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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 featherweight wired set you can wear for hours of commuting, workouts and calls without ever thinking about a battery, choose Tangostu Earbuds Noise Isolating; if you need a full-size over-ear headset with big drivers, memory foam cushions and a boom mic for long gaming sessions on PC or console, choose IYGR K98.
• Tangostu Earbuds Noise Isolating — biggest strength: Tiny in-ear design with a 3.5 mm plug, an in-line mic and volume control, plus magnetic earpieces that clip together around your neck. Passive noise isolation, no charging, ever.
• Tangostu Earbuds Noise Isolating — biggest trade-off: It's a corded in-ear set, so you're tethered to your device and you only get the isolation an in-ear seal provides — no electronics, no active processing.
• IYGR K98 — biggest strength: Over-ear build with 50 mm neodymium dynamic drivers, memory foam cushions and an aluminum alloy frame — much more soundstage and physical isolation around your ears.
• IYGR K98 — biggest trade-off: It's bulkier and heavier at 8 ounces, it's aimed at desk and couch gaming, and it needs a 3.5 mm jack just like the Tangostu.
• Who the Tangostu is for: commuters, runners, students and anyone who wants cheap-to-own simplicity and a pocket-sized fit.
• Who the IYGR K98 is for: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox and Switch players who want an immersive over-ear headset for marathon sessions.
The Tangostu set is a classic wired in-ear headphone, and that's exactly its appeal. You get a 3.5 mm jack that plugs into basically anything with a headphone port — Galaxy phones, Moto G models, iPods, Galaxy Tab tablets, laptops, Chromebooks, MP3 players and even a PS4 controller. The 15 mm dynamic drivers cover a 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at 32 ohm impedance and 103 dB sensitivity, which means they're easy to drive straight from a phone or laptop without any amp. The maker's own description frames the sound as deep bass with a saturated midrange and crisp treble, and the in-ear seal is what delivers the "noise isolating" part of the name.
What I like most here is the everyday practicality. There's an in-line microphone and volume controller, so you can take a call, hang up, change tracks or pause music without pulling your phone out of your pocket. The magnets on the back of each earpiece snap together so you can hang the set around your neck between uses instead of stuffing tangled buds into a bag. The rounded ear tips and ABS housing keep the whole thing light, and because it's fully wired there's no battery to drain mid-audiobook, no pairing, no firmware.
Who should buy it: commuters on buses and trains, gym-goers and joggers, students in class, travelers on planes, and anyone who wants one cheap, dependable set for music, podcasts, calls and casual gaming. Who should skip it: if you want active noise cancellation, wireless freedom, or the wide, roomy sound of full-size cups, this isn't that product. In my opinion it's the better pick for someone who values simplicity and portability over immersion.
The IYGR K98 is a different animal entirely. This is a wired RGB gaming headset with an over-ear fit, oval earcups and a durable aluminum alloy frame. Inside sit 50 mm neodymium dynamic drivers — a much larger driver than the Tangostu's 15 mm — pushing a 20 kHz frequency response at 32 ohm and 105 dB sensitivity. The maker advertises stereo surround sound, and the larger cups plus memory foam cushions are what create the headset's passive noise isolation: they physically surround your ears and block a chunk of room noise instead of relying on a tip seal.
It's built for the desk. The 3.5 mm jack works with PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox and Switch, and the noise isolating microphone handles voice chat. There's a push-button volume control on the inline controller, and the spec sheet lists a 15 ms audio latency figure — low enough that lip-sync and in-game audio should feel immediate for a wired set. The white and purple RGB styling with a pink carrying case signals clearly who this is aimed at, and the included carrying case (roughly 4.3 by 6.6 by 7.8 inches) makes it easier to haul to a friend's place. IYGR also lists a 2-year warranty and an intended audience of teens and adults.
Who should buy it: gamers who want big-cup immersion, a boom mic and an RGB look for PC and console setups, and who don't mind a heavier 8-ounce headset. Who should skip it: runners, commuters who want something pocketable, and anyone whose device lacks a 3.5 mm jack. It's also worth noting both products are wired with a 3.5 mm plug, so neither one solves the "my phone has no headphone jack" problem without an adapter.
• Best for all-day portability → Tangostu Earbuds Noise Isolating. Tiny in-ear buds with magnetic neck-hanging storage versus an 8-ounce over-ear headset.
• Best for immersive gaming audio → IYGR K98. 50 mm drivers and over-ear cups simply move more air than 15 mm in-ear drivers.
• Best for workouts and running → Tangostu Earbuds Noise Isolating. The magnetic earpieces and light ABS build suit movement; the K98's bulk doesn't.
• Best for voice chat and streaming → IYGR K98. The dedicated noise isolating microphone is designed for game chat and calls.
• Best for calls from a phone → Tangostu Earbuds Noise Isolating. In-line mic plus volume and play/pause controls right on the cable.
• Best for passive noise blocking around the ears → IYGR K98. Memory foam over-ear cushions seal around the ear rather than inside it.
• Best for low-latency wired gaming → IYGR K98. The sheet lists 15 ms latency; the Tangostu sheet makes no such claim.
• Best for device flexibility → Tangostu Earbuds Noise Isolating. Its compatibility list is enormous: phones, tablets, laptops, Chromebooks, MP3 players and consoles.
• Best for durability reassurance → IYGR K98. Aluminum alloy frame plus a listed 2-year warranty.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Tangostu Earbuds Noise Isolating. In my opinion it wins on the thing most people actually need day to day: a light, wired, grab-and-go set that works with nearly every 3.5 mm device, has an in-line mic and volume control, and never needs charging. The IYGR K98 is genuinely the better headset for gaming — bigger drivers, memory foam over-ear isolation, a 2-year warranty — so if your main use is PC or console play at a desk, get the K98 instead. Two different jobs, two different winners. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one spec nobody can guess for you.
FAQ
how to noise cancelling headphones work
how to use noise cancelling headphones
With these two sets, using the isolation is simple: insert the Tangostu buds so the tips seal your ear canals, or put the K98 on so the cushions fully cover your ears, then adjust volume with the in-line controls. A good seal is what blocks background sound — if the fit is loose, isolation drops fast.
how to test noise cancelling headphones
Play something at a normal volume in a noisy room and notice how much of the background fades. For the Tangostu, try different tip seating until the seal feels snug. For the K98, check that the memory foam cushions sit flat against your head with no gaps, since leaks are the main reason passive isolation underperforms.
For soundstage and voice chat, I'd choose the IYGR K98 — 50 mm neodymium drivers, over-ear memory foam isolation, a dedicated noise isolating mic and a listed 15 ms latency. The Tangostu works fine for casual play and even lists PS4 compatibility, but in-ear 15 mm drivers can't match big over-ear cups for immersion.
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