Samsung Gear IconX 2018, Black review

Research-based assessment: This is the earlier U.S. Black Gear IconX 2018, exact model SM-R140NZKAXAR. Samsung marketed it as its second-generation cord-free fitness earbud, with music stored on the buds, auto activity tracking, a running coach and a USB-C charging case. It differs materially from the 2016 SM-R150 version. I have not worn, tested, measured, owned or listened to it, and no current resale battery or package condition is known.

What changed from the first IconX

The U.S. announcement describes 4 GB of internal storage per earbud, Bluetooth 4.2, an accelerometer, infrared sensor and capacitive touch. It lists Black, Gray and Pink; the exact U.S. Black SKU is SM-R140NZKAXAR, Gray is SM-R140NZAAXAR, and Pink is SM-R140NZIAXAR. Samsung's official launch image shows the three 2018 color variants, earbuds only; it is not a photograph of the case or of a seller's package.

In contrast, the 2016 U.S. technical table says 4 GB total/up to 1,000 songs and Bluetooth 4.1, with 47 mAh cells in each earbud. The 2018 table says 4 GB per earbud and 82 mAh cells, and the earbuds weigh 8 g apiece versus 6.3 g in the earlier table. These generations are not interchangeable merely because both are called Gear IconX. The larger memory claim is not a promise of current PC transfer software, nor do I add two per-earbud figures into a larger user-facing storage estimate.

Runtime claims conflict, so do not shop by the largest number

Samsung's Electronics America launch article contains a real discrepancy. Its introductory product copy says up to seven hours of standalone MP3 listening, but its technical specification table later says up to six hours in Standalone Mode. Samsung Mobile Press also lists seven hours standalone. The five-hour Bluetooth figure is consistent across those Samsung sources, and the launch table says up to four hours of talk time plus one extra case charge. The review records the six/seven-hour standalone conflict instead of selecting the bigger number as settled fact.

Even the unconflicted figures are historical manufacturer maxima. They are not codec-specific; Samsung does not tie the five-hour Bluetooth maximum to SBC or Samsung Scalable, and neither number is an ANC-on result. Batteries age, and an old case may no longer hold its original capacity. If considering a used set, ask whether each earbud charges, whether they pair as a matched set, whether the case accepts and retains charge, and whether the seller permits returns. A remembered launch maximum cannot answer those questions.

Sealed tips and running features still need a personal check

The 2018 model is a sealed in-ear design with changeable tips and stabilizing wingtips. Samsung's support instructions list three sizes of each, but supplied pieces can be missing from a resale package and no size guarantees a comfortable fit. Confirm that the correct left/right tips and wingtips are present and check the seal, pressure and stability within the seller's return terms. This design is not open-ear: Samsung's separate Ambient Sound mode uses the earbuds' microphones rather than removing an eartip from the canal.

Samsung describes automatic running tracking and a built-in Running Coach. It also documents offline music transfer from a Samsung phone or PC and Bluetooth streaming. That makes the model potentially appealing to someone who wants workouts without carrying a phone, but not a current-platform guarantee: app availability, old software, file-transfer support and permissions should be checked on the actual computer or phone. Samsung's support guide lists Android 4.4 or later and at least 1.5 GB RAM as its historic baseline. Its compatibility chart says iOS can stream and place calls, while Samsung Health-dependent automatic tracking and fitness coaching are unavailable through the iOS route.

Codec and device-switching boundaries

Samsung's Mobile Press specification names SBC and its proprietary Samsung Scalable Codec. These are kept as separate operating plans: the Scalable route depends on a compatible Samsung host and software, while SBC is the ordinary Classic Audio selection. A Bluetooth version alone would not establish codecs, but Samsung's own codec table does. The U.S. sources do not state LDAC, AAC or LC3 support, so those options are not inferred.

Samsung U.S. explains how to pair the IconX with phones, tablets, computers and other Bluetooth devices, and how to pair or switch devices. It does not clearly establish two simultaneous source connections for this exact product, so the matcher does not count the family as Multipoint. Do not confuse a second saved pairing or an account-linked convenience with two active Bluetooth links.

USB-C wired case, no wireless charging, unknown water/ANC status

The U.S. specification lists USB Type-C and USB 2.0 connectors; Samsung support explicitly says wireless charging is unavailable for Gear IconX. The case therefore fits the finder’s USB-C wired-only case definition. The separate Samsung Ireland support page lists the case and USB connectors in its IconX contents description, but that region-specific list cannot prove what is inside a particular U.S. resale carton. It does not establish that a wall adapter is included. Samsung's U.S. technical table does not provide an IP water rating for the 2018 model. I do not translate the 2016 model's P2i splash language to this generation, and the case should remain dry.

ANC status is another explicit unknown. Samsung documents Ambient Sound and fitness controls, but the reviewed U.S. model material does not say that active noise cancellation is either present or absent; it also gives no ANC-on runtime. The model is therefore excluded from both positive ANC and no-ANC matches, and no five- or seven-hour general music figure is borrowed to answer a minimum ANC-time question.

Who should compare this earlier model?

Someone considering an older sport-focused earbud with onboard storage may find the SM-R140 worth comparing if SBC, a USB-C case and single-product fitness functions matter more than wireless case charging. The significant caveats are not minor: standalone runtime conflicts between six and seven hours, the ANC and water classifications remain unknown, simultaneous multipoint is not established, current app paths are uncertain, and the battery inside a used product may be far below its original maximum. The 2016 SM-R150 has different codecs, memory scope and case evidence; read its separate assessment rather than borrowing this model's details.

To compare documented earlier sealed-tip models under the same conditions, open the finder with earlier models included and sealed in-ear required. For the IconX 2018's confirmed case/codec combination, the same library can also be filtered to earlier models with USB-C-only wired case charging or earlier models with SBC. A result is a source-evidence match, not a current app, seller, battery, fit or package guarantee.

Bottom line: The Gear IconX 2018 is a real second generation, not simply a color refresh of the 2016 model: it has Bluetooth 4.2, SBC/Samsung Scalable and 4 GB storage per earbud, with a USB-C case that does not charge wirelessly. The standalone-runtime conflict remains unresolved; ANC, standardized water protection, true Multipoint and present app support are not established here. Verify the exact Black SKU, working case and matched earbuds, available fit parts, compatible host/software, seller package and returns before treating its historical feature list as useful today.

Primary evidence: Samsung Electronics America's U.S. release and specification table; Samsung Mobile Press' Gear IconX 2018 technical sheet; Samsung U.S. connection and compatibility instructions and wireless-charging guidance; Samsung Electronics America's feature compatibility chart; and Samsung Ireland's fit and setup guidance. Retail model codes are separately cross-checked for Black, Gray and Pink.