Ah, the Samsung wep-430 ($49.95)—the “sporty” headset for you active nerds. It’s sure is nice to see something different in the BT headset world and while not the smallest, most expensive or even “sexy” looking headset out, it sure does its job admirably.
So what does this sweat-resistant, 5hr talk-time with noise-canceling headset bring to the table? In short, it’s a keeper and a great deal.
Read on for the full scoop...
Samsung may not get the same hype as Jawbone 2 or BlueAnt for the top end headsets but the wep-430 is in a category nearly all its own: the sporty/active lifestyle headset. With the over-the-ear loop design, the wep430 is a much more secure fit than the traditional in-the-ear or over-the-ear hooks that most BT headsets offer. Let’s put up the full specs to put it in perspective:
Specs
- 5hr talk time
- Noise reduction/echo cancellation
- 5.6 oz
- Travel charger (proprietary connector)
- Sweat resistant
Design
The real catch here is the wep-430’s unique design—there really is nothing else like it. Unexpectedly, it’s actually very comfortable. In fact, I consider it one of the most comfortable headsets available. To put the headset on, you squeeze the top and bottom of the ear hoop with your index finger and thumb. This “opens” the ear hoop to allow it to slip over your ear. At first this technique is a bit awkward but after a few times, you do get used to and can aptly do it with one hand. Even with my upper cartilage pierced I am able to slip this over my ear with ease.
The orange paint design is hardly low-profile but it goes well if you are riding a bike or hiking around. In fact, if by chance you did drop it out in the woods the color scheme makes it much more visible than say a jet black headset. The sweat-resistant design also ensures that you won’t short it out.
Overall the build is very solid. The only moving part is the little sliding door for the charger port. Speaking of, the wep-430 comes with a wall charger that has a proprietary connector (boo). There is no available way to charge via your computer meaning you’ll have to carry around another charger on trips. The 5 hour battery life though is up there though and should last most users a full day or two. Other than that it would be very difficult to snap and you throwing it in your pocket is a viable option.
Performance
Somewhat to my surprise I found the audio aspect to be very good. I say surprisingly because the wep-430 is priced much lower than the “big guys” like BlueAnt and Jawbone. The design of the headset means the speaker leans against your ear and is not in your canal—once again this is good as you can hear (loud) noises around you (traffic) but still hear the conversation. True, on a train or loud environment you may find a need to push the speaker more closely against your ear, but for the most part it is loud enough.
The quality of the sound can best be described as warm and full—the treble is low with no shrieks and the range makes it sound better than most phone speakers. Callers had no problem hearing me even with the mic considerably far from my mouth
Buttons
The design of the buttons is just ok. You have 3: volume up, volume down, multi-purpose. The latter turns on/off the device (hold down), pick up/hang up (press down) and activates MS Voice Command (hold down when paired). They are placed quite logical on the device but they are not necessarily easy to find, with barely any raised markers. The multifunction button, while the largest, is really only identifiable by the by “hump” it has compared to the others.
They’re not bad per se, just you have to take a second to find them.
LED
Tiny blue light for when paired resulting in quite low visibility so you won’t attract too much attention. It also does that thing where it blinks “x” times when you turn it on to tell you the battery life.
Conclusions
What can I say, I really like this headset. It’s kinda dorky looking if you’re doing business and it has a rather large profile (though it’s quite thin)—but if you want comfort, decent battery and great sound quality for a cheap price, you really can’t go wrong. And if you’re a bike rider, hiker or someone who just needs a more rugged headset then the Samsung WEP-430 ($49.95) is what you need.
Highly recommended—especially for active lifestyle.
| Ratings (out of 5)Pairing and Range: 5Comfort: 5Sound Quality: 5Ease of Use: 5Overall: | ProsExcellent sound qualityLow price/High valueGreat for sports/active lifestyleVery comfortable to wearUniqueConsDorky lookingButtons are hard to findAwkward to put onProprietary connector |
