We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-25 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a single adapter that turns a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 port into a real 3.5 mm headphone jack so you can keep using the wired headphones you already own, choose TRIPP LITE USB-C; if you need a complete set of USB-C wired earbuds with an inline mic, remote buttons and a magnetic neck-tag design, choose AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds.
• TRIPP LITE USB-C — biggest strength: it adds a 3.5 mm audio jack to any USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 laptop, so your existing wired headphones, earbuds, microphone or speakers work again.
• TRIPP LITE USB-C — biggest trade-off: it is an adapter only. It produces no sound on its own, and it does not include a cable, mic or earpieces.
• AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds — biggest strength: everything is in the box — an in-ear USB-C headset with an inline mic, multifunction buttons, three sizes of silicone tips and a zipper case.
• AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds — biggest trade-off: the connector is permanently USB-C, so it is useless on a device that only has a round 3.5 mm jack, and you are locked into the brand's own earphones.
• For a MacBook owner with good headphones already: TRIPP LITE USB-C.
• For a MacBook owner who wants one cable, mic and controls: AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds.
The U437-001 is a problem-solver, not a listening device. Modern MacBook Pro models and a lot of Windows laptops and Chromebooks ship with USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports and nothing else — no round headphone jack anywhere. This little black aluminum adapter plugs into that port and gives you back a standard 3.5 mm socket. From there, anything analog works: the headphones you have owned for years, a wired gaming headset with a boom mic, a pair of studio monitors, a cheap pair of earbuds from a drawer.
What makes it more than a dumb dongle is the conversion inside. According to the specs, it converts digital high-resolution audio to analog at a 96 kHz sample rate with 24-bit resolution. In plain terms, that is a clean, detailed signal path — more than enough headroom for everyday music, calls and video. It also gives you a useful workaround: if your laptop's built-in headphone jack has gone crackly, or the sound card is misbehaving, this bypasses both and routes audio out through USB-C instead.
Setup is exactly nothing. No software, no drivers, no external power — plug it in and the operating system sees an audio output. It is listed as compatible with Android, Windows and macOS, so it travels across ecosystems without complaint. The housing is slim aluminum, and at roughly 5 x 4.5 x 0.25 inches it disappears into a pocket or the front pouch of a backpack. Tripp Lite backs it with a one-year limited warranty and Chicago-based phone and email support, which matters if something goes wrong mid-semester or mid-project.
Who should buy it? Anyone with a USB-C-only laptop who refuses to throw away good wired headphones, and anyone who needs a microphone or speakers connected through USB-C. Also the person whose laptop jack is dying and who wants a cheap, permanent fix. Who should skip it? If you want earbuds — actual things that go in your ears — this is the wrong product. It is also the wrong pick if your only device has a normal headphone jack, or if you want something that charges while it plays.
This is a full wired headset, not an adapter. The earbuds terminate in a USB-C plug, so they go straight into a modern laptop, tablet or phone without any dongle in between. That is the real appeal for a lot of people: one cable, nothing to lose, nothing to forget at home.
The feature list is unusually complete for a wired set. There is an inline HD microphone for calls, plus multifunction buttons that handle play, pause, skip, answer, end and reject calls, volume up and down, and waking Siri or another voice assistant. In practice that means you can run a meeting, skip a track or take a call without touching the laptop — genuinely useful when the laptop is across the desk or propped on a stand.
The design leans practical. The earbuds are magnetic, so you can clip them together around your neck when you pull them out instead of letting them swing. The tips are ultra-soft silicone in S, M and L, and the specs list sound isolation rather than active noise cancellation — so they dull background noise by sealing your ear, not by electronics. The 32 ohm impedance and 105 dB sensitivity mean they are easy to drive straight from a laptop port. The cord is described as tangle-free, and the package includes replacement eartips, a zipper carrying case and a warranty card, with an eight-month manufacturer warranty.
Who should buy these? Students and commuters who want a cheap, self-contained headset for a MacBook, iPad or Samsung phone; people who take a lot of calls and want the mic and buttons on the cable; and anyone who loses wireless earbuds constantly. Who should skip them? If your best headphones are already 3.5 mm and you love them, these replace rather than extend them. And if you need to plug into an older device with a round jack, these simply will not fit. The grey-and-pink colorway is also a specific look — check that you actually like it before buying.
• Best for keeping your existing headphones → TRIPP LITE USB-C. It is the only one of the two that gives you a 3.5 mm jack.
• Best for a complete, ready-to-use headset → AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds. Mic, buttons, tips and case all included.
• Best for call quality and controls → AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds, thanks to the inline HD mic and multifunction buttons.
• Best for audio conversion quality → TRIPP LITE USB-C, which converts at 24-bit / 96 kHz to preserve a detailed signal.
• Best for a laptop with a broken or missing headphone jack → TRIPP LITE USB-C. It bypasses the built-in jack and sound card entirely.
• Best for travel and storage → AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds ship with a zipper case and magnetic buds; the TRIPP LITE adapter is the smaller object, but it is an accessory you must remember.
• Best for plug-and-play across Windows, Android and macOS → TRIPP LITE USB-C, which is explicitly listed for all three.
• Best for a single-cable setup with no dongle → AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds, since the USB-C plug is on the headset itself.
In my opinion, most people shopping this comparison for a MacBook should buy the TRIPP LITE USB-C adapter. Here is my reasoning: it costs you nothing in flexibility. It lets you use whatever headphones you already trust, it works on Windows and Android too, and it fixes the single most annoying thing about a USB-C-only laptop — the missing jack. I would only steer you to the AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds if you do not already own a good wired pair, or if you specifically want a mic and buttons on the cable for calls. In that case the AHFYCIH set is the more complete purchase out of the box.
FAQ
how to use headphones for macbook
how to connect headphones macbook
Connect the plug to the matching port and the Mac picks it up as an audio output automatically. With the TRIPP LITE adapter, your 3.5 mm headphones go into the adapter and the adapter goes into USB-C or Thunderbolt 3. With the AHFYCIH earbuds, the USB-C plug goes straight into the laptop. Both are listed as plug-and-play with no external power.
how to connect headphones macbook air
MacBook Air models with USB-C or Thunderbolt ports work the same way as the Pro. Use the TRIPP LITE USB-C adapter if your headphones have a 3.5 mm plug, or connect the AHFYCIH USB C Earbuds directly if they use a USB-C connector. Neither option requires drivers, and the AHFYCIH set's inline buttons and mic work through the same single connection.
how to use headphones macbook pro
On a MacBook Pro, plug the adapter or the USB-C earbuds into any available USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 port. The TRIPP LITE U437-001 is explicitly listed as compatible with MacBook Pro and converts the digital signal to analog at 96 kHz. The AHFYCIH earbuds are also listed for MacBook Pro and add an inline mic, volume controls and Siri wake-up on the cable.
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