Wired Is Back: Why Gen Z Wants Old-School Headphones in Their Christmas Stockings

From comically oversized clothing to Labubus and bringing back smoking, Gen Z’s trendsetting tendencies might be a little questionable. However, the youths recently stumbled onto a good idea: wired headphones.

A growing number of viral TikTok videos argue that old-fashioned wired headphones offer better sound quality for a fraction of the price — like $10 for Walmart’s store brand vs. $117 for the Apple AirPods 4. Fashion mags from Cosmo to Esquire confirm the hype is real, which is great news for anyone trying to save money on holiday shopping this year.

Before you get tangled up buying a par, here’s what you need to know.

Do wired headphones have better sound?

On a technical level, yes, wired headphones often have better sound because they transmit uncompressed, high-resolution audio. Bluetooth headphones must compress audio in order to wirelessly transmit it through radio waves, which limits sound quality.

Why are wired headphones so much cheaper?

Wired analog gear uses vastly simpler technology: drivers + cable. Wireless headphones cost more because of all the extra hardware (Bluetooth radio/antenna, battery, charging circuit, power management, DAC/amp chips, microphones, and sensors) and software (Bluetooth stacks, companion apps, EQ/ANC algorithms, firmware updates and bug fixing) with additional costs for licensing, certification, QA, and battery safety testing.

Are Bluetooth earbuds bad for you?

Some wellness influencers argue that AirPods are “frying our brains with radiation," which is … debatable.

It’s true that Bluetooth earbuds emit electromagnetic radiation, but scientists categorize this as non-ionizing (as opposed to ionizing sources like X-rays and radioactive materials that can cause cellular damage). In fact, one 2019 study found that Bluetooth headphones emitted 10 to 400 times less radiation than devices like smartphones. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sets exposure limits that Bluetooth headphones must comply with.

That said, a 2024 study indicated that using Bluetooth headsets for many hours every day might increase the risk of thyroid nodules and called for future research. That does not mean AirPods are literally frying your brain.

Are there other reasons to choose wired headphones over wireless?

Batteries age. Charging ports break. Not to mention, the grief of losing one earbud. And wired has more options that just look cool, like this pair from Skullcandy.

Are wired headphones better than wireless?

It depends on what you value. Wired offers the best value for sound, you don’t have to worry about them running out of juice, and they have a much longer lifespan if you take care of them.

Wireless offers convenience and comfort, especially while exercising or taking calls on the go, along with options like active noise control (ANC) and Apple’s Hearing Aid feature. AirPods also sense when you’re using your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. For those who prefer Amazon’s digital ecosystem, Amazon Echo Buds sync with the Alexa app.

Finding the right wired headphones

Not every pair of wired headphones is going to be compatible with every smartphone today. This goes back to Apple discontinuing the headphone jack (or 3.5mm port) from the iPhone7 in 2016, unleashing the word “dongle" into common parlance.

So before you stock up on wired headphones for Christmas, make sure they’re for the right type of port (usually USB-C or Lighting). If you accidentally purchase the wrong wired headphones — or rediscover your old pair in a drawer — Walmart offers a number of adapter options for under $7, which is still way less than buying wireless ones.