We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-22 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a lightweight, foldable neckband that stays put while you run, bike or hike, choose RCA HP245; if you need an over-ear headset with a built-in microphone for calls and voice chat, choose Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP. These two wired headphones sit at opposite ends of the same idea — one is built to disappear into your pocket, the other is built to sit around your ears and pick up your voice.
• RCA HP245 — biggest strength: a foldable neckband design that keeps the headset stable on your neck and compacts down small enough to drop in a pocket or purse.
• RCA HP245 — biggest trade-off: no microphone and no volume control, so it is purely a listening tool, not a calling tool.
• Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP — biggest strength: an integrated microphone plus a multi-function control button and volume control, which turns it into a headset rather than just headphones.
• Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP — biggest trade-off: it is the bulkier of the two and the heavier one, so it is less of an exercise companion and more of a desk, commute and travel set.
• Who each pick is for: the RCA HP245 is for movers who want nothing bouncing around; the Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP is for talkers who want their headphones to handle calls too.
The RCA HP245 is a behind-the-neck headphone with an on-ear fit and a neckband that, in RCA's own framing, "stays in place for unrestricted mobility." That single design choice explains almost everything else about it. Because the band wraps behind your neck instead of over the top of your head, there is nothing to slide forward when you look down, and nothing pressing on your hair. The earpieces use an ear hook / wing shape, which is the classic way to keep a lightweight set anchored without clamping hard.
Where it earns its keep is movement and travel. The neckband folds, so the whole thing compacts into something you can pocket or toss in a bag. Total cable length is 3 feet, which is short by headphone standards — that is a deliberate trade-off. A short cable is less to snag on a bike frame, a treadmill rail or a hiking pole, and it keeps the wire close to your body. If you are pairing it with a phone in an armband or a player clipped to your waistband, 3 feet is genuinely enough.
The audio side is straightforward: dynamic drivers, a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range, and a sensitivity figure of 98 dB. That 98 dB number is your cue for volume expectations — this is a set that plays at a moderate level, so it is not the pick for someone who wants to drown out a loud gym or a bus engine. Noise control is listed as sound isolation, meaning it relies on the ear fit to block some outside sound rather than active cancellation.
Who should buy it: runners, cyclists, hikers, and anyone who wants a cheap, light, packable wired headset for a phone, tablet, MP3 player or handheld gaming device. Who should skip it: anyone who takes calls, wants inline volume, or wants a big, enveloping over-ear feel. There is no microphone here and no volume control — just a media control on the cable.
The Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP is the more fully featured of the two, and the difference starts with the word "headset." It has an integrated microphone and a multi-function control button, so it is designed from the ground up to be used for calls and voice chat, not just playback. There is also volume control on the cable, which the RCA simply does not offer.
The fit is over-ear with around-ear earpieces, and the drivers are described as 1.18 in (roughly 30 mm) neodymium units. The stated frequency range is wider — 10 Hz to 24,000 Hz — so on paper it reaches lower at the bottom and higher at the top than the RCA's 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Impedance is 24 ohm, which is a low, easy-to-drive figure that ordinary phones and laptops handle without trouble. Whether you hear a dramatic difference is a matter of ears and source, but the spec sheet clearly gives this one more headroom at both ends.
Comfort and portability are handled thoughtfully. The earcups swivel and fold, so the headset stows compactly despite being the larger of the two. The headband is adjustable and lightweight, and the earpads are described as pressure-relieving — the pitch being extended listening without fatigue. The cord is a Y-type design in a 3.94 ft length, which Sony says helps reduce tangling, and it terminates in a 4-conductor, gold-plated, L-shaped plug. That L-shaped plug is a small but real detail: it puts less strain on the jack when the cable is pulled sideways in a pocket or bag. The item weight is listed at 7.2 ounces.
One practical note on the data: the color field says White, while the feature list mentions a choice of colors. I would treat the White version as the reference point here and confirm the exact finish you want before ordering.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for calls and voice chat → Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP. It has an integrated microphone and a multi-function control button; the RCA HP245 has neither.
• Best for running, cycling and hiking → RCA HP245. The neckband stays put and the 3 ft cable keeps the wire close to your body.
• Best for packing small → RCA HP245. The foldable neckband is explicitly built to fit a pocket or purse, and it starts lighter.
• Best for extended listening comfort → Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP. Adjustable headband, swivel earcups and pressure-relieving earpads are all aimed at long sessions.
• Best for wider frequency coverage → Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP. 10 Hz–24,000 Hz versus the RCA's 20 Hz–20,000 Hz.
• Best for louder playback expectations → check your source, not the label. The RCA lists 98 dB sensitivity; the Sony does not publish a sensitivity figure, so don't assume either will be dramatically louder.
• Best for inline volume control → Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP. Volume control is on the cable; the RCA offers media control only.
• Best for the simplest possible wired setup → RCA HP245. No mic, no volume buttons, no decisions — plug in and listen.
In my opinion, the Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP is the better buy for most people, because the microphone, the inline volume control and the over-ear comfort make it do more jobs in one pair. The RCA HP245 only wins if your priority is movement — if you run, ride or hike and want a neckband that stays put and folds flat. So: buy the Sony if you want a headset; buy the RCA if you want a workout companion. If you are still weighing cost, check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit.
No. The data sheet lists no microphone and no call controls — just cable media control. For calls, the Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP is the one with an integrated microphone.
On paper the Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP covers a wider range (10 Hz–24,000 Hz) with 30 mm neodymium drivers, versus the RCA's 20 Hz–20,000 Hz. That suggests more extension at both ends, but the RCA's 98 dB sensitivity means it can still play at a solid level from a phone.
No. Both are wired 3.5 mm sets. The RCA HP245 uses a 3 ft cable; the Sony-Dropship MDRZX310AP uses a 3.94 ft Y-type cord with an L-shaped plug.
The RCA HP245. Its neckband is designed to stay in place for unrestricted mobility, and it folds down for travel — a better match for movement than the over-ear Sony.
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