This post spun off from my everyday gear post — the headphone section took over, so it gets its own post.
Ok, I know it’s wired, and it’s 2026. But honestly, when I needed an earphone/headphone that delivers when it comes to mic quality, is comfortable, and sits in my ear while moving, this Lenovo wired USB-C earbud is honestly the only one that checked all the boxes. As a geek myself, I have had a lot of headphones over the years. I had the AirPods Pro 1st gen, it was good for a while but after a year or two people started to complain about my mic quality during Zoom or Google calls for work, and the battery life sucks especially during COVID where online meetings were the primary mode of work. Here’s my history of headphones for the last 5 years or so:
Wireless camp:
I tried the regular AirPods 2, and it wouldn’t sit in my ear, I have to be stationary in order to use it which defeats the benefit of wireless freedom. I then tried the AirPods 3 when it came out, tbh, I think it checked a lot of boxes, it sits in my ear the best of all AirPods (including the AirPods 4), the only inconvenience is it’s still on lightning cable, so for a while I had to carry a USB-C and a lightning cable with me when I travel. I got the AirPods 4 when it first came out, it’s 10% or so smaller than the AirPods 3, and falls out from time to time, especially if I go for a jog. The audio quality is very good, however, I have had coworkers and friends complain about the mic quality for both the AirPods 3 and 4 from time to time. This happened whether I was on my iPhone 15 or M2 MacBook Air. The last wireless headphone on the list is the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2, I got it as a gift. It works really well on my Windows PC, Android, Mac and iPhone(s). But I still have people complain about the mic quality from time to time, so my conclusion is that look, it’s all physics, it’s simply hard to have crystal-clear voice quality when the mic is so far away from your mouth.
Wired camp:
Over the last 5 years, I tried the Lenovo Wired VoIP Headset (Teams), which is a rebranded EPOS headset, Lenovo Go Wireless ANC Headset, Apple EarPods, Bose QuietComfort 25, Lenovo Go USB-C ANC In-Ear Headphones and the Lenovo USB-C 300. Honestly, I think cuz I have a big head, I can’t stand over-ear headphones, it’s extremely uncomfortable after 30 min or so. I prefer in-ear earphones like the EarPods from Apple, and the Lenovo USB-C 300 headphone. One thing common among all these wired solutions is that NOBODY ever complained about the voice quality, whether I am outside or inside, on phone or PC. I think the EarPods from Apple deliver the best audio quality for the money, but it continues to fall out of my ear. The Lenovo Go USB-C ANC in-ear has very poor ANC capability, and it wouldn’t stay in my ear. I had high hopes for this USB-based ANC headset, I was hoping it performs like a wired AirPods Pro, nope. I still keep it in my backpack, but not with me everywhere I go.
Funny enough, the Lenovo USB-C 300 is the cheapest among all these headphones, cost me $12.99, and it exceeded my expectations in so many ways. The audio quality is pretty good, I’d say it’s 80% of what the Apple EarPods deliver, but since it comes with 3 sizes of tips, it sealed outside noise very well, much better than the Apple EarPods. It doesn’t fall out of my ear, and I was able to go on calls during my walks and biking, and the caller never complained about the quality. FYI, I am not being sponsored by Lenovo, but simply want to share this hidden gem with busy parents who need something super reliable to multitask. You know what I am talking about here, chasing down the kids, while talking to the doctor’s office for an appointment or vaccination or what not. This thing delivers, I even talk to my friends while driving, while the kids are screaming in the 2nd row lol. The only complaint I have is it doesn’t come with a case, so it’s easy to get tangled with my keys in my pocket. So instead I take the Lenovo USB-C ANC headphone’s case for the cheaper headphone, but I paid easily 5X the price for that headphone than the cheapy one, so that’s just me finding a con for the sake of finding a con.
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