GoKawiil8.1 / 10 Score Cnet Score CNET provides expert, unbiased reviews of products and services. When we assign a score, we use a scale of 1-10. Each product we score is evaluated by criteria specific to its category with most assessing pricing, quality, features and performance. Read more on: How we test Pansonic ErgoFit RP-TCM325 USB-C $25 at Amazon $25 at Walmart Pros Impressive sound for only $25
Solid build quality
Secure, comfortable fit
Inline remote and microphone with good noise reduction and voice calling performance Cons Some fraction of users may not get a tight seal from the included ear tips (three sizes)
No storage pouch or case included
Back in 2012, I wrote a review of Panasonic's ErgoFit RP-HJE120 wired earbuds, which cost me $6 at the time (now they're $9), and I was impressed by how decent they sounded for how little they cost. They didn't have a ton of bass, but they were well-balanced and offered an ample amount of detail and clarity, making them arguably the cheapest audiophile-friendly earbuds. While the company's step-up ErgoFit RP-TCM125 earbuds didn't sound quite as good for some reason, they did have an inline remote and microphone, a key feature if you plan on using your buds with a phone.
In those days, phones were equipped with 3.5mm headphone jacks (and so were once-popular digital music players such as the iPod Mini). Now, most phones leave them off, which is where Panasonic's new-for-2026 ErgoFit RP-TCM325 USB-C comes in. The spiritual successor to those two earlier wired models with 3.5mm plugs, the RP-TCM325 instead connects to the USB-C port of your phone, tablet or computer to deliver an all-digital wired connection. For $25, the sound is hard to beat, and their voice calling performance is also good, which is why I've awarded them a CNET Editors' Choice award.
The ErgoFit USB-C buds currently come in three color options: blue, white and black. David Carnoy/CNET
Panasonic ErgoFit USB-C design
One of the drawbacks of the ErgoFit RP-HJE120 was that while they had a sturdy L-shaped plug, their cord was thin and had a tendency to become tangled if you stuffed the earbuds in a pocket. The ErgoFit RP-TCM325, however, has a thicker, tangle-resistant cord for about two-thirds of its length before splitting into two thinner cords that lead into the buds, which seem more substantial than the tiny RP-HJE120 buds; they're larger and have more weight to them. The way they're shaped does allow them to nestle nicely in your ears, even with the cord weighing down on them a bit.
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