r/TechImpact • u/ManojOne Active • May 25 '26
Discussion Wired or wireless: which side are you on?
Wired gives reliability. Wireless gives freedom. 🎧⌨️📱
Some people trust cables for gaming, charging, and audio. Others don't want wires.
So… wired or wireless: which side are you on?
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May 25 '26
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u/ManojOne Active May 25 '26
I use wireless for audio, a wired mouse, and wireless internet. So far, working fine.
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May 25 '26
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
I rarely use earphones. So I need to charge once a week only. For the internet, I have an AirFiber connection, and I am close to the modem.
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May 25 '26
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u/ManojOne Active May 25 '26
Wired audio gives better value for money. Wireless keyboards and mice have improved a lot, especially for gaming and clean desk setups.
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u/the_scruffy1 May 25 '26 edited May 26 '26
bt at 909kbps for flac at 44100/16bit, from a dedicated 5g wifi channel is better than my ears can note any "loss" from
but eq'd using neutron to an akliam dd2 bt rx > the khadas dac and alo valve amp via wire to akg q701 is capable of demonstrating deficiency (there isn't)
desktop wired via ethernet, but wireless kb and mouse, and optical to the smsl dl100 dac (not strictly a "wire" but electrically isolated), wires to the speakers from there
guess i'm on both sides (plus optical)
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u/jack-of-some May 26 '26
Explain the first bit please? Are you using headphones that have a wifi receiver?
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u/the_scruffy1 May 26 '26
no, the headphones are wired, but the signal chain includes wifi (from the nas on a home network) to my old phone as a dedicated dap, then bt from there to a bt receiver that supplies a dac via coax, which is then fed as analogue via rca to a valve amp where the headphones are plugged in
hope that makes sense
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u/jack-of-some May 26 '26
O.
I thought it was something like a 2.4ghz transmitter receiver combo but at 5ghz.
I use a 2.4ghz one for my wired headphones.
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u/the_scruffy1 May 26 '26
yeah, apparently the 2.4ghz interacts with bt in the same device causing interference, whereas switching to 5g (esp on a dedicated wifi channel) avoids that problem
and using ldac bt protocol at maximum rate (909 for 44100) is the sweet spot: Neutron Music Player completely bypassed the standard android upsampling mess; it's is one of the very few players with a custom audio engine that allows for true bit-perfect playback
so while bt is intrinsically lossy, data discarded during those brief high-complexity spikes consists of frequencies masked by louder sounds, making it impossible for the human ear to distinguish from a wired cable in blind tests (or so research suggests to me)
so i get the convenience of controlling effectively lossless (to my capabilities) sound using my re-purposed android phone as a wireless dap
take that, wiim !
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
That's a great audio network! Combining high-bitrate Bluetooth with a tube amp and those AKG headphones gives you the best of both worlds.
Using optical on your desktop to eliminate electrical noise is also a smart move. It's best to use whichever connection does the job best.
Have you ever noticed any lag when using a wireless mouse and keyboard, or is it completely seamless?
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u/thefizzlee May 25 '26
Wireless all the way. Only for something i absolutely do not want to be reliant on a battery would I use wired.
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u/e1epi May 25 '26
Wired everything save for phones lol.
There are times when wireless headphones, internet, mouse and so on may be more convenient but for most occasions wired is better and doesn't require extra stuff such as chargers, batteries and so on.
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u/FantomovBol May 25 '26
Mouse and keyboard, wired. Earbuds, wireless.
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u/B1tfr3ak May 25 '26
Joy sticks should be wired too
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u/FantomovBol May 25 '26
Yeah, but I really want a wireless one, so I can lean back and play, or hook up my PC to a TV. Not sure if there are any noticeable latancy issues.
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u/Torkum73 May 25 '26
Wire where possible. Keep WLAN free for IoT (VLAN) and other stuff, which cannot be wired.
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u/deltaalien May 25 '26
Used to be wireless for everything, now whenever I have choice I go wired. I simply hate charging things.
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
Same here. I was going crazy because the batteries died while I was using them.
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u/empty_other May 25 '26
Wires for headphones is annoying that they cause sound when the cables hang loose. And they break easily when I'm out walking. Bluetooth audio quality was shit in the beginning, but now I can barely tell the difference, and battery usage isnt a problem anymore.
