Samsung Gear IconX vs Apple AirPods: Stark Design Differences

Just two days after Apple’s unveiling of AirPods, the company’s first true wireless headphones, Samsung has reminded us that it makes wireless earbuds too, by posting an interview with the designers of the Samsung Gear IconX cordless earbuds (via CNET). The South Korean company highlights that unlike the AirPods, the IconX earbuds have rubber tips to help them fit snugly in different ears. “A harder material would be durable, but might hurt when worn,” said engineer Sunghan Park.

(Left: Apple AirPods  Right: Samsung IconX Earbuds)

On the contrary though, an in-depth review of IconX earbuds by Android news site AndroidPIT, reveals that Samsung’s offering is not only more expensive ($260 CAD vs $219 CAD for AirPods), but also hurts your ears by getting really hot and has poor audio quality. “The Gear IconX are earphones that look good and have useful features for sports but crucial details like battery life, water-resistance and overheating have ruined the experience”, writes the reviewer.

Samsung’s Gear IconX earbuds have 3 hours of battery life versus 5 hours for Apple’s AirPods for music listening (2 hours talk time). They even have a charge case that offers a 315mAh battery inside, to extend use. Apple’s AirPods have a charge case which can extend use by 25 hours.

AndroidPIT says battery life at times lasted only a hour for the IconX earbuds, while weak Bluetooth meant walking to the bedroom from the living room resulted in lost connections. The conclusion of the IconX?

After more than two weeks of use, I’ve realized that the Gear IconX is a good idea that’s not worth $200 price [USD] tag – even with little direct competition in this market.

Meanwhile, early hands on impressions of Apple AirPods paint a completely different picture, revealing that not only are they extremely comfortable yet completely secure in your ears while you run or dance, they have an impressive sound quality as well. But these were quick hands-on in press areas, so let’s wait for more in-depth reviews.

Well, which one would you guys pick? Samsung’s IconX or Apple’s AirPods?