Samsung WEP 420 Bluetooth Headset

Summary

Samsung partnered up with B&O (Bang & Olufsen) to design the WEP 420 Bluetooth headset, which aims at high quality functionality in a Bluetooth headset that is also a design statement.

Manufacturer's Own Hype

"To offer simplistic design and usability, the WEP 420's buttons are hidden behind a sliding cover. The special sliding cover blocks static to increase the overall sound quality of this exceptional headset. To enhance its value, the WEP 420 comes packaged with a uniquely designed charger cradle that may be used as an interior decoration item."

Editor's Comment

The good news: The WEP 420 has good inbound and outbound sound quality and a Bluetooth range that easily extends up to 30 feet. Good value too. The stylish charger looks like a typical B&O design statement.

Consider also: The predecessor to this, the WEP 200 is a great little headset, however, this is a relatively new model and it has yet to stand the test of time. Maybe my ears are an odd shape but I don't find it a secure fit. On the positive side, Samsung and B&O have a reputation for producing good quality products.

Bottom line: Good looks and performs well at a moderate price point.

Look great, too bad it sounds poor.

This bluetooth headset is worth probably half of what I paid. It looks cool with it's included charging dock, but sound was staticy (is that a word?) and it seemed have a shorter range to my mobile than the Plantronics bluetooth headset it replaced.

Worst headset I've tried.

I don't like anything about this headset. It feels flimsy. It's uncomfortable. The buttons are in places that make you push them when you don't want to. No one can understand me when I talk, and the incoming sound is static. The charger does look really cool, though.

It's easy to use

The WEP 420 is a nice looking headset. I think it's really easy to use, and easier to put on in a jiffy. I know other Bluetooth headsets can be a downright pain to get on, this isn't. The reason I didn't rank it higher was that I think it could be louder.

Not too bad for the price

I've used a few Bluetooth headsets in my time and I would say this one falls right about in the middle. No one seemed to have too much trouble hearing me, but the sound wasn't super from my end. Also the earloop seems a little flimsy and flops around a bit and it was not the easiest to get it to stay on my ear. I'm not really sure what is up with the charging base either. It looked cool in the photos, but in person it looks like a napkin holder.

The headset of my dreams ... NOT

The WEP 420 underwhelms. This is what happens when the design team owns the creation of a product. For starters, the earloop that's on there when you first get the headset is huge! You'd think it was designed for an elephant. Then you move on to answering and ending calls. You have to slide the silver plastic part along the base of the headset to activate a call. It's "cool" but completely non functional. There's no lip on the silver piece, so it's hard to move. I end up sliding the headset off my ear more often than answering my call. Then we get to the charging base ... the best looking, stupidest design I've ever seen. It took me 10 tries to get it to hook in right. And to top it off, my co-workers told me that I was hard to hear, especially in louder environments. The only reason why I didn't go for 1 star is because the inbound sound quality was great. Other people were just as clear as any other headset I've used. I'm getting another headset, this one is going to my son.