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Updated: 2026-09-20 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation and a charging case you can leave in your pocket all week, choose XIAOMI Redmi Buds 8; if you need to plug wired 3.5mm headphones into a USB-C phone while charging it at the same time, choose AVMAX USB C.
• XIAOMI Redmi Buds 8 — biggest trade-off: it is a complete audio device, not an accessory. If you already own wired headphones you love, it does not help you keep using them, and it is in-ear only.
• AVMAX USB C — biggest strength: it solves one very specific problem — listening on a USB-C phone that has no headphone jack, while still fast charging at up to 60W PD.
• AVMAX USB C — biggest trade-off: it makes no sound of its own. No headphones, no battery, no ANC. It is a bridge between your phone and your existing wired gear, and it does not pass data.
• Who each pick is for: Redmi Buds 8 for someone who wants one modern wireless setup for commuting, calls and workouts; AVMAX USB C for someone who already has good 3.5mm headphones and refuses to give them up.
The Redmi Buds 8 is a self-contained listening product. Two earbuds, a case, and everything the pair needs to work already inside it. The headline feature is 42dB hybrid active noise cancellation — the kind of figure that matters most on a bus, a plane, or in an open-plan office where the drone of other people never fully stops. Hybrid ANC uses microphones inside and outside the ear, so it is fighting noise from both directions rather than just one.
The sound hardware is a 12.4mm dynamic driver with a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range and 32-ohm impedance, decoded over SBC and AAC. In plain terms: a large-ish driver for punchy bass, AAC for decent quality on iPhones and most Android phones, and no exotic codec to worry about. The Xiaomi Earbuds app handles EQ customization and firmware updates, so you can tilt the sound toward bass or vocals instead of living with a factory curve you don't like.
Who should buy it: commuters, students, remote workers, and anyone who wants ANC, long battery life, and app-level sound tuning in one purchase. Multiple ear tip sizes and a lightweight stick-style design make it reasonable for long wear.
Who should skip it: anyone who prefers over-ear headphones, anyone who has already invested in wired IEMs, and anyone who needs their audio gear to double as a charging accessory. It also won't help if your phone's USB-C port is the only port you have and you want to charge and listen at the same time — for that, you need the other product on this page.
AVMAX USB C: Who It's For
The AVMAX USB C is a 2-in-1 adapter: a USB-C male plug on one end that goes into your phone, and on the other side both a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB-C female port. The point is simple — you plug your wired headphones into the 3.5mm side, plug your charging cable into the USB-C side, and do both at once. That is a genuinely useful trick on phones that dropped the headphone jack, because the obvious workaround (a plain dongle) forces you to choose between listening and charging.
The audio side is not an afterthought. AVMAX builds in a DAC chip rated for 32bit/384kHz high-resolution decoding. That number is far beyond what streaming services deliver, but the practical benefit is headroom: clean decoding, low noise floor, and no audible hiss or distortion when the adapter is the weak link in a chain of otherwise decent wired headphones. If your headphones are better than typical pack-in buds, the DAC is doing real work. Note the caveat in the specs: your device settings need to be compatible to actually output at that resolution.
The charging side supports up to 60W PD and recognizes PD, QC, AFC and PPS standards, adjusting voltage and current to match the device. AVMAX notes that best fast-charging results come from using an original PD charger. Compatibility is broad and explicitly listed — iPhone 15 through 17 families, Galaxy S20 through S26, Note series, Pixel 6 through 10, Huawei Mate and P series, iPad and iPad Pro, MacBook Pro/Air 2024, Dell XPS, Steam Deck and more. It is 2.56 x 0.79 x 0.39 inches, small enough to leave on a cable, and it comes with a 12-month warranty.
Two limits are worth stating plainly. It does not support data transfer — it is audio and power only. And it produces no sound by itself, so it is only as good as the headphones you plug into it.
Who should buy it: anyone with a USB-C phone, tablet or laptop who owns wired 3.5mm headphones and wants to keep using them — especially people who listen for hours and don't want their battery draining while they do. Gamers on a phone or Steam Deck with a wired headset are a natural fit, since the low-latency wired path avoids Bluetooth lag entirely.
Who should skip it: anyone who wants wireless freedom, ANC, or a built-in battery. If you don't own wired headphones, this adapter has nothing to connect to.
• Best for noise cancellation → XIAOMI Redmi Buds 8. 42dB hybrid ANC has no equivalent on the AVMAX, which is passive by nature.
• Best for battery life → XIAOMI Redmi Buds 8. 8 hours per charge, 36 total, plus a 10-minute charge for 2 hours of playback.
• Best for keeping your wired headphones → AVMAX USB C. It exists precisely to extend the life of 3.5mm gear on jackless devices.
• Best for listening while charging → AVMAX USB C. The 2-in-1 design handles audio and up to 60W PD charging simultaneously; the Redmi Buds 8 has no passthrough charging function at all.
• Best for call clarity → XIAOMI Redmi Buds 8. Dual mics with AI noise reduction, rated for wind up to 6m/s. The AVMAX relies entirely on your headset's own mic.
• Best for latency-sensitive use → AVMAX USB C. A wired connection sidesteps Bluetooth audio delay for gaming and video editing.
• Best for sound tuning and app control → XIAOMI Redmi Buds 8. Touch controls plus EQ and firmware updates through the Xiaomi Earbuds app.
• Best for a single small purchase that solves one problem → AVMAX USB C. It's an accessory, not a system — but it's the right accessory if wired is your preference.
My Verdict
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the XIAOMI Redmi Buds 8. In my opinion, it's the more complete product: it replaces something rather than supplementing it, and ANC plus 36 hours of total battery is the combination most people actually feel day to day. That said, the AVMAX USB C is the smarter buy for a narrower, very real group — people with good wired headphones and a phone with no jack. If that's you, the Redmi Buds 8 is the wrong answer entirely. Check the current price on Amazon for both before deciding, since the value math shifts depending on what you already own.
They aren't really competitors. The Redmi Buds 8 is a wireless earbud system with ANC and its own battery; the AVMAX is a passive adapter that lets wired headphones work on USB-C devices. "Better" depends entirely on whether you want new earbuds or a way to keep your old wired ones.
No. It's a physical adapter with a 3.5mm jack and a USB-C charging port. It only works with wired 3.5mm headphones or headsets, and it does not support data transfer.
No. It's a wireless earbud with its own charging case, so it doesn't connect to your phone's charging port at all. If charging and listening at the same time is your requirement, the AVMAX adapter is the one that does that.
For commuting, I'd lean toward the Redmi Buds 8 — ANC and a pocketable case with 36 hours of total playback suit a daily train or bus routine well. The AVMAX is a small dongle you leave attached to a cable, and simple adapters like this tend to live or die by how you treat the connector. Both are covered by a 1-year and 12-month warranty respectively, so neither is a throwaway purchase.
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