We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-28 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a single pair of open-ear headphones that survives pool laps and open-water swims without your phone, choose SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater; if you need all-day wireless listening with a battery you can swap in seconds for long rides and commutes, choose OceanSounds Open Ear Headphones.
• SAMVEK's biggest strength: a true IP68 waterproof build with 32GB of built-in storage, so it plays music in MP3 mode even where Bluetooth can't reach — including underwater.
• SAMVEK's biggest trade-off: no swappable battery and no charging case, so once the 8-hour cell runs down you're waiting roughly 2 hours to recharge.
• OceanSounds' biggest strength: a swappable battery design backed by a charging case and two replaceable battery modules, which is the smarter setup for long, phone-tethered sessions.
• OceanSounds' biggest trade-off: it's a Bluetooth-only headphone with no built-in memory and no stated water-resistance rating, so it isn't the pick for swimming.
• For swimmers and pool athletes → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater.
• For cyclists, runners and commuters who want extended wireless runtime → OceanSounds Open Ear Headphones.
The SAMVEK X7 is built around one idea: music that keeps playing when your phone can't follow you. The IP68 rating covers both water and dust, and the open-ear, bone-conduction driver sits outside the ear canal rather than inside it. That combination matters for anyone who trains in a pool or in open water, because the design doesn't rely on a seal that water pressure would break.
What really separates it is the 32GB of built-in memory. SAMVEK states that's enough for roughly 8,000 songs, and the headphones run in MP3 mode from that storage. That detail is the whole point: the brand notes plainly that the Bluetooth signal gets blocked underwater, so swimming sessions have to use MP3 mode rather than a wireless connection. On land, Bluetooth 5.4 handles pairing and a stable link at up to 10 meters, and the whole unit weighs just 32 grams — light enough that the hook-style fit is meant to stay put through movement. Button controls mean you're not fighting a touch panel with wet hands. Charging is magnetic, and the battery is rated for about 8 hours of use with a 2-hour charge time.
Buy it if you swim, or if you want one pair that moves from pool to run to gym without a phone in your pocket. Skip it if you mostly want a battery you can extend on the fly — there's no swappable cell here, and no charging case in the box. You get the headphones, a cable and a manual. It's also worth noting there's no active noise control, which is consistent with the open-ear philosophy: you're supposed to hear your surroundings, not block them out.
The OceanSounds A-143 takes the opposite approach. Instead of storing music on board, it leans entirely on Bluetooth 5.4 to stream from your phone, tablet or laptop, with the low-latency connection the brand highlights for smooth wireless playback. The earpiece is an open-ear hook design in a skin tone, made from ABS, and the non-in-ear structure is specifically pitched at reducing ear fatigue and pressure over long stretches.
The headline feature is the swappable battery. OceanSounds includes two magnetic replaceable battery modules plus a charging case, so when one cell runs out you swap in the other in seconds rather than hunting for a wall socket. For travel, multi-hour rides, or a full day of commuting and training, that's a genuinely useful design choice — it turns "battery anxiety" into a non-issue without needing a bigger built-in cell.
The ear hooks are described as lightweight and ergonomic, aimed at keeping the fit stable through running, cycling, hiking and gym work, and the open-ear layout keeps traffic and conversation audible around you. Note the 120g item weight for the package as listed. Buy it if your listening happens mostly on land, tethered to a device, and you want the flexibility of spare batteries. Skip it if you swim — there's no stated water-resistance rating and no onboard storage, so it's a dry-land headphone. It carries a 360-day warranty, and the box includes the charging case, two battery modules, two earbuds and a manual.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for swimming → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. IP68 protection plus MP3 mode from 32GB of storage is the only way either pair works underwater.
• Best for phone-free workouts → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. Load your music once and leave the phone in the locker.
• Best for cyclists who ride long and want live audio → OceanSounds Open Ear Headphones. Bluetooth 5.4 streaming with quick battery swaps suits hours in the saddle.
• Lightest on the head → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. 32g versus a 120g listed package weight for the OceanSounds set.
• Best for commuting, calls and everyday listening → OceanSounds Open Ear Headphones. Streams from phone, tablet or laptop with a low-latency connection.
• Best for wet, dusty or rugged conditions → SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater. IP68 water and dust resistance is the deciding spec.
• Best for keeping a spare charged and ready → OceanSounds Open Ear Headphones. The swap design means you're rarely stuck waiting.
If I had to pick one, I'd take the OceanSounds Open Ear Headphones. In my opinion, the swappable-battery setup with a charging case is the more practical design for the way most people actually use open-ear headphones — riding, running, commuting and working, all while streaming from a phone. The extended-runtime flexibility is a real, everyday advantage.
That said, I'd switch to the SAMVEK Swimming Headphones Underwater without hesitation if swimming is on your list. In my opinion, if any part of your routine involves water, the OceanSounds pair simply isn't the right tool, and the SAMVEK's IP68 build and 32GB of onboard memory are exactly what that use case demands. Decide by your environment first: water, or no water.
Both use an open-ear hook design that keeps you aware of traffic, which suits cycling. The OceanSounds A-143 leans into this with Bluetooth 5.4 streaming and swappable batteries for longer rides. The SAMVEK X7 works too, but it's primarily built around swimming and phone-free MP3 playback.
SAMVEK rates its battery at about 8 hours with a 2-hour charge. OceanSounds doesn't publish a runtime figure, but its swappable battery modules plus charging case let you keep going by swapping cells instead of waiting to recharge — a different approach to the same problem.
No. The data sheet lists no water-resistance rating for the OceanSounds A-143, and it has no built-in storage, so it depends on a Bluetooth signal that won't travel through water. For swimming, the IP68-rated SAMVEK X7 is the correct choice.
That comes down to features rather than any figure I can quote here. If you swim or train phone-free, the SAMVEK's IP68 rating and 32GB of storage justify it. If you want swappable batteries and a charging case for land-based use, the OceanSounds set fits better. Check the current price on Amazon for both before deciding.
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