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If you want a single headset that handles gaming, voice chat and everyday listening across PC and consoles, choose EKSA 2.4GHz; if you need audio that keeps playing while you're actually in the water, choose SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater.
• EKSA 2.4GHz — biggest strength: a genuine gaming/communication toolset: sub-30ms 2.4GHz wireless, a slot-in noise-cancelling boom mic, Bluetooth 5.4, 40mm drivers and up to 35 hours of battery in a 169g frame.
• EKSA 2.4GHz — biggest trade-off: it isn't built for water. The listing makes no waterproof claim at all, so pools, showers and heavy sweat sessions aren't its job.
• SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater — biggest strength: IP68 sealing plus 32GB of built-in MP3 storage, so it works as a standalone music player up to 2 metres deep for around two hours — no phone required.
• SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater — biggest trade-off: no microphone-quality claims, button controls only, and Bluetooth simply doesn't work underwater, so you must switch to MP3 mode before you submerge.
• Who each pick is for: EKSA for the desk-and-console gamer who also takes calls and listens to music; SAMVEK for the swimmer, runner or surfer who wants music with ears open and no device on them.
The EKSA 2.4GHz is, first and last, a gaming headset. Its headline trick is a 2.4GHz USB wireless link with under-30ms latency — the kind of number that matters when you're trying to hear a footstep before you see the player. Sound comes from 40mm dynamic drivers covering 20Hz–20,000Hz at 80 ohm impedance, and there's a one-tap switch between a game mode tuned for positional accuracy and a music mode tuned for a fuller, warmer presentation. That dual-mode idea is genuinely useful: you don't have to keep two headsets on your desk.
The communication side is where it earns its place. The boom mic slots into the earcup and uses noise-reduction processing to keep your voice clear over game audio, and when you're done talking it folds away flush for a cleaner look. Connection options are unusually broad for the category: 2.4GHz via the included Type-C to USB adapter, Bluetooth 5.4, and a Type-C to 3.5mm cable for wired listening. A full charge takes 2.5 hours via USB-C and is rated for up to 35 hours of use, with fast-charge support for short top-ups.
Comfort is clearly a design priority — 169g with breathable mesh earpads, an adjustable headband and a foldable build. There's also downward-facing RGB with one-button control, which is subtle enough to leave on and easy to switch off if you'd rather not have it.
SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater: Who It's For
The SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater solves a completely different problem: how to hear music when your phone can't come with you and Bluetooth can't reach you. The answer is twofold. First, IP68 waterproofing — sealed against sweat and rain and rated for full immersion to about 2 metres for roughly two hours. Second, 32GB of onboard storage, enough for thousands of tracks in MP3, WMA, WAV, APE and FLAC. You load your music once, switch to MP3 mode, and the headphones become the player. No armband, no pouch, no cable.
The driver type is bone conduction, which transmits sound through your cheekbones to your inner ear while leaving your ear canals completely open. That's the whole point for open-water or lane swimming: you hear your music and you still hear what's around you. The 30g weight, open-ear fit and retractable headband are designed to sit stable with a swim cap, goggles and earplugs, and to stay comfortable for long sessions without pressure building up.
When you're out of the water, Bluetooth 5.4 kicks in with a 10-metre (33-foot) range, multipoint pairing for switching between devices, and hands-free calling. Controls are push-button, and there is no active noise cancelling — understandable, since blocking your ears would defeat the safety benefit of the open design. Charging takes about 2 hours, and SAMVEK backs it with a one-year warranty.
Buy it if you swim, snorkel, surf or run and want music without carrying a device, or you want your ears open for safety. Skip it if you need a boom mic for team voice chat, you want strong bass isolation, or you expect Bluetooth to work once your head goes under — it won't, by design.
• Best for competitive gaming and low latency → EKSA 2.4GHz. Its 2.4GHz link is rated under 30ms; the SAMVEK's wireless mode is Bluetooth 5.4, which is fine for music but not built around competitive timing.
• Best for underwater use → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. IP68 with an MP3 fallback is the only one of the two designed to be submerged.
• Best for voice chat → EKSA 2.4GHz. Slot-in noise-cancelling boom mic versus no mic-quality claims on the SAMVEK.
• Best for battery life on paper → EKSA 2.4GHz. Up to 35 hours rated, with a 2.5-hour full charge; SAMVEK publishes a 2-hour charge time but no runtime figure, so treat its endurance as unquantified in the specs.
• Best for listening without a phone → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. 32GB of built-in storage lets it work as a standalone player.
• Best for open-ear awareness → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. Bone conduction leaves the ear canal open; the EKSA is a closed over-ear design.
• Best for device flexibility → EKSA 2.4GHz. 2.4GHz USB, Bluetooth 5.4 and a 3.5mm wired option covers consoles, PC, Mac and Switch; the SAMVEK is Bluetooth plus MP3.
• Best for all-day comfort while moving → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. 30g open-ear versus 169g over-ear — the EKSA is light for a gaming headset, but the SAMVEK is lighter still for sport.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to one question: where does your audio actually happen? If it happens at a desk or in front of a console, I'd buy the EKSA 2.4GHz. You get low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, a noise-cancelling boom mic, Bluetooth 5.4 as a backup, a wired option, 40mm drivers with two sound modes and up to 35 hours of battery — a genuinely complete package for gaming and calls.
If your audio happens in the water, none of that matters, and I'd buy the SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. IP68 sealing plus 32GB of onboard music is the combination that actually survives a swim. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit, since that's the one variable this comparison can't settle for you.
SAMVEK, clearly. It carries an IP68 waterproof rating and is designed for full immersion to roughly 2 metres for about two hours. The EKSA 2.4GHz has no waterproof rating listed, so I wouldn't take it near a pool.
No. The product notes state Bluetooth mode is not available underwater, which is why you switch to MP3 mode for swimming. Bluetooth 5.4 is for out-of-water use within about 10 metres of your device.
It's both. There's a dedicated music mode alongside the game mode, Bluetooth 5.4 for phone or laptop use, and a slot-in noise-cancelling mic for calls and chat. The 169g build and mesh earpads are intended for long sessions.
They're durable in different ways. SAMVEK's IP68 rating is the relevant protection for water, sweat and rain. EKSA's durability story is about long-session comfort — 169g, breathable mesh pads and a foldable frame — plus a two-year warranty versus SAMVEK's one-year.
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