We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-28 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want one pair of USB-C wired earbuds with an in-line remote, built-in DAC and active noise cancellation, choose PHILIPS Earbuds USB C; if you need two pairs of USB-C wired earphones in one box for iPhone 15/16/17, iPad and Galaxy phones, choose Hightacoo 2.
• PHILIPS Earbuds USB C — biggest strength: a fuller feature set on the cable itself — 10 mm dynamic drivers, a built-in DAC, a 3-button remote, a built-in mic, active noise cancellation and three sizes of ear tips for a proper seal.
• PHILIPS Earbuds USB C — biggest trade-off: it is a single pair, and the 1.2 m cable is the whole product — there is no wireless mode to fall back on, so you live and die by the USB-C port.
• Hightacoo 2 — biggest strength: you get two pairs of in-ear USB-C earphones with a mic and remote in one purchase, with a compatibility list that runs from iPhone 17 down through iPad Pro and most recent Galaxy S and Z models.
• Hightacoo 2 — biggest trade-off: passive noise cancellation only, and the spec sheet keeps it lean — no stated driver size, no DAC, no ANC, no sensitivity or frequency response figures to compare against.
• Who each pick is for: PHILIPS if you want the more feature-dense single pair and care about things like ANC and a documented driver; Hightacoo 2 if you want a spare set, share a set, or you're buying for a household with a mix of USB-C Apple and Samsung devices.
This is the earbud for someone who treats the cable as a feature, not a compromise. Philips lists a 10 mm dynamic driver, a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz and 104 dB sensitivity. In plain terms, that combination points to a set that is easy to drive and tuned with low end in mind — the product copy leans hard on "punchy bass," and a 10 mm dynamic driver is the usual way that gets done. The built-in DAC is the more interesting detail. It means the signal gets converted inside the earphones rather than relying purely on whatever the phone, tablet or PC is doing at the port, which is the kind of thing that matters when you're swapping between a laptop in the morning and a phone on the train.
Physically, it's built for long sessions. An oval acoustic tube plus three sizes of interchangeable rubber tips is Philips' approach to getting a real seal, and a real seal is what makes in-ear headphones comfortable past the first hour and gives you bass that isn't just leaking out the sides. The 1.2 m cable is a sensible length for pocket-to-ear use. The 3-button in-line remote handles volume, track skipping and calls, and the built-in mic means you can take a call without digging your phone out. Philips also states active noise cancellation, so this is the pick if you want some quieting on the cable side rather than just a passive seal. It's white, plastic, in-ear, and it carries a one-year warranty.
Buy it if you want one genuinely well-specified pair: ANC, a documented driver, a DAC, a mic and a remote, with tips in three sizes to fit your ears properly. Skip it if you need two pairs, or if your devices are a mix of USB-C and Lightning — this is USB-C only, with no adapter in the box, so older iPhones and anything with a Lightning port are out.
Hightacoo 2 is a different proposition entirely, and the name tells you most of it: two packs. You're not buying a flagship pair, you're buying redundancy and convenience. Two identical USB-C wired in-ear earphones with a mic and remote control, so one can live in a bag and one can live on a desk, or one can go to a partner, a kid or a colleague. That's a real, practical benefit that a single premium pair simply can't match, and it's the main reason someone lands here.
The other headline is compatibility, and it's unusually specific. Hightacoo lists the iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max; the iPhone 16, 16e, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max; the iPhone 15 line; the 2024 iPad Pro in both 11-inch and 13-inch (M4); iPad 10th generation, iPad Air 6/5/4, iPad Mini 6 and iPad mini 7 (A17 Pro); and a long run of Samsung Galaxy S models from S20 and S20 FE all the way to S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra, plus the Galaxy Z series. If you own a recent USB-C Apple device or a Galaxy, the odds are good this is aimed squarely at you — and the specificity of that list is itself useful information, because it tells you the maker expects this to work across that whole spread.
