Good

The Gear Icon X 2018 is available in three color options. Samsung beat Apple to the punch when it unveiled its first "truly wireless" headphones back in June 2016, six months before the now-iconic AirPods .

Samsung's Gear Icon X 2018 is a small, comfortable-to-wear, totally wireless earphone that has improved battery life and a smaller charging case than the previous model's; They fit discreetly, sound decent for this type of headphone, and have touch controls as well as some extra fitness-oriented...

Some of the features don't work with iOS devices; touch controls are a bit hit or miss

The sound was great, but the music would cut even if you had your phone in your pocket. They battery would last 4 to 6 hours, and the charger would charge them 2 or 3 times, but if the headphones were charged and you wouldn't use them, they would die.

In Samsung's efforts to lean into everything that worked about the original IconX, they've pivoted away from everything the product could be. They're successful in that they improve upon the original, but every step of the way it's clear that Samsung took the road of least resistance in achieving...

On-board storage still good; Improved ergonomics

Not a huge improvement over original buds

A well-rounded pair of truly wireless earbuds

Great sound; Bountiful battery life; Useful run tracking features

You lose some features on other phones; Tricky touch interface; Occasional audio dropouts

Samsung has a truly differentiated product that could attract a sizable segment of users who like the idea of true-wireless zero-device music enjoyment. I see parallel to Sony's MP3 earphones series, which prove to be quite popular and unique on its own due to its waterproof capabilities.

With the asking price varying between about $200 and $250 depending on your place of purchase, Samsung's Gear IconX 2018 really aren't super expensive for what they offer. Pretty good audio quality in a tiny, comfortable package that you can wear quite easily for hours on end.

While the Gear IconX 2018 brings better battery life than its predecessor, it still has problems that prevent it from being a truly outstanding audio product.

Onboard storage; Better battery life

Average audio quality; Poor iOS compatibility; Overly snug fit

These are easily the best earbuds I have ever owned. I'm not an audiophile, but the sound in these things is amazing and rich. My music has never sounded better. I absolutely love the battery life. I once forgot my case at home, and listened at various points throughout the day without issue.

Lightweight; well-designed

expensive

Samsung's Gear IconX shows the maturity of a second-generation product from a company with a strong reputation for innovation in mobile devices. Samsung's choice to add fitness features and integrated memory for standalone playback wouldn't necessarily convince you to buy an inferior product.