We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a complete wired USB-C headphone you can just plug in and use, choose UliX Rider USB C; if you need to keep using the 3.5mm headphones you already own on a phone or laptop that dropped the jack, choose Highwings USB Type C.
• UliX Rider USB C — biggest strength: It's a finished pair of USB-C in-ear headphones with a built-in mic and touch/button controls, so there's nothing extra to buy or lose.
• UliX Rider USB C — biggest trade-off: It's wired only, so you're tied to the cable, and there's no wireless mode if that's what you were hoping for.
• Highwings USB Type C — biggest strength: It turns a USB-C port into a 3.5mm jack, so your existing wired headphones, car aux cable or speaker suddenly work again — and you get three adapters in the pack.
• Highwings USB Type C — biggest trade-off: It's an adapter, not a headphone. It produces no sound on its own, and some headphone mic/volume functions aren't supported.
• Who each pick is for: UliX Rider USB C is for someone who wants one cable and done. Highwings USB Type C is for someone who already loves a pair of 3.5mm headphones, or needs to feed audio into a car or speaker.
The UliX Rider USB C is the "just works" option. It's a complete pair of USB-C in-ear earbuds with a dynamic driver covering 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz and a 48-ohm impedance, so it's designed to plug straight into a modern phone, tablet or laptop and start playing. No dongle, no charging case, no pairing screen. The metal housing and rounded-tip earpieces are built for long sessions, and the design specifically aims at a snug fit rather than that dull ache you get after an hour with cheap buds.
The feature set is deliberately practical. There's a microphone with low latency for calls and meetings, sound isolation to keep your audio in and the bus noise out, and touch/button controls on the cable for call control. The box includes the earphones, spare eartips, a cable and a protective case. UliX also backs it with a 5-year warranty and 24/7 support, which is a notably long coverage window for a wired set.
Skip it if you're attached to a specific pair of over-ear 3.5mm headphones, or if you need to plug into a car stereo or a home speaker with an aux input. A straight USB-C headphone can't do that job — that's exactly where an adapter wins.
Highwings USB Type C: Who It's For
The Highwings USB Type C is a different kind of product entirely, and it's worth being clear about that before you buy. It's a USB-C to 3.5mm female adapter, sold as a 3-pack, that lets USB-C devices without a headphone jack drive standard 3.5mm headphones, headsets, speakers, car radios and hi-fi systems. It contains a DAC chip that supports 24-bit/48 kHz sampling with noise reduction, and it's built from military-grade nylon with reinforced joints and a silver-plated plug that resists oxidation and corrosion.
In practice, this is the fix for three very common problems. First, your favourite wired headphones still work on a jackless phone. Second, your car's aux input works again, which matters a lot if you drive something without Bluetooth. Third, you can run audio out to a speaker, amplifier or hi-fi system from a phone or laptop. Function keys on the connected headset can handle calls, volume and pause, and there are three adapters in the box so you can leave one in the car, one at the desk and one in a bag.
The honest trade-offs are two. It doesn't make sound by itself — pair it with headphones you already own. And Highwings states plainly that microphone and volume control on Apple EarPods with a 3.5mm plug aren't supported, and OMTP/TRS microphone-only devices aren't supported either. Compatibility otherwise covers recent iPhone 15/16/17, Galaxy S23/S24/S25, iPad Pro, MacBook, Pixel and OnePlus models.
Buy it if you have good 3.5mm gear you don't want to replace, or a car/speaker setup that needs an aux feed. Skip it if you don't own any 3.5mm headphones — you'd be buying an adapter with nothing to plug into it.
• Best for a one-piece, cable-only setup → UliX Rider USB C. Everything you need is in the box: earphones, eartips, case, cable.
• Best for reusing headphones you already own → Highwings USB Type C. It preserves your existing 3.5mm gear instead of replacing it.
• Best for car aux and speaker systems → Highwings USB Type C. This is the only one of the two that can feed a car radio or amplifier.
• Best for calls and meetings → UliX Rider USB C. It has a built-in microphone, and the design targets low-latency call audio.
• Best for long listening without battery worry → UliX Rider USB C. Both are wired, but only the Rider is a headphone, so there's no charging cycle to think about at all.
• Best for durability and redundancy → Highwings USB Type C. Nylon braiding, reinforced joints and a 3-pack mean a spare is always within reach.
• Best for the widest device list in one purchase → UliX Rider USB C. Its compatibility list runs across Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola and laptop brands in a single product.
• Best for travel and desk flexibility → Highwings USB Type C. Three slim adapters are easier to scatter across bags and drawers than a whole second headphone.
In my opinion, the UliX Rider USB C is the better buy for most people reading this, because it solves the problem outright — you plug it in and you have headphones, a mic, controls, a case and a 5-year warranty. There's no second purchase, no adapter to misplace, and no dependency on gear you might not own.
That said, I'd genuinely recommend the Highwings USB Type C if your situation is "I love my current 3.5mm headphones" or "my car only has an aux input." Those are real, common cases where an adapter is not a compromise — it's the correct tool. Pick based on what you already own, not on which one sounds more impressive.
how to use usb c headphones on mac
Plug the USB-C connector directly into a USB-C port on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Both the UliX Rider and the Highwings adapter list MacBook and MacBook Pro support, and macOS will route audio to the device automatically once it's connected. You can then pick it as the output in your sound settings.
how to use usb c headphones on android phone
Connect the USB-C plug straight into the phone's charging port. The UliX Rider is listed as compatible with a wide range of Galaxy S and Z series, Pixel and Motorola Edge devices, and the Highwings adapter covers Galaxy S23/S24/S25, Pixel and OnePlus models. You then just play audio as normal — no pairing step is involved with either.
how to use usb c headphones on ps5
Neither product lists PlayStation 5 compatibility, so I can't promise either will work there. The PS5's USB audio support is its own thing, and these are marketed for phones, tablets, laptops and audio devices. If console use is your main goal, treat both as unverified for that purpose.
do i need an adapter if i already have usb c headphones
No. If you own USB-C headphones like the UliX Rider, you plug them straight into a USB-C port and you're done — no adapter required. The Highwings adapter only makes sense if your headphones end in a 3.5mm plug, or if you're feeding a car stereo, speaker or amplifier that takes an aux cable.
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