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If you want a USB-A sound card that adds a mic-ready headphone jack to a desktop, laptop or PS5, choose Ugreen USB; if you need a USB-C headphone dongle for a modern phone, tablet or MacBook, choose Untvie USB-C. These two adapters look like the same idea in a different plug, but they solve completely different problems. One is built to replace a missing sound card. The other is built to replace a missing headphone jack.
• Ugreen USB — biggest strength: it's a true 2-in-1 external sound card with a TRRS jack, so you get both audio output and microphone input, plus high-resolution playback up to 24bit/96kHz with a 110 dB signal-to-noise ratio.
• Ugreen USB — biggest trade-off: it's a USB-A adapter, so it doesn't physically fit USB-C-only phones and tablets, and Ugreen explicitly notes it does not work with TVs or cars.
• Untvie USB-C — biggest strength: broad USB-C device coverage — iPhone 15/16/17 series, iPad Pro/Air/mini, Google Pixel, Galaxy S and Z series, and MacBook — plus a two-pack so you can leave one plugged in and one in a bag.
• Untvie USB-C — biggest trade-off: its DAC runs at 48,000 samples per second, which is lower than the Ugreen's 24bit/96kHz ceiling, and it's a single-port dongle with no separate mic input path.
• Who each pick is for: Ugreen for desktop, laptop and console users who need a mic-capable sound card; Untvie for phone, tablet and MacBook users who just want their wired headphones back.
The Ugreen USB is, in plain terms, a replacement sound card. It takes a USB-A port and turns it into a 3.5mm TRRS jack — the four-pole kind that carries both headphone audio out and microphone audio in. That one detail is what separates it from most cheap dongles. If your headset has a mic and your computer's built-in jack is broken, noisy or simply missing, this is the adapter that actually gives you a working path for both listening and talking.
The second thing that stands out in the spec sheet is the audio path itself. Ugreen uses C-Media IC technology with support for up to 24bit/96kHz output and a 110 dB signal-to-noise ratio. The company's own framing is that this beats the 16bit/48kHz you typically find at this tier. I'd treat that as a design claim rather than a promise about what your ears will hear, but the direction matters: a higher sample-rate ceiling and a high SNR figure are the kind of numbers that suggest a cleaner, less hissy output than a bargain-bin adapter. It also lists stereo surround output with a 5.1 channel configuration, which is the sort of thing you notice in games and movies more than in a podcast.
Who should skip it? Anyone whose only audio device is a USB-C phone or tablet. There's no USB-C here, and no Lightning either. Ugreen also states plainly that it doesn't work for TV or car use, so don't buy it hoping to feed a television's audio or a car stereo. And if you need a microphone and headphones through a single wire for calls on a modern phone, this isn't the shape of adapter you want.
Untvie USB-C: Who It's For
The Untvie USB-C is the other half of the modern problem: your device dropped the headphone jack, and you still own wired headphones you like. It converts a USB-C port into a 3.5mm output so you can keep using them — on a train, on a plane, at a desk, wherever.
Its headline claim is DAC-based hi-fi playback at 48,000 samples per second, described as lossless with rich bass, clear highs and balanced mids. That 48kHz figure is worth reading carefully: it's the standard rate for CD-quality audio, and it's perfectly adequate for streaming music, calls and video. It is not the same as the Ugreen's 24bit/96kHz ceiling. If you're the type of listener who cares about high-resolution files, that gap is real. For everyone else — Spotify, YouTube, Zoom, podcasts, games — 48kHz covers the job.
The compatibility list is the real reason to pick this one. Untvie names iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, iPhone 16 and 15 families, Google Pixel 7/7 Pro/6/6 Pro/6a, Galaxy S23/S22/S21/S20 series plus A53 and A54, the Z Flip and Z Fold lines, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air (including M1 and M2 generations), iPad Pro 2022/2021/2020/2018, iPad Air, and iPad mini 2021. That's a very wide net, and it's the list that matters most, because a dongle that doesn't handshake with your phone is a dongle you'll never use.
Skip it if your source device is USB-A only, or if you need a dedicated microphone input. This is a single-port output adapter, plug and play with no drivers or apps required. The glossy finish is a minor consideration — gloss shows fingerprints, so if that bothers you on a daily-carry item, factor it in.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for microphone input → Ugreen USB. Its TRRS jack carries both headphone and mic audio, so a gaming headset with a boom mic works as intended.
• Best for modern phones and tablets → Untvie USB-C. iPhone 15/16/17, Pixel, Galaxy and iPad coverage is the whole point of this adapter.
• Best for highest audio spec on paper → Ugreen USB. 24bit/96kHz with a 110 dB signal-to-noise ratio versus 48,000 samples per second.
• Best for MacBook and iPad users → Untvie USB-C. MacBook Pro, MacBook Air M1/M2 and iPad Pro/Air/mini are all named as compatible.
• Best for desktops, laptops and consoles → Ugreen USB. Windows, macOS, Linux, PS5/PS4, Chromebook and Raspberry Pi support, all driver-free.
• Best for durability on the go → Untvie USB-C. TPE cable, aluminum shell, and a stated 25,000+ bend-test rating.
• Best for keeping a spare → Untvie USB-C. It's sold as a two-pack, so you get a backup without ordering twice.
• Best for travel with a USB-A laptop → Ugreen USB. Compact, lightweight, bus-powered, and nothing to install before you use it.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Untvie USB-C — because in 2026 the missing headphone jack is the more common problem, and the compatibility list covers the phones, tablets and MacBooks most people actually carry. The two-pack and the reinforced cable make it the easier thing to live with daily. That said, if your job is gaming or voice calls on a PC or console and you need a mic, I'd take the Ugreen USB instead; the TRRS jack and the higher-resolution audio spec are the deciding factors there. In my opinion these aren't competitors so much as two tools for two different ports — buy the one that matches the device you're holding. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
On paper, the Ugreen has the higher ceiling: 24bit/96kHz output with a 110 dB signal-to-noise ratio. The Untvie runs at 48,000 samples per second, which is CD-quality and fine for streaming. If high-resolution playback is your priority, the Ugreen spec is stronger.
Yes, based on the listed compatibility: iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, iPhone 16 and 16 Pro families, and the iPhone 15 series are all named. It's plug and play, so no app or driver install is needed.
Yes. It's a 2-in-1 sound card with a 3.5mm TRRS jack, which carries both audio output and microphone input. That's the main reason to choose it over a simple output-only dongle.
The Untvie is designed for it — flexible TPE cable, aluminum alloy shell, and a stated 25,000+ bending-test rating, plus it comes as a two-pack. The Ugreen has an aluminum shell too, but it's a compact USB-A adapter better suited to sitting behind a computer than riding in a pocket.
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