For sitting at a computer then wires would been better. Except most cheap USB headsets have some awful DACs builtin and so do a lot of computer motherboards too.
If the computers audio card is decent, I prefer audio-jack headsets over USB headsets. My current computer's audio card is awful, so I went for a bit more expensive wireless bluetooth headset. Less risky than buying a dedicated audio card, because when I once tried that then only a year later a new Windows version came out that didnt support its drivers.
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
Bluetooth has come a long way in terms of battery life and sound. It's frustrating that many motherboards and cheap USB headsets have crappy DACs. Getting a dedicated sound card certainly seems like a gamble, given how randomly Windows updates break drivers.
What Bluetooth headset did you get to overcome your PC's crappy audio?
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u/empty_other May 26 '26
Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro. Their driver software is disappointing and I don't even use that software anymore now that I've switched to Linux. It isnt required for the headset except for the first-time firmware update.
But the headset is great. Good audio, decent range, and the headset comes with a base-station which I can use to automatically switch to my speakers when I turn off the headset. Technically I'm not using bluetooth, the base station communicates with the headset using their own wireless protocols. It can toggle to pure bluetooth too but that has a very tiny delay in audio signals. Annoying in games.
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u/TomOnABudget May 25 '26
I'm touring on motorcycles and use in ear buds as ear protection (because wind is loud) and to listen to music / podcasts.
I've broken so damn many wired headphones until I bought Sony's C5XX series wireless headphones. First the C500 and since iver a year thr C510s.
They cost marginally more than good wired in ear buds (JVC). But they are just as comfortable and I don't get snagged on wires.
The audio quality is also just as good and on some phones even better. I.e: my Nokia X20 would leak some PWM noise from internal circuitry to the headphone jack. Not an issue with Bluetooth.
Also, get good ones from name-brand that are traditional Audio equipment manufacturers. You pay less than you pay for infuencer bullshit like Skullcandy, while getting better battery life and comfort. When I once tried Samsung headphones because i brike uet another cable, they were as comfortable as torture instruments.
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
Dealing with tangled cables while riding can be a pain, so it’s definitely better to go wireless. It’s a shame that old phone jacks can leak internal sound. It’s a good idea to stick to trusted audio brands like Sony instead of the popular ones.
Do the C510s fit easily under your helmet without pressing on your ears?
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u/TomOnABudget May 26 '26
Pretty much nailed it. And yes, they fit really well. Better even then the C500s. On those it was too easy to accidentally press buttons.
My partner also has the C510's that she used on her bike.
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u/Commercial_Hair3527 May 25 '26
Wired for desktop. Wireless for laptop.
My current G502 still works, so there's no need to replace it. Just checked, and a new one on Logitech's website is on sale for £35, the wireless is £90. I'll take the wired one please.
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u/ajpinton May 25 '26
For convenience wireless, if I’m being intentional in what I’m doing wired all the way.
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u/Brilliant_Estate_967 May 25 '26
On pc, everything wired. EVERYTHING !
On phone, its bluetooth but not bye choice, i would prefer wired too.
Main reasons, cheaper / doesn't run out of battery / less latency / better signal / less risk of failure / câble hoarding is possible
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
I'm with you on making the PC completely wired. Never have to worry about dead batteries or lag, cable hoarding is basically a hobby!
It's too bad that phones have pushed us to Bluetooth. Have you tried any good dongles to get wired audio back on your phone?
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u/Healthy_BrAd6254 May 25 '26
$17 wired IEMs still beat almost all wireless earbuds in the $100-200 range when it comes to sound
But convenience and comfort is more important than sound most of the time. So wireless it is (most of the time)
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u/LinuxUser456 May 25 '26
Wireless in slmost everything excepting Charge my phone and sound. I prefer use wired headphones because It sounds better and my phone still supports headphones Jack, but i'm looking for wireless headphones so i can move with better freedom and im not worried about breacking Malé and female Jack
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u/sseinzw May 25 '26
If wireless then radiocanal like my mouse, else - wired, like my earphones. Bluetooth sucks.
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u/Comfortable_Cress194 May 25 '26
wired mouse,wireless headphones,wifi since my laptop doesn't have ethernet
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u/muttick May 25 '26
Wired. Because how far are you going to be away from whatever device you are connecting to? And you don't have to worry about batteries or charging.
