No wires

One ear piece isn't as loud as the other and the charging system isn't very good

The first generation Gear IconX had won me over, and now it seems that this second generation is following the same trend. Samsung has apparently corrected the main problem of its Bluetooth earphones by increasing the battery life while adding some new fitness and musical features, which will be...

Calling Bluetooth earbuds "cordless" when they still have a cord connecting them always seemed like a cheat to me, so I had high hopes for the Samsung Gear IconX 2018 edition . Revamping the original wire-free earbuds of last year with more battery life and faster charging, they're a second chance...

Battery life now equals AirPods; Solid sound quality; Ear-clinging fit; Onboard fitness coach can be useful

Battery case is chunkier than AirPods' case; Heart rate sensor has been sacrificed; Local music storage of limited use

Longer battery life and new features nudge Samsung's next-gen IconX forward.

Light and durable design; Onboard music storage great for runners; Feature packed (especially for Android users; Five-hour battery triples previous model; Clear; relatively detailed midrange

Charging case offers only one charge; Some functionality still buggy; Stereo channels wobbly over Bluetooth; Fit not particularly comfortable

The Gear IconX (2018) are a vast improvement on last year's model with an excellent battery life that won't disappoint. Less capable in fitness, sure, but the trade-off is a smoother, better overall experience.

Significantly better battery life; Comfortable fit; Great sound quality

Finickity tap controls; Clumsy assistant feature; Bluetooth problems persist

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.

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

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

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.

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.