jack → SABRENT USB External. This is literally the problem it solves.
• Best for a PC with no Bluetooth at all → Kinivo USB. Up to 30 feet of range, plus phone, printer, and controller pairing.
• Best for a teen who wants a low-latency-feeling wireless setup they can walk around with → Kinivo USB, paired with Bluetooth headphones they already own.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity on old hardware → SABRENT USB External, which is driverless on Windows 98SE through 8, Linux, and Mac OS X.
• Best for a mic → SABRENT USB External, thanks to its dedicated pink 3.5mm mono input. Kinivo only passes audio through Bluetooth; it does not add a microphone port.
• Best for Raspberry Pi / Linux Bluetooth → Kinivo USB, which works with Raspbian and Ubuntu.
• Best for a locked-down work or school laptop → check first either way. SABRENT warns that managed machines can block new USB audio devices by policy.
If I were buying for a teen today and I had to pick one, I would pick based on what their headphones actually are — that is the whole decision. If their headphones are Bluetooth, buy the Kinivo USB (B007Q45EF4); it is the only one of the two that turns a Bluetooth-less Windows PC into a wireless audio machine, and the 30-foot range fits how teens actually use headphones at a desk or on a bed. If their headphones are wired, or the laptop's jack is dead, buy the SABRENT USB External (B00IRVQ0F8), because no amount of Bluetooth will make a 3.5mm plug work. As a headphone gift for teens, remember the adapter is the boring part — match it to the headphones, not the other way around. In my opinion, most people asking this question own Bluetooth headphones and should start with the Kinivo. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since it fluctuates.
FAQ
how to connect headphones to windows pc
how to connect headphones to pc windows 10
On Windows 10, the Kinivo requires a driver installation before the Bluetooth radio works, after which you pair headphones normally. The SABRENT adapter needs no driver on Windows 10 — plug it in, then select it as your playback and recording device in sound settings.
how can i connect my headphones to my pc
First identify the headphone type. Bluetooth headphones need a Bluetooth adapter like the Kinivo BTD400. Wired 3.5mm headphones need a physical audio output, which the SABRENT USB External supplies via its green stereo jack when the PC's own port is missing or broken.
how to use headphones on pc
For wireless use, plug in the Kinivo, install the driver on Windows 10 or 11, and pair the headphones. For wired use, plug the SABRENT adapter into USB, plug the headphones into the green jack, and set it as the default output. Note the SABRENT does not support 4-pole combo headsets on a single plug.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB vs X Rocker 512: Recording Studio, Amazon Renewed Soundcore V20i vs ERDU Magnetic Ear Cuff, FANVERIM 3'2 vs ERYUE Earphone: Wrap Around Earbuds, how UliX Rider compares to PENGARO iPhone 17