This week we looked the world of wireless headphones. It's a heavily populated market and you'll notice there is a pair of headphones for every price point. Are more expensive headphones always better from a user point of view?
We had two pairs of in-ear headphones in the OTBAM studio this week. Ger tried out the Samsung IconX (€249) wireless in-ears and Eoin wore the GOJI GSPINBT16 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones (€24.99).
These are high-end, Bluetooth headphones that pair with a smartphone. While they're made by Samsung, they are compatible with any Android device running OS 4.4 or iOS devices using iOS 9 or older.
The setup is very straightforward. You have the option to pair the headphones via Bluetooth within the phone's settings or, simply load music onto the buds directly. This removes the need for the smartphone whilst out running.
While they look cool and are comfortable, there are a few fear factors there. Firstly, they are fully wireless, which is great in some ways, but there's always the chance of losing one. Secondly, the battery life is not fantastic. This would impact anyone looking to go straight from the gym onto a commute, for example; the battery life may struggle. The final point relates to the charging station. The buds require a specific charging hub, that is just too bulky to be carried around in your pocket. It's a bit of a pain, but not the end of the world.
Once you get over those different points, the question remains - are they worth the money? Ger's review was summed up by him saying 'they're grand' and it's hard to argue with that summation. They're nice to have, but would I spend the cash on them? No.
The sound quality wasn't what I'd expect from a set of earphones that cost well over €100.
GOJI GSPINBT16 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
At €25, these wireless in-ears from Goji impressed Eoin this morning. They pair via Bluetooth and unlike the Samsung IconX, the two buds are connected with a wire.
They are very comfortable in the ear and users can pause their music or skip tracks with the press of a button.
They're basic enough and the sound quality is not quite box office, but they are incredible value. They currently retail at €25 from Currys / PCWorld.