What it doesn't have is depth on the audio side. The data sheet confirms a dynamic driver, in-ear placement and passive noise cancellation — that's it. No driver size, no frequency response, no sensitivity, no DAC, no active noise cancellation. Passive noise cancellation means the tips physically block some outside sound; there's no electronics doing the work. That's not a knock, it's just what it is: a simple, functional set. The ergonomic in-ear shape and the remote control with mic cover the everyday basics. Hightacoo backs it with a one-year warranty, same as Philips.
Buy it if you want two pairs, you're outfitting a household, or you specifically need something confirmed for a recent USB-C iPhone, iPad Pro or Galaxy. Skip it if you want active noise cancellation, or you like being able to compare hard audio numbers before you buy — the sheet doesn't give you much to work with.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for active noise cancellation → PHILIPS Earbuds USB C. It's the only one of the two that lists ANC; Hightacoo 2 is passive only.
• Best for two pairs / sharing → Hightacoo 2. Two earphones in the box versus one.
• Best for recent iPhone and iPad owners → Hightacoo 2. It names iPhone 17/16/15 and the M4 iPad Pro explicitly; Philips only states USB-C devices generally.
• Best for Samsung Galaxy owners → Hightacoo 2. The S20 through S25 and Z series are called out by name.
• Best for fit and long-wear comfort → PHILIPS Earbuds USB C. Three sizes of rubber tips and an oval acoustic tube are designed around getting a seal that lasts hours.
• Best for calls on the go → either. Both have a built-in mic and an in-line remote; Philips specifies a 3-button remote, Hightacoo specifies a remote with mic.
• Best for cable length you can plan around → PHILIPS Earbuds USB C. It states 1.2 m; Hightacoo doesn't publish a length.
If I were buying one pair for myself, I'd take the PHILIPS Earbuds USB C. My reasoning is straightforward: it's the only one of the two where I can point to concrete engineering — a 10 mm driver, a stated frequency range and sensitivity, a built-in DAC, three tip sizes and active noise cancellation. That's a more complete package, and the DAC plus ANC are features you'd notice day to day.
That said, I'd recommend the Hightacoo 2 without hesitation for a very specific buyer: someone who needs two pairs, or who wants a confirmed fit for a recent USB-C iPhone, an M4 iPad Pro or a Galaxy S25. In that situation, the compatibility list and the second pair are worth more than the spec sheet depth. In my opinion the deciding question is simple — do you want one better-equipped pair, or two simpler ones?
how to use usb c headphones on mac
Plug the USB-C connector straight into a USB-C port on your Mac — no adapter needed. Both of these are wired USB-C earphones, so the Mac should route audio to them automatically; you can confirm the output device in System Settings under Sound. If your Mac only has older ports, you'd need a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter, which neither set includes.
how to use usb c headphones on android phone
Connect the USB-C plug to your phone's charging port. On most modern Android phones, including the Galaxy S models listed for the Hightacoo 2, audio switches over on its own and the remote buttons control volume and playback. There's no pairing step, since these are wired — but a phone with no USB-C port won't work with either one.
how to use usb c headphones on ps5
A USB-C wired headset works on PS5 by plugging into the console's USB-C port, or into a USB-C port on your controller if it has one. The PS5 should pick it up as an audio output device, and the in-line mic on either set can handle chat. Check the console's audio output settings if sound doesn't switch automatically.
The Hightacoo 2 explicitly lists the iPhone 15, 16 and 17 lines, so yes. Philips only states that its earphones connect to smartphones, tablets and PCs equipped with a USB-C port, so a USB-C iPhone should work on the same basis — but Hightacoo is the one that names the models outright.
That depends on what you're counting. If you want two pairs plus a long, explicit device compatibility list, the Hightacoo 2 gives you more hardware for the money. If you want active noise cancellation, a built-in DAC and documented driver specs, the PHILIPS Earbuds USB C packs more into a single pair. Since I can't quote prices here, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page and compare against what you actually need.
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