Ask Tecca: USB headphones vs. regular headphones

Today's question comes from Logan, who's thinking about buying a new pair of headphones.

I'm looking at buying a new pair of headphones for gaming. One is the normal plug, and the other has a USB plug on it. Which should I get?

On one hand, you've got a slick USB headset, and on the other, you've got a good old trusty 3.5mm (the "normal" plug, also call a 1/8" plug) headset. Let's examine the advantages of each.

Advantages of USB headphones
USB headphones have a few advantages. First, they work with nearly any computer that has a USB port. This means that you're not going to have to try to find a 3.5mm plug (which are sometimes located in awkward places).  

Second, you're not going to have to flip around settings on your computer. Just plug the headphones in, and you're ready to use them for just about everything. This can be quite advantageous if you're switching the headphones between two computers, as people with a gaming desktop and a laptop often find themselves doing.

Third, if your computer doesn't have a sound card that works very well or one that's always giving you problems, the USB headset will save the day. The sound hardware is all right on the USB headset, and it doesn't require anything from your computer other than the USB plug.

Advantages of 3.5mm headphones
The big advantage to 3.55mm headphones is that they're going to work in just about any device that can output audio — not just computers. This means your headset will work with your iPhone, iPad, Nintendo DS, and so on. That kind of interoperability can be really important to people and is a major point when comparing 3.5mm headphones to USB headphones.

Another advantage of 3.5mm headphones is that if you have a good sound card, you'll end up getting better sound out of a 3.5mm headset than a USB headset. But again, you have to have a good sound card for this to be a factor (which generally means something other than an on-board sound card).

The other thing to look at, too, is whether the headphones you're buying merely include a USB adapter or are actually made with a USB connection. Many so-called USB headphones are just 3.5mm headphones with a USB adapter included; in those cases, you're getting the best of both worlds.

My advice
If you're only going to use your headphones with your computer, then get the USB headphones. They'll provide the best sound quality, simplest functionality, and least amount of effort to plug in.

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