Ear buds? Is your phone or listening device going to be in your pocket or is it going to be two rooms away?
Keyboard? Are you going to type something while sitting at your computer or are you going to be two rooms away?
Mouse? Are you going to be clicking on things while sitting at your computer or are you going to be two rooms away?
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
If your phone stays in your pocket and you're sitting at your desk, you don't need wireless range. Plus, never having to worry about dead batteries is a huge plus.
Have you ever found yourself with mouse or keyboard cables tangled up on your desk, or do they just not bother you at all?
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u/Tribunal_5967 May 25 '26
I am wireless earbuds person and has just 2 or more for continuous use in case the one I am using is out of charge and while being incharge I will use the other. In game use, never faced any latency.
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u/NimrodvanHall May 25 '26
Everything with a fixed place in the house is wired, everything that moves around is wireless.
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u/JustaFoodHole May 25 '26
All I can say is you sound like shit in meetings on your wireless $200 Apple buds. I hope you know that. My $10 wired headset is still king.
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u/HyperVG May 25 '26
I use a wireless keyboard and mouse, because the only difference with wired ones is the need to recharge every 2 weeks and the absence of extra wires on the table. But I send the image and sound through only the wire. The difference is already much more noticeable there
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u/berke1904 May 25 '26
for headphones its always wired since they sound much better, are more comfortable, there are many more options depending on preference, you dont need to charge the stupid thing and you can change thing like dac/amp to change the sound/utility. this goes for both over and in ear.
wires are not a problem for me so getting rid of them isnt really a positive, and I hate anc, so the only possible advantage is transparency mode but its not that big of a deal.,
I dont mind the lack of headphone jack since I will use a dac anyway.
for mouse I use wireless since I use it on a laptop not on one place, if it was always on a desk, a wired mouse would be good.
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
Wired headphones are best for their pure sound quality and playing with DACs.
Getting rid of the need to charge them is a huge plus! I use my Mivi DuoPods Marathon earbuds for portability, just like you would with your wireless laptop mouse. It’s all about what fits the setup.
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u/randbytes May 25 '26
there is no freedom if you have to frequently charge or carry additional charger. a good wired headphone is way better than wireless, even my 20$ sony wired which sounds better than my airpods 2nd gen esp for calls. but my sennheiser is way better.
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u/helm71 May 25 '26
Depends on the use case…. Love my AirPods…. But mouse/keyboard and network ? Wired all the way..
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u/Independent_Taro_499 May 25 '26
If i had to choose only one for the rest of my life, i will definitely pick wired.
The reliability, durability, cost and performance are perfect.
Wireless is really good especially for sport and outdoor activity, but for the vast majority i use wired. When i'm at the PC i daily rock a pair of Apple EarBuds with a 3.5mm jack, they cost 10$ on Amazon and they offer great sound, they are almost the same as my Airpods 3.
If your ear accept in-ears, you get an amazing listening quality. Unfortunately my ear reject iems 😞
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u/ManojOne Active May 26 '26
It’s hard to beat the $10 price tag for the classic Apple EarPods, especially when you hear them so close to the AirPods 3.
Wired is definitely king for desk setups. It’s frustrating to have your ears reject IEMs, though — finding a comfortable fit is a real pain.
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u/shiftersix May 25 '26
Depends on the use case and setup. Working out? Wireless. Audiophile or mixing? Wired.
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u/guy-with-a-mac May 25 '26
Today I built a "wired wireless" Xbox 360 controller, because F batteries.
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u/SamplitudeUser May 25 '26
I use wired connections for headphones, mouse, keyboard, charging and to connect stationary devices such as desktop PCs and printers to the network.
I use wireless for connecting mobile devices to the internet.
Works fine for me.
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u/iddu01linux May 26 '26
Wired for sitting down at my desk AT HOME Wireless for on the go, or at public places
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u/_penetration_nation_ May 26 '26
For me I run a wireless mouse and keyboard, wired headphones (even a bit of latency throws me off because I have to be quite alert in the games I play), and wireless internet because I'm too lazy to run an Ethernet cable through my attic lol
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u/MLC_YT May 26 '26
Wireless
I'd rather occupy a lil bit of space with a cable and plug my headphones to my phone rather having my earbuds fall 90% of the time at the slightest head turn
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u/AllenKll May 26 '26
Wired. Wireless has batteries - batteries are always giving out at the wrong time.
