I first realized there was an interest in wired USB-C earbuds at IFA 2025, when I saw Belkin’s newest SoundForm ANC. The earbuds then garnered a lot of attention when I showed them off in a social media post a few months later. Followers were interested in the proposition of active noise cancellation without charging a battery. But there’s also been a renewed interest in not having to deal with dead batteries or fiddling with Bluetooth connections.
Since many modern devices have removed the 3.5mm headphone jack, the connector for wired audio needs to be USB-C. But do you really need to spend hundreds on these devices? I went looking for a good pair of wired USB-C earbuds under $30. Options were slim, but I tested several different models from reputable brands to save you the trouble.
The bad news is that most of these products didn’t fare well. Still, there was one that stuck out if you have a practical need for old-school wired earbuds that won’t break the bank.
The Best Wireless Earbuds of 2025
Amazon Basics
(Credit: Tyler Hayes)
The Amazon Basics USB-C earbuds are among the cheapest options, retailing at or under $10. The sound quality, however, was the worst of all the earbuds I tried. It made them largely unusable, even as a backup pair or for taking calls.
These earbuds do have an in-line pause/play button, but there isn’t any volume control or noise canceling. You get three pairs of rubber ear tips, with one size pre-installed out of the box. The fit was okay for my ears, but the buds themselves are on the small side, so they could work for kids. Because of the small size and lightweight plastic, I didn’t have any discomfort wearing them for extended periods, but I didn’t want to because the audio quality was so poor.
Amazon Basics Wired Earbuds
Widely compatible wired earphones for phones, laptops, tablet PCs, and other USB-C devices
Skullcandy Jib
(Credit: Tyler Hayes)
The Skullcandy Jib wired USB-C earbuds range between $10 and $20, depending on which color you select. The sound quality is trebly and thin. Vocals cut through and are audible with music, but the low-end is almost completely missing. The Jib earbuds might be a good choice for watching videos, instead of listening to music, but it’s a thumbs down on sound.
While the in-line remote looks like it might handle volume control, it does not. It can pause and play or skip tracks. There is a microphone for calls, but the quality was mediocre. The volume of the mic was also low, which might make it hard for the person on the other end to hear you well.
The bullet-style design fit fine in my ears. Their small size and light plastic housing made them workable for several hours. But again, the sound quality made these earbuds hard to use for too long. My 13-year-old daughter said these and the Amazon Basics were the most comfortable for her smaller ears. But she also agreed that both of them sounded terrible.
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Skullcandy Jib
USB-C wired earbuds with noise-isolating fit, in-line microphone
$7.41
at Amazon
$14.99
Save $7.58
Belkin SoundForm ANC
(Credit: Tyler Hayes)
The Belkin SoundForm ANC earbuds aren’t the best-sounding earbuds on this list, but they do exhibit some bass and have a decent midrange for guitars and vocals to cut through. Just don’t expect studio sound.
In terms of the ANC performance, the noise blocking is minimal. The SoundForm ANC can take the edge off of loud environments, but they won’t heavily dampen airplane cabins. Instead, they’re more sufficient for obscuring distant annoyances like a leaf blower across the street or a co-worker unevenly pecking out an email on their desktop keyboard. The in-line remote has an ANC button to toggle between transparency, ANC off, and ANC on.
The Belkin SoundForm ANC earbuds are comfortable to wear. They have a contoured design, so I didn’t feel any sharp pain points. However, I did have a problem keeping the earbuds in my ears because the silicone tips would cause them to slide out. Your mileage will vary in this area. The larger tip size included in the box helped secure them a little bit, but something about the soft silicone made them slide out easily.
Recommended by Our Editors
Belkin SoundForm ANC
ANC wired earbuds with USB-C, IPX5 in-ear earphones with microphone
Apple EarPods
(Credit: Tyler Hayes)
It’s a testament to the AirPods’ success that it’s now weird to see a cable attached to Apple’s white earbuds. In less than a decade, the wireless buds have completely overtaken the company’s personal audio devices. Still, Apple does make wired earbuds, dubbed EarPods. Not only are they pretty good, but they only cost $19.
The sound quality has its weaknesses, like a narrow soundstage and a lack of deep bass, but the sound is still very respectable. The smooth bass parts in Billie Eilish’s “Chihiro” are audible, but you won’t feel it in the same way you would on more expensive buds. Still, the sound is much better than you’d expect for under $20. These are by far the best-sounding earbuds of this bunch.
There aren’t many features, but you do get in-line volume control in addition to pause, play, and skip. The microphone quality is also excellent. After recording myself and listening back, I was thoroughly impressed. These are more than fine to use for conference calls and FaceTime.
In my ears, the EarPods fit like a glove. I’m a big fan of the feel. Notably, they’re a tiny bit smaller than regular AirPods and noticeably smaller than AirPods Pro. Kids and people with smaller ears might find these to be more comfortable and stay put better than wireless buds. The caveat is that they use hard plastic all around. There are no silicone tips. My daughter did say that she wasn’t crazy about the feel compared with the ones featuring tips.
Apple EarPods
Wired earbuds with built-in remote to control music, phone calls, and volume
$17.99
at Amazon
$19.00
Save $1.01
What Should You Buy?
There are similar options from JBL, Panasonic, and Sony that we didn’t test. However, it’s clear that if you have $20 to spare for wired earbuds, the EarPods are the way to go. Of course, real audiophiles probably want to stick with wireless earbuds or over-ear headphones. Our favorites include selections from Apple, Anker, Bose, and more. Those brands were also top picks on our most recent Readers’ Choice survey of headphone and speaker manufacturers.
About Our Expert
Experience
I’ve contributed to PCMag since 2019, covering Apple, electric vehicles, and lots of other consumer electronics. If a gadget plugs into a wall or uses a battery, there’s a good chance I’ve tested it and have some thoughts about its place in our daily lives. I write featured articles, how-to guides, and daily news.
I got my first taste of writing about technology for Fast Company in 2013, mostly how it intersected with the music industry. Since then I’ve written for dozens of publications and explored all other facets of service journalism, from reviews to buying guides. At one point, I took a break from journalism for a few years to work at a technology startup and then an industry Goliath, both valuable experiences in understanding how the business of tech works from top to bottom.
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