Samsung Gear IconX review: Burning ears

Samsung Gear IconX design and build quality

The Gear IconX have a sophisticated design that's immediately arresting. As soon as you remove them from their box, which also functions as a portable charger, you'll feel that this is a new breed of gadget.

Each Gear IconX earbud measures 25.9 x 19.5 x 17.9 mm, making them slightly smaller than those of The Dash. Also, the weight of the individual buds is 6 grams – one whole gram lighter than those from Bragi.

Aside from the physical disparities, the IconX and The Dash are similar in design, but this is easily ascribed to the limiting factor that is the near-universal shape of the human ear. Extravagant design and a comfortable fit are rarely compatible in the world of earbuds.

Adjusting to the size of the intra-ear, the Gear IconX can fit perfectly in your ear. / © AndroidPIT

Skirting the headphones is a rubber band or 'wingtip'. In addition to ensuring a secure fit in the ear, these also provide a space to touch the IconX without interacting with its touch-sensitive surface, thus avoiding accidental track skipping.

Each wireless headset has two microphones: one on top and one at the bottom, which deliver a strong audio experience during ongoing calls. On each IconX headphone there are also connectors for charging them, a sensor for heart-rate monitoring, and symbols distinguishing the left and right sides.

Connectors for charging are inside the headphones IconX. / © AndroidPIT

Though they're not exactly fragile, you do need to be quite careful when handling the IconX. They're not fragile, just small. In fact, during these two weeks of testing, I dropped both of them countless times without them suffering any damage.

The headphone case is USB 2.0 compatible, providing access to the IconX's internal storage space (used for storing audio files, more on that later). The case dimensions are 30.3 x 92 x 35.3 mm and it weighs 52 grams, which makes it easy to carry in a purse, backpack or coat pocket.

The case of IconX headphones is small and easy to carry. / © AndroidPIT

On the box's front, Samsung includes the button to open the case and two small LED panels that indicate the battery status of the headphones. In the back of the case, we have the micro-USB slot and another small LED display that indicates the battery level of the case itself.

When I compare Samsung's design with Bragi, there are few differences, but the impression I have is that the South Korean manufacturer has invested more time in polishing the appearance of its product; it's a well put together package.