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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• PLT Plantronics (Blackwire 3320 USB-A): Its biggest strength is a professional audio package — wideband audio, a flexible noise-cancelling boom mic, enhanced DSP, and SoundGuard acoustic limiting above 118 dBA. Its main trade-off is that connectivity is USB-A only, so phones and tablets without a USB-A port are out of reach.
• Philips PC Headset (SHM7110U): Its biggest strength is flexibility — a 3.5 mm stereo plus 3.5 mm mic jack, a bundled 2-to-1 adapter, and 40 mm drivers tuned for bass down to 18 Hz. Its main trade-off is that the mini mic is built for calls rather than broadcast-grade voice isolation, and there is no noise-cancelling circuitry.
• Who PLT is for: Anyone who lives in softphone calls and wants one cable into a computer and a mic that actively cuts background noise.
• Who Philips is for: Anyone who wants one wired headset for a laptop, phone, tablet, or handheld console and prefers a lighter, bass-forward tuning.
• The split in one line: PLT is the office-call tool; Philips is the everyday multi-device headset.
The Blackwire 3320 is a stereo, over-the-head wired headset built around one job: making you sound clear on calls. The dual-ear design covers both ears with soft foam cushions and a padded, fully adjustable headband, and the speakers pivot through 180 degrees so you can lay them flat against your chest or a desk between calls. In my opinion, that pivot detail is the kind of thing you only appreciate after a week of wearing a headset eight hours a day.
The audio spec is where it earns its keep. Wideband audio plus enhanced digital signal processing is aimed squarely at voice intelligibility, and the flexible boom mic is noise-cancelling, which matters if you take calls next to a keyboard, a fan, or an open-plan office. SoundGuard is worth calling out: it limits acoustic output above 118 dBA, which is a genuine safety feature if you work in long calls and tend to nudge the volume up. The controls sit on an inline unit with push-button volume, and the connection is a single USB-A cable to a PC, Mac, or a cell phone that accepts USB-A.
Who should buy it? Remote workers, support agents, teachers running online classes, and anyone whose day is a stack of Teams, Zoom, or softphone meetings and who wants plug-and-play simplicity without installing anything. The 32 ohm impedance and 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency range tell you it is a general-purpose voice-and-media driver, not a music-first headphone.
Who should skip it? If you split your audio between a laptop and a phone with only a 3.5 mm jack, USB-A-only connectivity is a real wall. And if bass-heavy music is your priority, a headset tuned around voice and DSP is not the tool. The two-year manufacturer warranty is a nice cushion for a daily-driver work device, but that should not be your only reason to pick it.
The Philips SHM7110U is a white, over-head wired headset with a mini boom microphone and on-ear cushions. It is a Music-theme product at heart, which explains the driver choice: extra-large 40 mm neodymium drivers acoustically tuned down to 18 Hz, with a stated range of 18 Hz–20 kHz. That is a bass-forward tuning, and it is the clearest spec-level difference between the two headsets — Philips is chasing low-end thump, PLT is chasing voice clarity.
Connectivity is the other story. You get a 3.5 mm stereo jack and a separate 3.5 mm microphone jack, a two-meter cable, and a 2-to-1 adapter in the box. That combination covers laptops, smartphones, and tablets, and it is the reason this headset travels well between devices. Inline mute and volume control sit on the cable, so you can kill your mic mid-sentence without hunting through software. The mini mic is described as high-sensitivity and deliberately small so it does not block your face — good for Zoom, Teams, Skype, and Google Meet.
The softer details are also clearly consumer-oriented. The padded headband adjusts, the cushions are built for longer sessions, and the earcups accept decorative patterns — three are included, and you can design your own. That is a small thing, but it tells you who Philips is talking to: students, casual gamers, and people who want one headset for calls, music, and video. Note the warranty is one year, versus two on the PLT.
Who should skip it? If your calls happen in a noisy room, the lack of any noise-cancelling or DSP processing means your mic picks up more of the room than the PLT's does. And if you want true stereo isolation for focused work, on-ear cushions leak and let sound in more than a closed over-ear fit.
• Best for clear voice on calls → PLT Plantronics. Noise-cancelling boom mic, wideband audio, and DSP are all pointed at intelligibility.
• Best for hearing protection → PLT Plantronics. SoundGuard limits output above 118 dBA; Philips lists no equivalent feature.
• Best for multi-device use → Philips PC Headset. Dual 3.5 mm jacks plus the included 2-to-1 adapter cover laptops, phones, and tablets.
• Best for bass and music → Philips PC Headset. 40 mm drivers tuned to 18 Hz beat a voice-first 20 Hz tuning on paper.
• Best for plug-and-play on a work PC → PLT Plantronics. One USB-A cable, no adapter, no dongle.
• Best for long-session comfort → tie, leaning PLT. Both have padded adjustable headbands, but the PLT's 180-degree pivoting speakers add flexibility; Philips wins on being lighter on the ears with on-ear cushions.
• Best for a travel bag → Philips PC Headset. A two-meter cable and a small adapter pack flat; a fixed USB-A cable is bulkier.
• Best warranty coverage → PLT Plantronics. Two years versus one year from Philips.
If I were buying for myself and my workday is mostly meetings on a computer, I would buy the PLT Plantronics Blackwire 3320 USB-A. The noise-cancelling boom mic, wideband audio, DSP, SoundGuard limiting, and two-year warranty add up to a headset designed around the thing I actually do all day. I would only switch to the Philips SHM7110U if my audio life is genuinely split across a laptop, a phone, and a tablet, or if bass-heavy music matters more to me than microphone isolation — in which case the 3.5 mm flexibility and 40 mm drivers make it the better fit. Check the current price on Amazon before you decide, then match the connection type to your devices first.
For call clarity, yes in my opinion. The Plantronics Blackwire 3320 has a noise-cancelling boom mic, wideband audio, and DSP, while the Philips SHM7110U uses a compact high-sensitivity mini mic with no noise-cancelling processing. Both are listed as compatible with Zoom, Teams, and similar services.
Yes. It uses a 3.5 mm stereo jack plus a 3.5 mm mic jack and ships with a 2-to-1 adapter, so it covers laptops, smartphones, and tablets. The PLT Blackwire 3320 is USB-A only, so it needs a USB-A port or an adapter to reach a phone.
The Philips SHM7110U. Its 40 mm neodymium drivers are tuned for extra bass down to 18 Hz, versus the Plantronics Blackwire 3320's 20 Hz–20 kHz range aimed at voice and general audio. If music is your priority, that is the deciding spec.
Both have padded adjustable headbands and soft cushions. The Plantronics adds 180-degree pivoting speakers and a flexible mic boom; the Philips uses on-ear cushions with a lighter feel. In my opinion, if you wear glasses or take frequent breaks, the pivoting design gives the Plantronics an edge.
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See also: PLT Plantronics vs HyperX HHSS1C-KB-WT/G: Wireless Headset, Wantek Corded Telephone Headset vs PLT Plantronics Blackwire C, AGPTEK Corded Phone vs PLT Plantronics Blackwire C