Audien (formerly known for budget-friendly OTC devices with mediocre sound and frustrating usability) finally made a meaningful step forward with the Atom X—and the upgrade that genuinely stands out isn’t a new app or a flashy marketing promise. It’s the touchscreen charging case, which doubles as your control center for volume, programs, and Bluetooth.

The catch: while usability improves, audio performance is still only mid-pack, and in noisy environments it remains one of Atom X’s weakest areas. At roughly $400, the “value” argument depends heavily on whether the case-first, no-app approach fits your needs.