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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-20 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Ugreen Airplane — biggest strength: it is a true 2-in-1 Bluetooth 6.0 transmitter and receiver, so it can wirelessly send audio out to your AirPods or headphones or receive audio from your phone into an older speaker or car stereo.
• Ugreen Airplane — biggest trade-off: it is a powered, mode-based device with specific pairing steps and a compatibility list that rules out several newer AirPods models, so it asks more of you than a plain cable.
• Untvie USB-C — biggest strength: plug-and-play DAC audio at 48,000 samples per second with no apps, no drivers and no charging, backed by a reinforced build rated to 25,000+ bending tests.
• Untvie USB-C — biggest trade-off: it does zero wireless work. It only passes audio from a USB-C port to a 3.5mm wired connection, so it can't help a device that has no USB-C output.
• Pick Ugreen Airplane if you want to use your own Bluetooth headphones on a flight, TV or car and value battery life over simplicity.
• Pick Untvie USB-C if you just want wired headphones to work on a USB-C phone, tablet or laptop — and you get two of them in the pack.
The Ugreen Airplane adapter is built around one very specific frustration: the screen in front of you has a 3.5mm jack, but the headphones in your bag are Bluetooth. In transmitter (TX) mode, you plug the adapter into that 3.5mm AUX port on an airplane seat, a TV or another non-Bluetooth source, then pair your Bluetooth headphones to it and listen wirelessly. In receiver (RX) mode, it does the opposite: it takes audio from your phone or computer and pushes it into an older car stereo or a wired speaker, effectively making that old gear Bluetooth-capable. That dual personality is the whole point of the product.
The spec sheet backs that up with Bluetooth 6.0, which Ugreen says improves connection speed and signal stability while tightening the audio-video sync — useful when you're watching a movie or gaming and don't want lip-sync drift. The transmission range is listed at 10 meters, which is plenty for moving around a room or a hotel without the audio dropping out. Battery life is quoted at up to 18 hours in receiver mode and 16 hours in transmitter mode, which comfortably covers a long-haul flight or a full working day. There's also a built-in microphone, so if you're using it to route phone audio you can take a call without stopping the music.
The controls are a jog dial plus a multifunction button. If pairing ever fails, Ugreen's own instruction is to power the unit off and hold the multifunction button for 10 seconds to reset it — worth knowing before you're mid-flight wondering why nothing connects.
Who should buy it: frequent flyers, people who own Bluetooth headphones and want to use them with in-flight entertainment, anyone with an old car stereo or wired speaker they'd like to stream to, and TV owners who want to send audio to wireless headphones in TX mode. Who should skip it: anyone who just needs a passive cable — this is a battery-powered device that needs charging and the correct mode selected. Also skip it if you own AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 or AirPods 4 ANC: the sheet explicitly lists those as incompatible, while AirPods and AirPods Pro are supported. And note that iPhone users can't rely on automatic reconnection — you'll re-pair manually, which is a real everyday annoyance if you swap devices often.
The Untvie USB-C adapter solves a much smaller, much more common problem: your phone no longer has a headphone jack. This little dongle plugs into a USB-C port on one end and gives you a 3.5mm female jack on the other, so your existing wired headphones, earbuds or an aux cable just work. There's no battery, no pairing, no mode switch. Untvie's sheet calls it plug-and-play — no apps, no drivers, instant audio the moment you connect.
Inside, Untvie cites advanced DAC technology running at 48,000 samples per second, with the pitch being lossless-quality playback, rich bass, clear highs and balanced mids. I'd treat that as the design intent rather than a lab measurement, but a dedicated DAC chip is exactly why these adapters exist: it hands the digital-to-analog conversion to hardware built for audio instead of relying on whatever your device offers.
The physical build is where this one stands out for the money. The cable is ultra-flexible TPE with an aluminum alloy shell and an anti-tangle, anti-bend, anti-abrasion design, and Untvie states it's certified to pass 25,000+ bending tests. Anyone who has killed a cheap dongle by stuffing it in a pocket knows why that matters. The glossy finish keeps it looking tidy, and the compact shape slips into a pocket, laptop bag or handbag without bulk.
Compatibility is broad and clearly listed: iPhone 17, 16 and 15 series, Google Pixel 7/7 Pro/6/6 Pro/6a, Galaxy S23/S22/S21/S20 series plus A53, A54, the Z Flip and Z Fold lines, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air (including M1 and M2), iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad mini. The pack includes two adapters, which is genuinely useful — one stays in your bag, one lives on your desk.
Who should buy it: anyone with a USB-C phone, tablet or laptop and a pair of wired headphones they still love; commuters, students and travelers who want a spare cable without thinking about charging anything. Who should skip it: anyone hoping to go wireless. It has a single USB-C port and a 3.5mm jack, and it does nothing else. If you own a Lightning-based iPhone or a device without USB-C, this isn't your adapter.
• Best for wireless listening on a plane or TV → Ugreen Airplane. TX mode is exactly what in-flight entertainment and non-Bluetooth TVs need.
• Best for bringing an old car stereo or speaker into the Bluetooth era → Ugreen Airplane. RX mode turns wired gear wireless.
• Best for battery life → Ugreen Airplane. Up to 18 hours in RX and 16 hours in TX means it survives a long trip on one charge.
• Best for zero setup and no charging → Untvie USB-C. Plug in and listen; nothing to pair, reset or top up.
• Best for durability in a pocket → Untvie USB-C. TPE cable, aluminum shell and a stated 25,000+ bend-test rating.
• Best for headphone compatibility → Untvie USB-C. It works with any wired 3.5mm headphone, no model list to check.
• Best for AirPods owners (with caveats) → Ugreen Airplane, but only for AirPods and AirPods Pro — not AirPods Pro 2, Pro 3, AirPods 4 or AirPods 4 ANC.
• Best for USB-C phones, tablets and laptops → Untvie USB-C, and the two-pack means you always have a backup.
In my opinion, these two aren't really rivals — they fix different problems, so I'd pick based on the gear you already own. If you fly often, watch TV late at night, or want to stream to an older stereo, I'd buy the Ugreen Airplane, because no passive cable can do what TX and RX modes do, and the 18-hour battery plus Bluetooth 6.0 make it the more capable tool. If your actual problem is simply "my phone has no headphone jack," I'd buy the Untvie USB-C — it's cheaper in effort, works instantly, and the two-pack and bend-tested build make it the smarter everyday pick for wired headphone users.
FAQ
No. It's a wired adapter with a 3.5mm female jack, so it's built for corded headphones and aux cables. For wireless listening you'd want something like the Ugreen Airplane instead.
That depends on your need, not the number. If you want wireless freedom on flights and older gear, price-check the Ugreen Airplane; if you just want a reliable USB-C to 3.5mm dongle, price-check the Untvie USB-C. Use the button on this page to see current pricing on Amazon.
No. Ugreen lists it as compatible with AirPods and AirPods Pro, but incompatible with AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 ANC. iPhone users also need to reconnect manually rather than relying on auto-reconnect.
It uses a dedicated DAC running at 48,000 samples per second, which is designed to deliver clean, balanced audio from a USB-C port. Whether you hear a difference depends on your headphones and source, but it's not just a bare pass-through plug.
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