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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a lightweight wired earbud that blocks background chatter for music and calls on the go, choose Skullcandy Ink'd+ In-Ear Earbuds; if you need a big over-ear headset with a boom mic, surround-style gaming audio and a long braided cable for marathon sessions at your desk, choose BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset.
• Skullcandy Ink'd+ biggest strength: a true in-ear, noise-isolating fit with a 3.5 mm wired connection, inline mic and track/call controls — pocket-sized and plug-and-play on almost anything with a headphone jack.
• Skullcandy Ink'd+ biggest trade-off: it's a music-first earbud, not a gaming headset. No boom mic, no USB, no LED lighting, and the sound is tuned for everyday listening rather than positional game audio.
• BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset biggest strength: a full over-ear design with a flexible noise-isolating boom mic, 40 mm drivers, bass-surround tuning and a 49-inch anti-winding braided USB cable with inline volume and one-key mic mute.
• BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset biggest trade-off: it's bulky (0.44 kg), USB-only, and it needs an extra Microsoft adapter (not included) for older Xbox One controllers — plus the LED-lit gamer look isn't for everyone.
• Who each pick is for: Skullcandy Ink'd+ is for commuters, students and phone/music listeners who want compact passive isolation; BENGOO is for PC and console players who want a dedicated mic and over-ear isolation for long sessions.
The Ink'd+ is a classic wired in-ear bud, and its whole identity is built around the "noise isolating fit" in its feature list. Because the earpieces sit inside your ear canal with rounded ABS housings, they physically block a chunk of ambient sound before any audio even plays. It ships with small and medium ear gels, so you can size the seal to your ears — and a good seal is exactly what makes passive isolation work in a bud like this.
Who should buy it: anyone who wants a light, no-battery, no-charging earbud for commuting, the gym, studying or desk work, and who values a snug in-ear seal over a big over-ear rig. Who should skip it: competitive gamers who need a boom mic and positional audio, and anyone who dislikes the feeling of silicone tips in their ears. Also note the wired design means no Bluetooth freedom — the spec sheet lists a 3.5 mm jack only.
BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset: Who It's For
The BENGOO Pro (model G9000) is the opposite philosophy: a big, over-ear, USB-wired gaming headset. Its 40 mm magnetic neodymium drivers and "surrounding stereo subwoofer" tuning are aimed at game audio — footsteps, gunshots, ambient effects — and the spec sheet lists 22 ohm impedance with a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range and 20 ms audio latency. That's a wired-latency figure, which matters if you want your sound to line up with what's happening on screen.
The centerpiece for many buyers is the flexible, omni-directional noise-isolating boom mic. It's designed to pick up your voice with high sensitivity and reject background noise, so teammates hear you clearly. The headset also does passive noise isolation through its thick memory-foam over-ear pads — BENGOO says the cushions are thickened specifically to seal around your ears, and the protein-leather, breathable padding is meant to cut heat and sweat over long sessions. The multi-point headband adjusts to different head sizes.
Connectivity is where you need to pay attention. It's a USB headset with a 49-inch anti-winding braided cable, an inline rotary volume wheel and a one-key mic mute. It supports PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo 3DS, laptop, tablet, iPad, computer and mobile — but for an old Xbox One controller you must supply an extra Microsoft adapter, which isn't included. There are also LED lights on the earcups for atmosphere.
Who should buy it: PC and console gamers who want a dedicated boom mic, over-ear passive isolation and easy inline controls. Who should skip it: anyone who wants something pocketable for music on the move, or who games on a newer setup and would rather not deal with a bulky 0.44 kg headset and a USB-only connection.
• Best for passive noise isolation on the move → Skullcandy Ink'd+ In-Ear Earbuds (in-ear seal with S/M ear gels).
• Best for over-ear gaming isolation and heat/sweat control → BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset (thickened memory-foam over-ear pads).
• Best for a built-in boom mic and clear in-game chat → BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset (flexible omni-directional noise-isolating mic).
• Best for phone calls and music control → Skullcandy Ink'd+ (inline mic plus call and track control).
• Best for PC/console gaming audio → BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset (40 mm drivers, bass-surround tuning, 20 ms wired latency).
• Best for plug-and-play with any 3.5 mm device → Skullcandy Ink'd+ (3.5 mm jack, no adapter needed).
• Best for long cable runs and quick mute → BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset (49-inch braided USB cable, rotary volume, one-key mute).
• Best for travel and everyday carry → Skullcandy Ink'd+ (small ABS housing, 0.01 kg listed weight).
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to one question: are you isolating noise for music and calls, or for gaming with a mic? If it's the former, I'd buy the Skullcandy Ink'd+ — it's the simpler, lighter, more versatile choice, and its in-ear seal is exactly what you want for blocking out a bus or an open office. If it's the latter, I'd buy the BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset, because the boom mic, over-ear passive isolation and inline controls are built for exactly that job. Neither is "better" in the abstract — they solve different problems. Just check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that can swing the decision.
FAQ
how to noise cancelling headphones work
how to use noise cancelling headphones
For passive isolation, the trick is fit: on the Ink'd+ try the small and medium ear gels to get a snug seal, and on the BENGOO adjust the multi-point headband so the memory-foam pads sit flat around your ears. A good seal is what actually blocks outside noise.
how to test noise cancelling headphones
Put them on with no audio playing and listen for how much ambient sound drops away — that tells you how well the fit seals. Then play something at a low volume and check whether background noise still cuts through. With the BENGOO, you can also test the mic by recording a voice clip and hearing how well it rejects room noise.
Each is tuned for a different job. The BENGOO Pro Gaming Headset is built for games, with 40 mm drivers, bass-surround tuning and a boom mic. The Skullcandy Ink'd+ is a music-and-calls earbud with a 3.5 mm jack and inline controls. Pick by your main use, not by which looks more impressive on paper.
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