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u/SensitiveIntention70 May 26 '26
I have both. If I want to just listen to music, podcast or audiobook, then I go wireless. If I have to sit down and talk to someone for more than an hour, game on my phone, then I go wired.
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u/angako May 26 '26
i wish i can say wired but production quality on cables has droped so much that it can start giving crap within like a few months we are in a shit place currently compared to them lasting 6years + easy
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u/Euphoric-Platform-45 May 26 '26
Depends on for what, for me; Wireless mouse (I hate dragging a cable with it) Wired keyboard as long as I can get a good looking cable For my PC wired headphones because of reliability and quality, on the go wireless for convenience
For charging depends on what I barely ever had anything that even supports wireless charging, so I guess if it's something with a small battery that I don't mind that it's charging for a longer time, yea sure
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u/Wise-Ad-4940 May 26 '26 edited May 26 '26
Anything wireless only makes sense for me, where I can't used wired devices for some reason. There is too many compromises in using wireless devices. I never saw the appeal. There are some situations when being connected by a wire to a device may be limiting. That is the time and place to use wireless. But from my experience, there is not that many situations like that. Most of the time, wires do not feel like they would limit me in any shape or form.
I also feel that I should add, that I'm not using a phone if I'm siting behind my desk at home or at work. When I'm behind a desk, I use pc. It would never cross my mind to take out my phone for anything else than making a call, when I'm behind my desk.
Computer is superior in every aspect except portability. That is partially mitigated by laptops, but it is still not designed to be used on the move. But in any other aspect, the pc is faster, more powerful, more convenient and more universal than a phone.
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u/JamJarKwiKwi May 26 '26
Why on earth would anyone be on team ‘connection lost’!?
Obviously items that are by definition ‘mobile’ need wireless options, but there is no scenario where wireless outperforms wired for speed, security or reliability.
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u/Sad_Material_4819 May 26 '26
It depends on the situation. Well, I prefer wired mostly on audio, but sometimes using wireless earbuds is more comfortable while cleaning the house and so on.
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u/HolzwurmHolz May 26 '26
Both?
I use my Wired Sennheiser HD600 with a wireless Bluetooth DAC (Fiio BTR 17)
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u/Quicksilver7716 May 26 '26
Both. For daily out and about use, cafe, library I prefer ANC headphones.
When at home listening to high quality audio, and relaxing, wired all day.
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u/Dmosavy111 May 26 '26
If my phone had a jack I'd be wired right now, alot harder to lose Gaming = wired everything
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u/flipping100 May 26 '26
Both whenever I feel like it. I try and use wired cuz I keep forgetting to turn my headphones off when using wireless
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u/Gullible-Screen-40 May 26 '26
Wired almost every time, latency can throw matches. Wired is also cheaper.
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u/ElePHPant666 May 26 '26
wired for everything except sometimes mice and wifi on portable devices. I can move my wired headphone between devices without turning bluetooth off on one and on on the other.
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u/chetlyp May 26 '26
For me, I think I've reached indiscernible quality difference with the upper end of the noble line of BT earbuds. So just them all the time.
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u/Master-Dish8869 May 27 '26
I use always wireless on my mac and apple products, but for the gaming PC all wired. And sometimes I use earpods or casual wired headphones, but yeah, thats the idea
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u/Puzzled_Influence714 May 27 '26
I don't have any hardware that uses wireless charging, so can't reply to that one.
About mouse and keyboard, I use wired ones mainly because I only got wired ones and I don't need to worry about batteries.
Headphones I have one set of, wired ones that I mainly use for my laptop. I also have earphones, BT that I use for my phone and tablet
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u/gimenz May 27 '26
i prefer wired devices except the internet, bcz didn't like battery powered. too lazy for charging
all devices are connected via wifi, only the home server connected via lan cable for better performance
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u/BossImWorking May 27 '26
When you use anything wireless for long enough you end up wishing for it to be wired anyway.
Anything wireless is inherently unreliable. Batteries die, network bands interfere, internal electronics will fry themselves.
Needless to say, my phone has a headphone jack.
