How We Research
Updated: 2026-10-05 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a low-latency gaming-style earbud with serious battery life and a sealed, noise-cutting fit for the PS5, choose Matast Earbuds; if you need an open-ear clip-on that keeps you aware of your surroundings while you play, run, or move around the house, choose Haowolf Open Ear. I'm framing this whole comparison around one real question people actually ask: which of these makes the better earphones for PS5, and which one wins when you also want sleep headphones for PS5 or just a pair of earbuds for PS5 you can wear for hours? Both run Bluetooth 5.4, both are wireless, and both cost roughly similar attention from buyers — but they solve completely different problems.
• Matast Earbuds — biggest strength: Sealed in-ear fit with ear hooks, four ENC microphones, active noise cancellation, and up to 60 hours of total playtime with the charging case — the more "traditional gaming headset in earbud form" of the two.
• Matast Earbuds — biggest trade-off: It seals your ears, so you lose awareness of what's happening around you, and it's not an open-ear design, so it isn't ideal if you want to hear ambient sound.
• Haowolf Open Ear — biggest strength: Each bud weighs only 5.7 grams, sits on a clip-on ear hook, and leaves your ear canal completely open — plus IPX6 water resistance and up to 30 hours total with the case.
• Haowolf Open Ear — biggest trade-off: No active noise cancellation and no sealed bass, so it's not the pick for immersive, isolated gaming audio; it's built for awareness and comfort, not isolation.
• Who each is for: Matast Earbuds for someone who wants focused, low-latency audio with strong battery for a PS5 session or a gym workout; Haowolf Open Ear for someone who wants all-day comfort and situational awareness, whether gaming, running, or listening while doing chores.
The Matast Earbuds are built around the idea of a sealed, secure, feature-dense sport earbud. The specs tell a clear story: Bluetooth 5.4, a 13mm dynamic driver (the marketing copy also references a 14.2mm graphene driver in a four-sound-chamber design), a frequency range of 18Hz–25kHz, and a 45° ear-hook shape that's meant to stay put during intense movement. Sensitivity is listed at 35 dB. The fit is in-ear, which means the ear tip physically plugs the canal — that's the single most important difference between these two products, and it's the reason the Matast is the better candidate for immersive audio on a PS5.
The battery math is the other headline. Each earbud gives up to 8 hours per charge, and the case recharges them multiple times for up to 60 hours total, with a 10-minute USB-C fast charge adding roughly 2 hours. A dual LED display shows charge percentage from 1% to 100%, so you're not guessing. For a multi-hour gaming marathon, that headroom matters — you can take a bud out, drop it in the case, and keep going.
Where the Matast really separates itself is call and noise handling. It has four HD microphones with ENC noise cancelling, and the listing claims vocal clarity improvements and external noise reduction. It also lists active noise cancellation as a noise-control feature. In practice, that combination — sealed fit plus ANC plus a mic array — is what you want if you're chatting in a party while playing, or taking a call between matches. On the connectivity side, it supports HFP, A2DP, HSP, and AVRCP, with a stated 50-foot range and 35ms lower latency than Bluetooth 5.3. That latency figure is worth noting for PS5 use: lower latency means less audio lag between what you see and what you hear.
Who should buy it: Anyone who wants one pair for focused gaming on a PS5, gym sessions, and calls — especially if you value long battery life, a locked-in fit, and noise isolation. The IP7 waterproof nano-coating makes it a reasonable sweat-and-rain companion too, and the three ear-tip sizes (S, M, L) help you tune the seal.
Who should skip it: If you need to hear your surroundings — a shared household, outdoor running on roads, or a partner calling your name mid-game — the sealed in-ear design works against you. And if open-ear comfort is your priority, the Matast simply isn't that product.
The Haowolf Open Ear is a different philosophy entirely. It's a clip-on ear-hook design that sits outside the ear canal, so nothing plugs your ears. Each bud weighs just 5.7 grams and is made with soft silicone, which is the whole point: all-day wear without pressure. If you've ever had in-ear buds ache after a couple of hours, this is the spec that matters. The 24.95g figure in the item details is the packaged/product weight listing, while the earbuds themselves are the featherweight 5.7g each.
