You may have noticed that we're moving to a future of wireless headphones and cord-free earbuds thanks to the slow death of the 3.5mm headphone jack. Samsung is one of the few companies that actually tries to keep the headphone jack relevant as seen in the Galaxy Note 9, which has room for the S Pen and the audio jack. Ironic then that Samsung's Gear IconX (2018) headphones do such a good job of showing that a future without wired headphones might not be so bad.

The Gear IconX (2018) has its quirks, but it's a surprisingly impressive pair of wireless earbuds that actually lives up to its hefty price tag. Gear IconX (2018) – Gear IconX as of now – Priced at Rs 13,999 and exclusive to Flipkart, they are definitely not your ordinary earbuds, which I argue are actually worth the asking price due to a combination of great sound, very good battery life and useful smart functions.

The Samsung Gear IconX does not have a heart rate sensor, which may be a disappointment to some, but if you have a Samsung flagship smartphone, the built-in sensor can do the job in its absence. The headphones have first-class hardware in every other department. Here's a look at the specs:

Compared to the Apple AirPods, the Gear IconX looks thicker (when you first see them in the cradle), but since it doesn't have the extended bottom of the AirPods, the final look is cleaner in my opinion. In fact, the black version of the headphones we're reviewing are small enough to be stealthy.