Apple EarPods (USB-C) vs Sony MDR-ZX110
Quick take: The Sony MDR-ZX110 costs $7 less.
Which one to buy
Both are wired and cheap enough to leave a spare in every bag, but they suit different devices and jobs. The EarPods are $17 earbuds with a DAC built into the USB-C plug. The MDR-ZX110 is a $10 on-ear headphone with a plain 3.5mm plug and no mic.
Start with what your device has. A jack-less phone or modern laptop plugs straight into the EarPods, with inline controls that work on Android and Windows too. The ZX110 needs a headphone jack or a dongle, though at 24 ohms anything drives it fine. Then calls: the EarPods' mic is the reason many owners own them at all, and callers rate it above most Bluetooth earbuds. The ZX110 has no mic (Sony sells a separate AP version), so for a work call it's a non-starter.
For plain listening, the ZX110 has the steadier fit. Owners call its warm, bass-and-mids-forward sound acceptable, if veiled, and at 120g it's light and folds flat, but the thin pads press after an hour and tend to flake within a year or two. The EarPods' sound depends on whether the hard shells sit right in your ears, from respectable bass to almost none, and neither one isolates much. Both have fixed cables, and on the ZX110 the cable is the known failure point.
Apple EarPods (USB-C)
If you need a call headset or a spare for a jack-less phone or laptop, and the EarPods shape has stayed in your ears before.
Sony MDR-ZX110
Best if you just need cheap listening from a device with a headphone jack, like a kid's Chromebook or an office desk spare, and earbuds don't fit you.
| Spec | Apple EarPods (USB-C) | Sony MDR-ZX110 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$17 | ~$10 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Wired & Studio | Wired & Studio |
| Noise Cancelling | None | None |
| Battery (single charge) | — | — |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | — | — |
| Codecs | — | — |
| Bluetooth | — | — |
| Multipoint | No | No |
| Driver Size | — | 30 mm |
| Weight | — | 120 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Transparency Mode | No | No |
| Spatial Audio | No | No |
| App EQ | No | No |
Pros & cons
Apple EarPods (USB-C)
- ✓Built-in DAC in the USB-C plug drives full volume
- ✓Inline mic beats most Bluetooth buds for calls
- ✓Seventeen dollars — effectively disposable without guilt
- ✓No tips to fuss with or lose
- ✓Open fit keeps traffic and coworkers audible
- ✓Works with any USB-C phone, iPad, or laptop
- ✗Bass is thin unless they happen to fit
- ✗Zero isolation on buses and planes
- ✗One-size fit is love-it-or-hate-it
- ✗Cable longevity is fine, not endless
- ✗USB-C only — older iPhones and jacks excluded
Sony MDR-ZX110
- ✓Absurd price-to-performance — regularly under $15 from a major brand
- ✓Warm, punchy bass and clear mids that beat everything else at this price
- ✓Very light at 120g with a fold-flat swivel design for travel
- ✓24-ohm impedance means full volume from any phone or laptop
- ✓Durable for the price — owners report years of daily abuse
- ✓Tangle-resistant 1.2m Y-cord with L-shaped plug
- ✗Thin on-ear pads get uncomfortable after an hour, especially on larger heads
- ✗Treble is rolled off and can sound harsh at high volume
- ✗No mic or inline remote (that's the ZX110AP variant)
- ✗Non-detachable cable — when it frays, the headphone is done
- ✗Essentially zero noise isolation
Apple EarPods (USB-C) vs Sony MDR-ZX110: common questions
Is the EarPods' inline mic or the MDR-ZX110 better for Zoom calls?▾
The EarPods. Their inline mic is the feature owners praise most, and callers often rate it above Bluetooth earbuds. The standard MDR-ZX110 has no mic at all.
Will the Sony work with a phone that has no headphone jack?▾
Only with a USB-C or Lightning dongle, since it has a 3.5mm plug. The EarPods have their own DAC in the USB-C plug and work directly with any USB-C phone, tablet or laptop that supports USB audio.