3.5mm jack vs USB-C in Smartphones

[PortaStudio]

Hello,

I was always happy using 3.5mm jack headphones with my smartphones. I have used USB-C with adapters for some years now, and I really dislike it.

The connection is not reliable in my experience and putting uneccesary physical stress on the port used for charging the device is IMO a terrible idea.

I am currently looking for a new smartphone, but its not straight forward getting an overview of 3.5mm supporting models, as far as I know.

How do you feel about missing built in 3.5mm support? Any advise for buying 3.5mm supporting smartphones?

 

[JSmith]

How do you feel about missing built in 3.5mm support?

I think it's completely ridiculous and as you say it's a further stress on the one charging port... I guess they want it to break and get you to buy a new phone.

A decent list here of phones still with a headphone jack;

The Best Phones With an Actual Headphone Jack

Headphone jacks are endangered, but they’re not gone. Here are our favorite smartphones that still let you plug and play.

www.wired.com

JSmith

 

[Jimbob54]

There are issues with choosing a phone with a 3.5mm socket. The main one for me is it limits choice considerably. Especially if you're looking around sale times.

The other is, not all 3.5mm are equal. You've got a far better chance of getting measurements of a dongle than of a recent onboard phone jack.

But I do agree, widespread removal of 3.5mm wasn't great for customers that want to plug in buds /iem, especially when mobile.

But there is a bit of info on what phones are available for selection. In the past LG were a safe bet, but alas, no more.

The Best Phones With an Actual Headphone Jack

Headphone jacks are endangered, but they’re not gone. Here are our favorite smartphones that still let you plug and play.

www.wired.com

Edit @JSmith ninjad me on the article.

 

[sarumbear]

Hello,

I was always happy using 3.5mm jack headphones with my smartphones. I have used USB-C with adapters for some years now, and I really dislike it.

The connection is not reliable in my experience and putting uneccesary physical stress on the port used for charging the device is IMO a terrible idea.

I am currently looking for a new smartphone, but its not straight forward getting an overview of 3.5mm supporting models, as far as I know.

How do you feel about missing built in 3.5mm support? Any advise for buying 3.5mm supporting smartphones?

In my view, if you want wired analogue out you do not much care about what headphone you will use as the inbuilt amplifier is not very good. In which case why not use a wireless headphone? On the other hand if you want to use a decent wired headphone, why not also use a decent DAC/amplifier unit, which requires the USB port.

 

[BeerBear]

I am currently looking for a new smartphone, but its not straight forward getting an overview of 3.5mm supporting models, as far as I know.

I searched for "find phone by feature" and this came up:
https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3

 

[PortaStudio]

I think it's completely ridiculous and as you say it's a further stress on the one charging port... I guess they want it to break and get you to buy a new phone.

I have an older model and I have no reason to upgrade. For my daily use, I don't feel like an upgrade is much of any use to me.

A decent list here of phones still with a headphone jack;

Ive stumbled across that on as well. A nice list, but limited.

There are issues with choosing a phone with a 3.5mm socket. The main one for me is it limits choice considerably. Especially if you're looking around sale times.

That is true and quite a hassle.

The other is, not all 3.5mm are equal. You've got a far better chance of getting measurements of a dongle than of a recent onboard phone jack.

Okay. Still, if you just want to listen to an audiobook or podcast, most 3.5mm outputs should work well enough.

But I do agree, widespread removal of 3.5mm wasn't great for customers that want to plug in buds /iem, especially when mobile.

Yes, and it is more reliable in my experience.

In my view, if you want wired analogue out you do not much care about what headphone you will use as the inbuilt amplifier is not very good.

That is true, I don't think smartphones are great for high fidelity listening in general, especially if you go for an 3.5mm output. If you want to have an easy option to plug in 3.5mm for casual contexts, however, it is great to have it. Most of the audio I listen to on a smartphone isnt that great to begin with.

In which case why not use a wireless headphone? On the other hand if you want to use a decent wired headphone, why not also use a decent DAC/amplifier unit, which requires the USB port.

Wireless headphones you need to charge and you may want to connect to a soundsystem. The simplicity of just plugging in 3.5mm into a device, without any trouble is apealing to me even if the audio is not great. I dont get why people are into wireless headphones so much when you have the source so close to you anyways. The hassle of charging them, potentially unreliablities because of the connection and I can't calculate the health implications of having such devices for long streches with your brain right inbetween them for many years.

