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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-18 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• ZIHNIC Headphones Over-Ear — biggest strength: a foldable, stretchable over-ear build with soft memory-protein foam earcups, a protective carry case, and a wired 3.5 mm option alongside Bluetooth 5.
• ZIHNIC Headphones Over-Ear — biggest trade-off: 14 hours of battery life and a push-button control scheme, so heavy travellers will be reaching for the cable more often.
• Sony WH-CH720 — biggest strength: up to 35 hours of battery life with quick charge, plus Digital Noise Cancelling built around Dual Noise Sensor technology and the Integrated Processor V1.
• Sony WH-CH720 — biggest trade-off: a higher 325 ohm impedance figure, touch-style media control rather than simple buttons, and no bundled carry case listed.
• Who each pick is for: ZIHNIC for budget-minded, wired-or-wireless listeners who want a case and simple controls; Sony for commuters and call-heavy users who want long battery life and real noise cancelling.
The ZIHNIC Headphones Over-Ear is a classic do-it-all pair of over-ear headphones with one foot in the old world and one in the new. You get Bluetooth 5 with a 10 metre range, but you also get a 3.5 mm jack and a cable in the box, so it can run as a plain wired headset when the battery runs down or when you want zero latency. That dual-mode design is the single most practical thing about it, and it's the reason it ends up on so many desks, school bags and bedside tables.
Comfort is clearly the design priority here. The earcups use artificial leather over memory-protein foam, the headband is padded, and the whole frame is foldable and stretchable so it collapses down for travel. ZIHNIC also throws in a protective carry case, which is unusual at this end of the market and genuinely useful if the headphones live in a backpack. The 0.3 kg weight is on the heavier side of light, but the over-ear fit spreads that weight rather than pressing it onto your ears.
The feature list goes wider than most people expect: a Micro SD/TF card slot and FM radio sit alongside standard Bluetooth streaming, and the built-in mic handles hands-free calls. Sound is handled by 32 ohm dynamic drivers covering 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, with active noise cancellation and push-button volume control.
Who should buy it? In my opinion, the ZIHNIC suits kids, teens and adults who want one affordable pair for commuting, sport, gaming and casual listening, and who value a bundled case and a wired fallback over app features. Who should skip it? Anyone who flies often, works in a noisy open office, or wants to fine-tune EQ — the 14 hour battery and button controls won't compete there.
The Sony WH-CH720 is the more specialised tool. Sony's pitch is straightforward: adapt the sound to your environment, then wear the headphones all day. Digital Noise Cancelling uses Dual Noise Sensor technology paired with the Integrated Processor V1, and through the Sony Headphones Connect app you can adjust ambient sound across 20 levels. That's a level of control the ZIHNIC simply doesn't offer — you're not choosing between "noise cancelling on" and "off", you're dialling in exactly how much of the world you want to hear.
Battery life is the headline number: up to 35 hours with noise cancelling on, plus quick charge for top-ups. Charge time is a listed 3 hours. Combined with the light 0.1 kg build and an around-the-ear ergonomic shape, that's a genuinely all-day, all-week pair for commuting, working from home and long flights. Bluetooth 5.2 handles the connection, and Multipoint lets you stay paired to two devices at once — phone and laptop, for example — which matters more than people expect once you've used it.
Call quality gets its own engineering: Precise Voice Pickup Technology, beamforming microphones and a wind noise reduction structure aimed at clearer conversations outdoors. Add Swift Pair and Fast Pair for quick setup, plus voice control and easy button operation, and the whole package is built around being unobtrusive.
The trade-offs are real, though. The listed 325 ohm impedance is a high figure, so plan to drive these from a decent source rather than expecting them to be equally happy everywhere. There's no carry case in the listed contents, just the connection cable and USB cable. And the colour is white with a black case reference, so if you wanted something more subdued, that's your call to make.
Who should buy it? Commuters, frequent flyers, remote workers and anyone who takes a lot of calls. Who should skip it? Listeners who mainly want a cheap, foldable, wired-capable pair for the gym or for a child — the ZIHNIC covers that ground with less complexity.
• Best for battery life → Sony WH-CH720. Up to 35 hours with noise cancelling on versus 14 hours on the ZIHNIC.
• Best for noise cancelling control → Sony WH-CH720. Dual Noise Sensor technology plus 20 adjustable ambient sound levels in the app.
• Best for simple, tactile controls → ZIHNIC Headphones Over-Ear. Push-button volume and controls instead of touch.
• Best for wired listening and latency-free use → ZIHNIC Headphones Over-Ear. A 3.5 mm jack and cable in the box, so it works with no battery at all.
• Best for travel protection → ZIHNIC Headphones Over-Ear. A protective carry case is included; the Sony listing doesn't include one.
• Best for calls in the wind → Sony WH-CH720. Beamforming mics, Precise Voice Pickup Technology and a wind noise reduction structure.
• Best for multi-device switching → Sony WH-CH720. Multipoint connection and Bluetooth 5.2 versus Bluetooth 5.
• Best for casual, kid-friendly everyday use → ZIHNIC Headphones Over-Ear. Foldable, stretchable, padded, and comfortable for long wear.
If I were buying for myself and I commute, fly, or spend my day on calls, I'd take the Sony WH-CH720. The 35 hour battery, adjustable noise cancelling, Multipoint and the call-focused microphone array are the things I'd actually notice every single day, and the app EQ means I can shape the sound rather than live with it.
If I were buying for a teenager, a second pair for the gym, or something that has to survive a backpack and still work when the battery dies, I'd take the ZIHNIC Headphones Over-Ear. The case, the 3.5 mm fallback and the button controls are exactly what that job needs. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit — the gap between them may decide it for you.
Not universally. The Sony wins clearly on battery life (up to 35 hours vs 14), noise cancelling sophistication and call clarity. The ZIHNIC wins on wired flexibility, included carry case and simpler controls. "Better" depends entirely on which of those you use most.
Yes. It includes a 3.5 mm jack and a cable in the box, so you can listen wired with no battery involved. It also accepts a Micro SD/TF card and has an FM radio, so it isn't dependent on a paired phone at all.
Both are over-ear designs, but they solve comfort differently. The ZIHNIC uses memory-protein foam leather earcups and a foldable, stretchable frame at 0.3 kg. The Sony is much lighter at 0.1 kg and pairs that with an ergonomic around-the-ear shape, which is why Sony frames it around its 35 hour battery life.
No — it works as a standard Bluetooth headphone with button and voice control. The Sony Headphones Connect app is what unlocks the EQ settings, the 20 ambient sound levels and 360 Reality Audio, so it's optional but it's where much of the value sits.
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