Comfort/fit/fashion
BlueAnt's X5s are large for Bluetooth headphones -- although not quite as chunky as the Jabra BT620S -- with very comfortable leather-style headphone coverings -- this makes them very comfortable to wear, although like the Samsung SBH170, they can tend to feel a little loose around the back of the head -- your experience may vary. The BlueAnt logo on the X5s is fairly inconspicuous, although the obvious Bluetooth logo on the side might just make you a mugging target.
Where the X5s stand out from the Bluetooth headphone pack is in the inclusion of a standard 3.5mm audio-jack connector, which lets you use the X5 headset with non-Bluetooth devices.
Sound quality
Sound quality on the X5s was acceptable but never great, with a rather flat overall sound. If you're listening to just phone audio or compressed music it's probably less of a concern, but as you can use the supplied adaptor to connect up to better-quality audio sources, it's worth noting.
Pairing/ease of use
Pairing with the X5s was very simple, with good pickup and a very good range, easily making the Bluetooth standard 10 metres from our testing devices. The simplified controls -- which use short and long presses of the volume keys to perform different tasks -- are easy to learn and thanks to the Braille-style nodules on them, simple to find for quick adjustment. The microphone, however, is fiddly, as it connects to the USB port on the headset, boom style, and we were constantly worried that we would lose it.
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