 

[Doodski]

Hello,

I was always happy using 3.5mm jack headphones with my smartphones. I have used USB-C with adapters for some years now, and I really dislike it.

The connection is not reliable in my experience and putting uneccesary physical stress on the port used for charging the device is IMO a terrible idea.

I am currently looking for a new smartphone, but its not straight forward getting an overview of 3.5mm supporting models, as far as I know.

How do you feel about missing built in 3.5mm support? Any advise for buying 3.5mm supporting smartphones?

I was against not getting 3.5mm on my new cellular telephone that I got 2 months ago. But upon researching the available models that I wanted all have USB-C. So I decided to go bluetooth for the earbuds and I have not looked back since. They work great and have EQ presets. I got Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro bluetooth ear buds with the latest CODEC stuff and a Samsung Galaxy S23 cel tel and they handshake very well and no opening programs to start the earbuds is required. Put the earbuds in your ears. Gently touch the capacitive sensor and on the side of the left or right earbuds and voila the music starts. It's that easy.

 

[Matias]

Even though I strongly recommend using an USB dongle of better quality, the Samsung Galaxy S23+ is my first phone without 3.5 mm and I miss it for convenience. So does my wife for watching TV shows. It really counts as a con of the phone in my opinion.

 

[antcollinet]

This might be heresy - but if you are happy with 3.5mm and onboard DAC, you are probably just as happy with a bluetooth connection.

I know I am. I don't particularly miss 3.5mm connections.

 

[staticV3]

I am currently looking for a new smartphone, but its not straight forward getting an overview of 3.5mm supporting models, as far as I know.

It is, using GSMArena's Phone Finder.
You can select a headphone jack as requirement, then further narrow down your selection based on form factor, display size, launch date etc etc.

How do you feel about missing built in 3.5mm support?

Not a fan.

Any advise for buying 3.5mm supporting smartphones?

I'd buy a Zenfone 9 or Zenfone 10.

 

[carpman]

Obviously you may need a little gaffa tape if you want to achieve the flip phone effect.

Personally, I got rid of my smartphone years ago when it dawned on me that I wasn't able to do anything productive on/with it (I'll leave the privacy, digital passport, CBDC stuff aside). I've found I prefer devices that only do what I want them to do and do it reasonably well .... but I realise this is probably not the trend. Though it seems to be the trend with small Class D amps (like the V3 from Fosi Audio).

C.

 

[Doodski]

I sold my old Nokia cel tel like the one pictured and the buyer was extremely happy to get it. I got $40 for it and was amazed to even sell it.

 

[carpman]

I think I paid quite a bit less then £20 for that black one, new, back in around 2018? Assuming Canadian dollars -- looks like you did pretty well. Anyway, I'll shut up as I was only goofing around (kind of) and don't want to pull this thread too OT..

C.

 

[Doodski]

I think I paid quite a bit less then £20 for that black one, new, back in around 2018? Assuming Canadian dollars -- looks like you did pretty well. Anyway, I'll shut up as I was only goofing around (kind of) and don't want to pull this thread too OT..

C.

I had a Palm Treo 600 that I sold too. I got $375 for it. It was great and had the best chimes and bells ring tone I have ever heard ever. It sounded like money as in expensive cel tel. It was MP3 and stereo audio headset compatible (requires a converter to accept standard headset). The bottom of the Treo houses the 2.5mm jack which can output stereo sound and accept an adapter for standard 3.5mm jack. So even back then a 3.5mm jack was controversial with the first smartphones.

 

[PortaStudio]

Obviously you may need a little gaffa tape if you want to achieve the flip phone effect.
View attachment 298856
Personally, I got rid of my smartphone years ago when it dawned on me that I wasn't able to do anything productive on/with it (I'll leave the privacy, digital passport, CBDC stuff aside). I've found I prefer devices that only do what I want them to do and do it reasonably well .... but I realise this is probably not the trend. Though it seems to be the trend with small Class D amps (like the V3 from Fosi Audio).

C.

I agree. Having a dedicated mobile phone is safer and you have more privacy (I hope so at least). I am considering this option as well. Adding a mobile audio player that can play high resolution audio, and I might be happier in the lomg run. Still it might be handy to have a smartphone around, and I am making sure to get one with a 3.5mm output. I agree it is not quality audio, but it is convinient and works well enough for casual stuff.

Thanks for all the great answers!

 

[Mordor]

3.5mm has better audio then wireless......so yie, i prefer with jack.

Think Xiaomi Redmi 13 Pro, has jack....can`t be sure.