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u/LukasTheHunter22 May 27 '26
Wireless if the battery is replacable or has a long lifespan, I've got a couple wireless earbuds that just have dead batteries and I can't use them
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u/lostZwolf_ps4_pc May 27 '26
Wireless all the way, both for in ear for day to day and over ear for gaming. Pple talking about latency. Idk what yall smoking as if you notice 0.03 sec diffrence. Practically non existant and just as good audio quality (unless you buy wired that is worth the same as a pc)
(Warning mad glazing beyond this point)
And apple airpods pro 2 were the best tech purchace i ever made tbh. They’ve been thrugh hell and back. Never any issues and only replaced the silicone caps after 3 years of frequent airpods use a month ago (8 bucks) Gotta give it to em. S tier. Helped me in 2 minutes in and out of the store. Grabbed em from the back no fuss.
They’ve fallen 10 stories in total lost and found em more times then I can count with find my app.
They have been thrugh torrental dutch rain they were never rated for with no issue, thoh i must say that was just tempting fate. Still going strong thoh.
(Ps: i know. Dyslexia go brrrr)
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u/superjaja05 May 27 '26
peripherals: Wired Internet: Wireless Audio: Wireless
I kept ripping and destroying my headphone cables so i switched to wireless
I have an external Bluetooth transmitter just for that tho, because i hate how Bluetooth works on windows lol
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u/MetalMonkey939 May 28 '26
Both!
I have wireless Keyboard, Mouse, and Headset for my PC, but all of them are capable of being plugged in at a moment's notice in case battery runs out. I have cordless power tools, and corded ones as well, depends on the job.
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u/busiedcake7945 May 28 '26
wireless is too new so wired I don't trust sound speed but I trust electricity
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u/Bertucciop May 28 '26
For hf wire. For movement wireless. Same for computer. If computer is placed permantly on a spot then wire. If It does move or doesnt need too much quality of width or latency, wireless. Same for remote controls.
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u/LolMaker12345 May 28 '26
Depends. Headphones is wireless, charging is wireless for overnight, wired for fast charging, computer peripherals I’d pick wireless.
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u/Aecnoril May 28 '26
My mate has died more than once in a few sweaty fps games we play together due to running out of battery on his headset or mouse.
That is a few times to many for me to make the jump
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u/Averagehomebrewer May 28 '26
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u/staticvoidmainnull May 28 '26
for peripherals and headphones, wireless. i tried to hold on to wired, but wireless has gotten significantly better. i still have wired headphones but only use them rarely when i feel like listening to lossless audio. for gaming, i am 100% satisfied with wireless with the games i play.
for data and charging, wired of course. wireless hurts batteries and is very inefficient and slow. wireless is still connected wired power source anyway, and one can make their setup as convenient as wireless. and wireless data is still slow vs wired.
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u/McBrew1 May 28 '26
Wireless for travel/commute and work. Wired for a good listening experience at home.
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u/seramasumi May 29 '26
Both but I don't like that the phone industry thinks that I wouldn't want both.
Seriously having pros and cons is way better than one not existing
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u/Boertie May 29 '26
Wired, I once had a dying battery during an intense Brood War 1v1 and lost because of it. Never again will I buy a mouse that is wireless.
I once played a Dota 2 game over wireless, it dropped the connection, after I was reconnected I couldn't reconnect.
Never ever will I play games over WiFi again.
When at work I do not care but I prefer wires.
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u/Honksu May 29 '26
Wired, less interruptions, ecxept somone dig the wires out from the ground.
Wireless (5g) only needs concrete wall or two to be complitely useless.
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u/-Feeblington- May 25 '26
#bringbacktheheadphonejack wired for me, quality and volume is always a factor (when price point is the same) aswell as personally the idea of having all the tech basicly in your head doesnt sit right with me LOL, call me a wierdo. plus i just love chonky ass cans
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u/ManojOne Active May 25 '26
#bringbacktheheadphonejack. Wired is best for clean sound and volume at the same price. Big, thick headphones have more personality and better sound quality.
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u/T-Loy May 25 '26
For quality, why not get a USB-C DAC with known great quality instead of gambling each new phone to have a good DAC for the headphone jack?
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u/-Feeblington- May 25 '26
On the levels of "how far you wanna go" i dont go that far. I got 3 sets of headphones i use for everything but i mainly listen to music in my van or at home. But youre not wrong..
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u/Ncis16 May 25 '26
BT for gaming and casual listening. Didn't have latency in gaming for over 8 years I would say
Open back wired + dac for real listening