When you plan to listen to music, what do you reach for first? Earbuds or headphones? Heidy Blanco, a student at Osbourn High School, said, “I usually reach for earbuds,” but another student, Sirgie Chirinos, said, “I’d reach for headphones first because they’d be easier and faster to find.”

While I do agree with headphones being easier to find, the question itself is not that simple. Headphones and earbuds are both used for music, some more than others. Earbuds were most popular between 2016 and 2017 due to the release of AirPods, but headphones were popular back in 2010 and 2013, way before AirPods existed. So, which of the two is the best?

When you buy a pair of headphones or earbuds, you have to consider a lot: the price, the size, and the brand. Typically, the price is what people would focus on the most because great pairs are expensive if you compare them to a pair you bought on Amazon for $20. “I think price and brand do in fact matter because when you buy cheap headphones or earbuds, they might work well, but there will always be that factor in it that it isn’t the same as another better quality pair and probably overpriced headphones,” said Heidy Blanco. You also have to worry about your usual habits when choosing between the two, “I’m most likely to break headphones.”

But buying a pair of headphones or earbuds is not just about the brand or price. It’s also about your style, comfort, and social cues.

All headphones are used for music, but they have become trendy in the fashion community. People often buy headphones for the aesthetic they give off, similar to the aesthetic of wired headphones. You might want to wear a pair of headphones, but not actually use them because you have earbuds. Earbuds can’t really be used for style because they’re small and aren’t noticeable as headphones. “I like the earbuds because you can’t really see them; you can wear whatever you’d like, but headphones match with most outfits depending on style,” said Andrea Funes Marin.

That is why some people purposely buy headphones, so that if someone plans on approaching them while they are wearing headphones, they are aware that the person can’t hear them. Social cues and headphones may seem like they do not go together, but they do. It can be the reason why some people prefer actual headphones over small earbuds. “For example, when you see someone wearing headphones, you think ‘Oh, they’re probably not paying attention to anything in class or around them,’ it just seems like they’re always tuning everything out,” said Heidy Blanco.

What makes the two distinctively different is how headphones cover your ears, and earbuds do not. Headphones tend to be more comfortable when they are compared to earbuds because they have cushions that go over your ear, unlike earbuds that go inside your ear. “For some reason, my ears get really irritated when I wear earbuds. Like they turn red, so I wear headphones instead,” said Michelle McDonelle. Earbuds are made of plastic, and they have little speakers that are on the outside of their shell to allow music to go through. Sometimes, if you have them on for a period of time, maybe while lying down or just hanging out, they can cause irritation. Andrea Marin had a similar complaint when asked which she preferred for long sessions of listening, she said,  “Headphones because using earbuds for a long period of time makes my ear hurt.”

So which is better? Honestly, that is your own personal preference. Both items have their pros and cons. You can prefer earbuds because of their size, or you can prefer headphones because of comfort. To students, the most important thing to them is whether their device has great sound quality. We prefer to have zero background noise when wearing them. That is why the price is important. We can say that headphones have the best sound quality because of full ear coverage, but what if you buy a pair of AirPods? They are popular for a reason, despite the higher price. There really is a difference if you buy a pair of headphones for $5 at Five and Below or if you buy a pair of JBL Headphones from Walmart for $50.

Personally, I’d say that having headphones or earbuds is a privilege in itself. From my personal experience, I’ve had both earbuds and headphones. When my earbuds broke, I had to go a long time without them until I could afford another pair. It really made me feel more grateful for having them when I got them back, and now I’m more careful with the headphones I currently have. I asked a few students this: “If you could only use one forever, which one would you choose—and what would you miss about the other?”

Andrea Marin said, “I would continue to use my earbuds, and I wouldn’t miss anything about the headphones since I don’t have any. If I had, I feel like I would miss them whenever I do an outfit and they fit the vibe.”

While Sirgie Chirinos said, “That’s a tough question…however, I think I’d stick with headphones, so I don’t have to worry about one earbud going dead or losing either. One thing I’d miss about earbuds is the lightness of it though.”

In addition to those two, Michelle McDonell said, “I would choose headphones. Again, earbuds are not comfortable and make my ears hurt. However, I would miss their compactness. I’ve broken so many headphones because I shove them into my bag.”

So that raises the question: Which do you choose? Do you prefer to have headphones for comfort or a pair of earbuds for compactness? Write your answer in the comments!