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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-29 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2 — biggest strength: 31 hours of total battery life from a charging case, with 13mm dynamic drivers and Bluetooth 5.3 in a lightweight 3.8g in-ear design.
• SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2 — biggest trade-off: IPX4 only protects against splashes and sweat, so it is not built for swimming or submersion.
• Tayogo Rock PRO W24 — biggest strength: IPX8 waterproofing, bone-conduction open-ear fit, and a 4-in-1 design (32GB MP3 player, Bluetooth 5.4, FM radio, T6 transmitter mode).
• Tayogo Rock PRO W24 — biggest trade-off: Bluetooth does not work underwater, so you need the MP3 mode or a T6 transmitter for in-pool audio; there is also no noise cancelling.
• Pick SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2 if you want everyday wireless earbuds for commuting, calls and long listening sessions.
• Pick Tayogo Rock PRO W24 if you swim, surf or train hard and want music that stays put without going in your ears.
The ZTE GABB Z2 is a conventional true-wireless earbud, and it plays that role well. SGNICS pairs 13mm compound-diaphragm dynamic drivers with a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range, which is the kind of spec sheet that points to full-bodied sound with more low-end presence than you'd expect from a small bud. Bluetooth 5.3 keeps power draw low and the signal stable out to roughly 12 meters, and the earbuds reconnect automatically to your last device the moment you open the charging case.
Buy it if you want in-ear Bluetooth earbuds for commuting, work calls, gym sessions and long listening stretches, and you like the isolation of a sealed bud. It's also a sensible fit for teens and seniors given the simple auto-reconnect behaviour. Skip it if your main use is swimming. IPX4 means splash and sweat resistance, nothing more — it will handle rain and a sweaty run, not laps in a pool.
Tayogo Rock PRO W24: Who It's For
The Rock PRO W24 is a different animal entirely. Tayogo builds it around bone-conduction drivers — dual 8-ohm speakers firing through your cheekbones rather than into your ear canal. The open-ear placement means nothing sits inside your ear, nothing falls out during turns or dives, and you can slide the band under a swim cap or clip it to your goggles. At 32g (38g per the item listing) it's light enough to forget you're wearing it.
The headline spec is IPX8. That's a full waterproof rating, not a splash rating, and Tayogo pairs it with a magnetic charging port to keep the seal intact over time. You also get four modes in one device: a 32GB built-in MP3 player, Bluetooth 5.4 for above-water listening, FM radio, and T6 transmitter mode for streaming from Spotify, YouTube or Audible underwater when paired with a Tayogo T6. Battery runs up to 8 hours with a 2-hour charge time.
Buy it if you swim — pool training, open water, surfing — or you want a rugged open-ear headphone for running and sport. Skip it if you mostly want sealed, noise-isolating earbuds for the office or a noisy commute. The W24 has no noise cancelling and no in-ear seal by design, and Bluetooth won't carry a signal underwater, so you're relying on the MP3 player or the T6 route while submerged.
• Best for swimming → Tayogo Rock PRO W24. IPX8 waterproofing versus IPX4 splash resistance is a decisive gap here.
• Best for battery life → SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2. 31 hours total from the case beats the W24's 8 hours per charge.
• Best for noise isolation → SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2. Sealed in-ear fit plus an ENC mic; the W24 is open-ear with no noise control.
• Best for open-water and surf use → Tayogo Rock PRO W24. The magnetic charging port and IPX8 build are aimed squarely at wet environments.
• Best for calls and touch controls → SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2. Touch media control and a voice-pickup mic versus the W24's button control and no mic focus.
• Best for music without a phone → Tayogo Rock PRO W24. The 32GB MP3 player and FM radio mean you can leave your phone in the locker.
• Best for everyday commuting → SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2. Bluetooth 5.3, auto-reconnect and a charging case are built for daily pocket carry.
• Best for runners who hate in-ear buds → Tayogo Rock PRO W24. Open-ear bone conduction stays secure through movement.
If I had to pick one, I'd take the Tayogo Rock PRO W24 — but only because its IPX8 rating and bone-conduction design cover use cases the ZTE GABB Z2 simply cannot touch. If your life doesn't involve water sports, though, my recommendation flips: the SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2 gives you far more total battery, a sealed in-ear fit for noisy environments, and touch controls for less money spent chasing a waterproof rating you'll never need. Match the rating to your actual routine. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever one fits, since that's the only variable I can't judge from the spec sheets.
can i wear waterproof headphones in the shower
Yes, if the rating covers it. The Tayogo Rock PRO W24 carries IPX8, which is designed for full submersion, so shower use is within its build intent. The SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2 is only IPX4 — that handles splashes and sweat, but I wouldn't leave it under a running shower head.
are headphones waterproof
Not automatically. Water resistance is a graded scale, and the two products here sit at different points on it: IPX4 means protection from splashing water, while IPX8 means the device is built to withstand being submerged. Always match the rating to how wet the product will actually get.
Yes — that's exactly what it's designed for. Bone conduction keeps your ears open, the IPX8 build handles pool and open-water conditions, and the 32GB MP3 player or T6 transmitter mode lets you keep listening once Bluetooth drops out underwater.
No, and it won't work — Bluetooth signals don't travel well through water. On the Rock PRO W24 you'd switch to the built-in MP3 player or the T6 transmitter mode for submerged listening. The SGNICS ZTE GABB Z2 is Bluetooth-only and not intended for underwater use at all.
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