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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
• TechMatte Female Lightning — biggest strength: It combines audio, data and PD charging in one short adapter, with a female Lightning socket on one end and a male USB-C plug on the other, plus a high-performance audio chip for clean sound.
• TechMatte Female Lightning — biggest trade-off: It is an adapter, not a headphone. It also has a long list of exclusions (no OTG, no CarPlay, no speakers, no HDMI, no Apple Pencil, no iPhone 14 and older) that you must check before buying.
• APETOO 3.5mm — biggest strength: It is a complete, ready-to-use pair of wired in-ear earbuds with a 3.5mm gold plug, an inline mic with a mute function, three pairs of silicone tips and a mini zipper carry case.
• APETOO 3.5mm — biggest trade-off: It only works where a 3.5mm stereo jack exists. On a MacBook with no headphone jack, you would still need a separate adapter.
• Who each pick is for: Choose TechMatte Female Lightning if you already own Lightning earphones and want to keep using them on a USB-C device. Choose APETOO 3.5mm if you want cheap, simple wired earbuds for a laptop, Chromebook, airplane or classroom.
The TechMatte Female Lightning is best understood as a bridge. One end is a female Lightning port, the other is a male USB-C connector, and the whole point is to let a Lightning-terminated audio device talk to a USB-C host. TechMatte lists it as compatible with iPhone 17 Pro Max Air, 16/16e/16 Pro/16 Pro Max, 15/15 Pro/15 Pro Max, iPad and AirPods with USB-C interfaces, plus Samsung Galaxy S25 through S21 series. Inside, TechMatte says there is a high-performance audio chip delivering clear, distortion-free sound, and the cable also handles data and PD charging at up to 1.7 A and 5 volts, with USB 3.0 protocol support. Both connectors are reversible, and there are no drivers or software to install.
Who should buy it? Someone who already owns Lightning headphones and has moved to a USB-C phone, tablet or laptop and does not want to replace the earphones. It is also handy if you want one short cable that can carry audio, move data and top up a charge instead of juggling three separate accessories. The white glossy finish and 0.01 kg weight make it easy to leave attached to a bag or a desk. TechMatte backs it with a 2-year warranty.
Who should skip it? Anyone expecting it to work as a general-purpose USB-C adapter. The warnings are unusually specific and worth reading twice. It is not for CarPlay, not for audio to speakers, not for USB 3.0 camera adapters, not for HDMI devices, not for Apple Pencil, and not for OTG devices such as card readers, USB flash drives, keyboards, mice, hubs or microphones. It also does not support iPhone 14, 13, 12, 11, XS or SE series. If your plan is to plug a USB stick into your phone, this is the wrong product. And if you do not already own Lightning earphones, this adapter gives you nothing to listen through.
The APETOO 3.5mm is the opposite kind of purchase: a finished product you can use the moment it leaves the box. It is a pair of white wired in-ear earbuds with a 45-degree ergonomic in-ear shape, a bud-style earpiece and an ABS, TPE, copper and silicone build. Inside sits a dynamic driver with a 32 ohm impedance and a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, which is the standard full-range window for consumer earbuds. The cable is 3.9 ft of tangle-resistant TPE with a right-angle gold 3.5mm plug, and the box includes a mini zipper carry case plus two extra pairs of ear tips on top of the pair already fitted.
The feature that stands out most for everyday use is the inline remote with call control and a microphone mute. APETOO's design lets you hold the main button to mute the mic and release it to come back, which is genuinely useful for online classes, meetings and calls where you need to cough or talk to someone in the room without unplugging. APETOO also markets these for school, Chromebook, laptop, airplane and student use, and the compatibility list is broad: iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy, MacBook, Google Pixel, Chromebook, HP Pavilion, Dell Inspiron, Acer Aspire, tablets, gaming consoles, MP3 and MP4 players with a 3.5mm stereo jack.
Who should buy it? Anyone who wants a spare, low-cost pair of wired earbuds that works across a mixed pile of devices — an older MacBook with a headphone jack, a Chromebook, a school laptop, a handheld console, an airplane seat screen. The right-angle plug is a small but real advantage on laptops, because it keeps the cable from sticking out sideways and snagging. The carry case and spare tips make it a reasonable travel and backpack item, and APETOO describes the noise control as sound isolation, which is passive sealing from the silicone tips rather than active noise cancellation.
Who should skip it? Anyone whose only listening device is a modern phone or laptop with no 3.5mm jack. There is no USB-C or Lightning connector here, so a jackless MacBook would need an adapter before these earbuds do anything. And if you want active noise cancellation, wireless freedom or a detachable cable, this is not that product — it is deliberately simple.
• Best for actually listening right away → APETOO 3.5mm. It is a complete set of earbuds; the TechMatte adapter produces no sound on its own.
• Best for reusing Lightning earphones on a USB-C device → TechMatte Female Lightning. That is precisely what its female Lightning to male USB-C design is built for.
• Best for a MacBook with a headphone jack → APETOO 3.5mm. The 3.5mm gold plug and right-angle connector slot straight in with nothing else needed.
• Best for a MacBook with only USB-C ports → TechMatte Female Lightning, but only if you already own Lightning headphones. Otherwise neither product solves your problem alone.
• Best for calls and online meetings → APETOO 3.5mm. It has a built-in mic, inline call control and a hold-to-mute button.
• Best for charging and data as well as audio → TechMatte Female Lightning. It supports PD fast charging, data transfer and USB 3.0 protocol alongside audio.
• Best for travel and sharing → APETOO 3.5mm. It ships with three pairs of tips and a mini zipper case, and the 3.9 ft tangle-resistant cable packs flat.
• Best for fit flexibility and device rules → TechMatte Female Lightning. The 2-year warranty and reversible connectors are the draw, but check the exclusion list first.
In my opinion, most people searching for headphones for a MacBook should buy the APETOO 3.5mm, because it is an actual pair of headphones that works the moment you open the case, and it covers the widest range of everyday devices for study, calls and travel. I would only recommend the TechMatte Female Lightning to a specific buyer: someone who already owns Lightning earphones and needs to keep using them on a USB-C phone, tablet or laptop. It is a well-specified adapter with charging, data and audio in one, but it is not a headphone and it carries a long list of exclusions. Match the product to the problem before you decide, and check the current price on Amazon once you know which one you actually need.
how to use headphones for macbook
On a MacBook with a 3.5mm jack, plug the APETOO 3.5mm earbuds straight into the port and use the inline button for calls and mic mute. On a MacBook with only USB-C ports, you need either a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter or a USB-C audio device — the TechMatte Female Lightning only helps if your headphones end in a Lightning plug.
how to connect headphones macbook
Wired headphones connect by inserting the plug into the headphone jack; APETOO's right-angle gold 3.5mm plug is designed to seat firmly and stay out of the way. If your MacBook has no jack, you will need an adapter, because neither the TechMatte cable nor the APETOO earbuds adds a port that is not already there.
how to connect headphones macbook air
MacBook Air models vary by generation, so check whether yours has a 3.5mm jack. If it does, the APETOO 3.5mm works with no setup. If it does not, plan on a USB-C adapter, and note that the TechMatte Female Lightning is built for Lightning earphones on USB-C hosts, not for standard 3.5mm headphones.
how to use headphones macbook pro
Plug the APETOO 3.5mm into the jack and use the inline remote for volume, calls and hold-to-mute during meetings. The TechMatte Female Lightning is the better fit on a USB-C-only MacBook Pro only when your earphones use a Lightning connector, since it also supports PD charging and data over USB 3.0.
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