Audio here comes from a bone-conduction driver — the sheet lists a 16.2mm driver size, 32 ohm impedance, 105 sensitivity, and a 20Hz frequency response with 60ms audio latency. Directional acoustic technology is claimed to cut sound leakage by up to 99%, which is the key complaint people have with open-ear audio: everyone around you hearing your music. The Haowolf claims to address that, though you should still expect less bass thump than a sealed design, because physics doesn't care about marketing.
The mic setup is genuinely strong for an open-ear pair: up to four built-in microphones with AI noise-cancelling algorithms. That means calls and party chat should come through clearly even though your ears are open. Bluetooth 5.4 is on board with a stated 33-foot range. Battery is 30 hours total with the charging case, and a 10-minute charge gives up to 2 hours — so a quick top-up before a session is realistic.
Two extras stand out. First, IPX6 water resistance via nano-coating — fine for sweat and rain, though note it's a lower rating than the Matast's IP7. Second, the Boean AI music generation app, which lets you turn a mood or style idea into original music in about two minutes and also customize EQ modes for genres like jazz, blues, and classical. That's a genuinely unusual feature and worth knowing about if you like tinkering.
Who should buy it: Runners, cyclists, and anyone who wants to stay aware of their environment while listening. Also a strong pick if in-ear pressure bugs you, or if you want a light pair for long sessions where awareness matters more than isolation. For PS5 use, it's the better choice if you play in a room where you still need to hear other people.
Who should skip it: If you want deep, isolated bass and zero outside noise, this isn't it — there's no active noise cancellation listed, and the open design leaks sound by nature. If you need maximum battery and a sealed fit, the Matast wins.
• Best for immersive PS5 gaming audio → Matast Earbuds. The sealed in-ear fit plus ANC and the lower-latency claim make it the more game-friendly pick.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → Haowolf Open Ear. Open-ear design with directional acoustics and 99% leakage reduction claim keeps you present.
• Best for battery life → Matast Earbuds. Up to 60 hours total versus 30 hours on the Haowolf.
• Best for all-day comfort → Haowolf Open Ear. 5.7g per bud and soft silicone beats a sealed in-ear for marathon wear.
• Best for calls and party chat → Tie, leaning Matast. Both offer four mics, but the Matast adds ANC and a sealed fit for cleaner isolation.
• Best for workouts and rain → Matast Earbuds. IP7 versus IPX6 — a slightly higher water-resistance rating.
• Best for runners and cyclists → Haowolf Open Ear. Awareness is a safety feature outdoors.
• Best for tinkerers → Haowolf Open Ear. The Boean AI music generation app and EQ customization are unique to it.
For a PS5-first buyer, I'd go with the Matast Earbuds. In my opinion, the combination of a sealed in-ear fit, active noise cancellation, four ENC mics, the lower-latency Bluetooth 5.4 claim, and up to 60 hours of total playtime makes it the more complete package for gaming, calls, and workouts. The Haowolf Open Ear is the better choice only if open-ear awareness and ultra-light comfort matter more to you than isolation and battery. If you're unsure, think about your room: if you need to hear the world while you play, pick Haowolf; if you want to shut it out, pick Matast. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since pricing moves.
For most PS5 players, the Matast is the better fit because of its sealed in-ear design, ANC, and lower-latency Bluetooth 5.4 claim. The Haowolf is better only if you need to stay aware of your surroundings while playing.
The Haowolf Open Ear is the more sleep-friendly option thanks to its 5.7g per bud weight and open-ear clip design that avoids ear-canal pressure. The Matast's sealed in-ear fit is more likely to feel uncomfortable if you lie on your side.
Matast lists up to 60 hours total with the charging case, while Haowolf lists up to 30 hours. Both support a fast top-up — 10 minutes for roughly 2 hours of playback.
No — the sheet lists no active noise cancellation for the Haowolf. It relies on an open-ear design and AI noise-cancelling microphones for calls, not for blocking ambient sound. The Matast, by contrast, lists active noise cancellation.
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