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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-29 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a slim, on-ear headband you can wear through a workout and straight into bed, choose TOOKS Gen3; if you need a slim on-ear gaming headset with a boom microphone for chat, choose CAXUSD Noise Reduction Headset.
• TOOKS Gen3 — biggest strength: the headphones are built into a 100% stretch Dryfit headband, so the "slim on ear" idea is taken literally — ultra-thin cushioned speakers sit against your ears with no plastic frame, no earcups and nothing to clamp down on your head.
• TOOKS Gen3 — biggest trade-off: there is no microphone at all, and no wireless anything. It is a wired 3.5mm listening band, not a headset.
• CAXUSD Noise Reduction Headset — biggest strength: a noise-reduction chip microphone plus in-line mic/volume control, a flexible retractable headband, and a bi-fold plastic body that packs down small.
• CAXUSD Noise Reduction Headset — biggest trade-off: it is a bulkier on-ear gaming headset at 8.8 ounces with a boom mic, so it is not the thing you keep on for sleep or a run.
• Who each pick is for: TOOKS Gen3 for runners, gym-goers, sleepers and anyone who hates earcup pressure; CAXUSD for gamers and voice-chat users who want a wired headset that folds up.
The TOOKS Gen3 is a performance headband with built-in, removable headphones. That single design decision explains almost everything about it. The band is made from 100% stretch Dryfit material, which is the same family of fabric used in sportswear because it moves with you and stays cool. The speakers are described as ultra-thin with cushioned pads, and they are removable, so the headband can be worn as a plain band when you are not listening to anything.
This is the pick for people who find normal on-ear headphones annoying. If earcups press on your ears or give you that hot, clamped feeling after twenty minutes, a thin cushioned speaker sitting flat against the ear is a genuinely different experience. The Dryfit band is built for the sports-to-sleep range the product itself names — a run, a gym session, a nap, a night's sleep. Because the plug is a standard 3.5mm, it works with basically anything that still has a headphone jack: phones, laptops, tablets, MP3 players, older consoles.
CAXUSD Noise Reduction Headset: Who It's For
The CAXUSD Noise Reduction Headset is a different animal. It is a wired gaming headset built around talking, not just listening. The headline feature is a professional noise-reduction chip microphone, which is aimed squarely at making your voice sound clearer to whoever is on the other end — teammates, classmates on a call, or friends in a lobby. There is in-line control for the microphone and volume, so you can mute or adjust without touching your device.
The fit is deliberately adjustable: a flexible, retractable headband that the maker says fits different head sizes, plus large cushions for comfort during longer sessions. It folds bi-fold, and the plastic body measures roughly 24.3 x 17.8 x 7.5 cm, so it tucks into a bag far more easily than a fixed over-ear headset. It weighs 8.8 ounces, which is light enough to forget about on a desk but still a real object on your head.
Compatibility is broad for a wired headset: the 3.5mm connection is listed as working with PS4 Pro, Xbox One, PC, laptop and phone. That makes it a reasonable one-headset-does-everything pick if you game on a console and also want something for laptop voice calls. The colour is blue and the enclosure is plastic, so it is a practical, everyday product rather than a premium one.
Who should skip it? If you want headphones for running, sleep or all-day background listening, this is the wrong shape. A boom mic and a retractable headband are not designed to lie flat on a pillow, and the on-ear cushions plus plastic frame are not built for sweat. It is also strictly wired — no Bluetooth here.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for talking and gaming chat → CAXUSD. The noise-reduction chip mic and in-line mic/volume control are the whole point of that headset.
• Most comfortable for people who hate earcup pressure → TOOKS Gen3. On-ear thin speakers instead of clamping earcups.
• Best for long gaming sessions → CAXUSD. Large cushions and a retractable headband sized for different heads.
• Best for travel and packing → CAXUSD. The bi-fold design collapses; TOOKS is a soft band, which packs flat but is not a hard shell.
• Best for phone-free listening on any device → TOOKS Gen3. Standard 3.5mm plug, no setup, no charging.
• Best for console gaming → CAXUSD. It is explicitly listed as compatible with PS4 Pro, Xbox One, PC and laptop.
• Best if you want to wear headphones in bed → TOOKS Gen3. A slim on-ear band with removable speakers is the only one of the two that makes sense lying down.
If price matters to you, check the current price on Amazon for both — the button on this page will take you there, and the value call really depends on which of these two jobs you actually need done.
In my opinion, these two products are not really competing for the same buyer, so I would not agonise over it. If you want headphones you can sweat in, sleep in, and forget you are wearing, I would buy the TOOKS Gen3 — the slim on-ear concept is done properly here, and the removable ultra-thin speakers plus stretch Dryfit band are exactly what that use case needs. I would only pick the CAXUSD if voice chat is the reason you are shopping: its noise-reduction chip microphone, in-line controls and foldable gaming build make it the better tool for talking, not for lying on a pillow. Buy the one that matches your day, not the one with more features.
are on ear headphones good
It depends entirely on what you want from them. On-ear designs like the TOOKS Gen3 sit against the ear with thin cushioned speakers, which keeps them slim, light and cool — good for sport and sleep. They do not seal around the ear, so they isolate less than over-ear models, and they are not the right choice if you need a microphone or deep bass.
are on ear headphones comfortable
They can be, and both products here are designed with comfort in mind. The TOOKS Gen3 uses ultra-thin cushioned speakers on a 100% stretch Dryfit band, which avoids earcup clamping altogether. The CAXUSD uses large cushions and a flexible, retractable headband that adjusts to different head sizes.
are headphones less harmful than earphones
That is a volume-and-time question more than a headphone-versus-earphone question. What the data sheets tell you is fit and isolation: the CAXUSD sits on the ear with large cushions, while the TOOKS Gen3 uses thin speakers resting against the ear. Neither one changes how loud you choose to listen, so keep levels sensible either way.
what are the best open ear headphones
I would not call either of these "open ear" in the bone-conduction sense — both are on-ear designs. If slim and unobtrusive is what you are after, the TOOKS Gen3 is the closest fit here: ultra-thin cushioned speakers, a stretch Dryfit band, and removable headphones so the band doubles as a plain headband.
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