How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-01 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• ONITOON Cat Ear Gaming — biggest strength: detachable cat ears plus USB-powered rainbow RGB lighting, so you get a look you can actually change, backed by 50mm dynamic drivers, a 32-ohm impedance rating and 105 dB sensitivity.
• ONITOON Cat Ear Gaming — biggest trade-off: the RGB runs off USB power, and the mic depends on the correct green/red splitter connection, so it is a headset you have to plug in properly rather than purely plug-and-play.
• HORI Gaming Headset Brown — biggest strength: a sturdy yet lightweight build with a flexible detachable mic, onboard volume and mute controls, and an 8.2 ft extension cable with a 4-pole 3.5mm jack.
• HORI Gaming Headset Brown — biggest trade-off: it is made for Nintendo Switch systems first, so its appeal narrows if you game on PC, PS5 or a laptop.
• Who each pick is for: ONITOON for multi-platform players who want style and RGB; HORI for Switch players who want comfortable voice chat and a long cable.
The ONITOON Cat Ear Gaming is built around two ideas: looking the way you want and staying comfortable while you do it. The black cat ears clip on or come off, so the same headset can read as playful or plain depending on your mood. The rainbow gradient RGB lighting along the body and headband runs on USB power, which means the glow is a deliberate add-on you plug in rather than something baked into the 3.5mm audio connection.
Under the styling, the specs are straightforward. The 50mm dynamic drivers are the headline audio component, with a 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range, 32-ohm impedance and 105 dB sensitivity. That combination is typical of a wired headset designed to be driven easily by a console controller, a laptop jack or a phone. The over-ear cups use a fabric and foam cushion, and the auto-adjustable, lightweight headband plus the soft breathable padding are aimed squarely at long sessions — the kind where you forget you are wearing anything.
Buy it if you play across PC, laptop, PS5, PS4, Switch or tablet and want one wired headset that looks distinctive and adjusts to your head. Skip it if you dislike cable management, or if you want zero setup friction, because the splitter and USB light cable both need to be routed correctly.
HORI Gaming Headset Brown: Who It's For
The HORI Gaming Headset Brown takes the opposite approach. Instead of flash, it leans on fit, cable length and officially licensed Nintendo compatibility. The Wood Brown finish carries the Tom Nook design from Animal Crossing, which makes it a natural match for anyone who plays on a Switch and likes their gear to match the games they play. It is compatible with all Nintendo Switch systems, and HORI lists it as officially licensed by Nintendo — a factual designation about the product, not an endorsement of this page.
The practical design is what stands out. HORI describes it as sturdy yet lightweight, with an adjustable fit and a flexible mic for voice chat. The mic detaches, so you can strip the headset down for solo play and clip it back on when you want to talk. Onboard audio controls put volume and mute within reach on the headset itself rather than on a separate inline module, and the sound blocking design is intended to keep game audio in and distractions out.
The included 8.2 ft extension cable is the quiet hero here. That is a genuinely long run, and paired with the 3.5mm 4-pole audio jack it means you can sit well back from a docked Switch or a TV without tugging at the cable. The 4-pole jack also handles audio and mic in one connector, which keeps the setup simple on compatible devices. HORI backs it with a 1-year manufacturer warranty.
Buy it if you mainly play on Nintendo Switch systems, want onboard volume and mute, and value a long cable and a detachable mic. Skip it if your setup is mostly PC, PlayStation or Xbox, where a multi-platform headset will serve you better.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for Nintendo Switch owners → HORI Gaming Headset Brown. It is made for Switch systems and is officially licensed by Nintendo.
• Best for customization and looks → ONITOON Cat Ear Gaming. Detachable cat ears plus USB-powered rainbow RGB you can switch on or leave off.
• Best for cable reach → HORI Gaming Headset Brown. The included 8.2 ft extension cable gives you far more room to sit back.
• Best for quick muting → HORI Gaming Headset Brown. Onboard volume and mute controls sit on the headset itself.
• Best for long sessions → ONITOON Cat Ear Gaming. Fabric-and-foam over-ear cushions and a lightweight auto-adjustable headband are built for extended wear.
• Best for big-driver audio specs → ONITOON Cat Ear Gaming. 50mm dynamic drivers with a 20 Hz–20 kHz range, 32-ohm impedance and 105 dB sensitivity.
• Best for a simple single-cable hookup → HORI Gaming Headset Brown. The 4-pole 3.5mm jack carries audio and mic together.
I would buy the ONITOON Cat Ear Gaming. In my opinion it is the more flexible headset: the 3.5mm jack plus included splitter cable lets it move between PC, laptop, console and tablet, the detachable ears and RGB let you change its personality, and the 50mm drivers with fabric over-ear cushions are aimed at people who play for hours. The HORI is the better pick if you live on Nintendo Switch and want a long cable with onboard mute — but for a single headset that covers the most ground, ONITOON wins for me.
how to switch headphones between devices
Unplug the 3.5mm jack from the current device and plug it into the next one. With the ONITOON Cat Ear Gaming, if the new device separates audio and mic, use the included audio/mic splitter cable — green for audio, red for mic. The HORI uses a single 4-pole 3.5mm jack, so it connects with one plug on compatible devices.
how to switch headphones to headset windows 11
Connect the headset by its 3.5mm jack, then open Windows sound settings and select the headset as both the output and input device. If your PC has separate jacks, the ONITOON's green/red splitter cable is what routes audio and mic correctly. If the mic still does not register, check the inline mic switch before troubleshooting anything else.
how to switch headphones left right
Left/right is set by the earcups themselves, not by software. Put the headset on so the mic boom sits on the side you prefer, then use the adjustable headband — the ONITOON's auto-adjusts, the HORI's is adjustable — to get the cups seated evenly. If audio sounds swapped, check your device's balance settings rather than the headset.
how to switch headphones to speakers on computer
In Windows, open sound settings and choose your speakers as the output device instead of the headset. You can leave the headset plugged in and simply switch back when you want to chat, since both of these are wired headsets that do not need to be unplugged to change output.
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