XP Icon Review: A Detailed Look at XP’s Simplified FMF Detector
XP Icon
The XP Icon occupies an interesting position in XP’s detector range. It uses the company’s FMF simultaneous multi-frequency platform, works with established XP wireless hardware and DEUS II FMF coils, and retains the exceptionally light telescopic format for which XP has become known. Yet it deliberately offers fewer controls than the DEUS II.
That distinction matters. In this XP Icon review we'll dive into the detail to give you as rounded an overview as possible, collated from trusted sources.
XP describes the Icon as the “lighter, more accessible sibling of the legendary DEUS II” and “The entry point into the XP ecosystem”. Those descriptions are useful because they explain what XP appears to be trying to achieve: retain much of the hardware architecture and detecting platform associated with DEUS II while removing a substantial amount of its complexity.
The result is a detector with three factory programmes, three user programme slots, five reactivity levels and only two standard selectable mono frequencies alongside FMF. It is therefore not simply a cheaper DEUS II with a different remote.
At the time of writing, independent testing of the standard Icon remains relatively limited, particularly under UK conditions. What has been published nevertheless provides some useful indications of where the detector's strengths lie — and where simplification begins to impose limitations.
You can view the XP Icon at LP Metal Detecting.
What is the XP Icon?
The central technology is XP's FMF simultaneous multi-frequency platform. The Icon can also operate at selectable mono frequencies of 4 kHz and 14 kHz in its standard configuration. XP's Icon specification
Rather than giving the operator a huge collection of programmes and adjustments, XP has deliberately restricted the number of choices. There are three factory programmes and three user-customisable programme slots, with five reactivity levels from 1 to 5.
LP Metal Detecting describes the philosophy succinctly: “The XP ICON prioritises simplicity and efficiency”. LP Metal Detecting's XP Icon page
That simplification is arguably the defining feature of the Icon.
This is still an FMF detector with ground adjustment, Multi-Notch, several audio configurations, pinpointing and wireless connectivity. What XP has removed is much of the fine adjustment available to users further up its range.
Treasure Hunting World consequently offers perhaps the most useful description of the detector: “The ICON is better thought of as a deliberately simplified detector built around XP’s modern FMF platform.” Treasure Hunting World's XP Icon analysis
That is a better starting point for understanding the machine than viewing it primarily as an inexpensive DEUS II.
XP Icon Technical Specifications
The specifications below refer specifically to the standard XP Icon where the published material allows that distinction to be made. This matters because XP's manual covers both the Icon and Icon X, and some model-specific graphical distinctions can be lost when the document is extracted as text.
Specification | XP Icon |
Detection technology | XP FMF simultaneous multi-frequency |
Selectable mono frequencies | 4 kHz and 14 kHz |
Factory programmes | 3 |
User programme slots | 3 |
Reactivity | 5 levels, 1–5 |
Sensitivity | 25 levels, 0–25 |
Ground adjustment | Grab, Manual and Auto/Tracking functions documented |
Multi-Notch | 28 segments |
Audio | Pitch, 2, 3 and 5 tones, Full Tones |
Audio processing | PWM and Square audio; stereo Audio Morphing documented |
Iron volume | 0–10 in shared Icon/Icon X manual; model-specific manual caveat applies |
Pinpoint | Non-motion pinpoint |
Wireless architecture | XP digital wireless system |
Quoted wireless latency | Approximately 4 ms |
Wireless channels | 36 automatic channels |
Coil compatibility | DEUS II FMF coils |
Other compatibility | XP wireless headphones, MI-6, Go Terrain; HF2 compatibility stated/reported |
Waterproofing | 5 metres |
Underwater audio | Compatible optional bone-conduction headset required for full underwater use |
Quoted battery life | Approximately 11 hours for remote, headphones and coil |
Quoted charge time | Approximately 3 hours |
Stem | S-Telescopic Lite |
Folded length | 58 cm |
Extended length | 130 cm |
Weight | Approximately 735 g with 11-inch coil according to XP; approximately 843–845 g fully equipped with remote according to retailer/independent material |
Updates | USB-C software updating |
App connectivity | Go Terrain |
Warranty | Five years parts and labour; published registration/extension wording varies |
The weight deserves particular attention because the figures can initially appear contradictory.
XP quotes approximately 735 g with the 11-inch coil. LP Metal Detecting gives 843 g fully equipped including the remote, while Treasure Hunting World reports approximately 845 g with the remote and about 735 g when the remote is removed from the stem.
Those figures are therefore broadly compatible once the configuration is specified. The important point for buyers is that 735 g should not be interpreted as the complete ready-to-detect weight with the remote mounted. Even at roughly 843–845 g in that configuration, however, the Icon remains a notably lightweight detector according to the published specifications. XP Icon official specifications LP Metal Detecting specifications
For current packages and configurations, check the XP Icon at LP Metal Detecting.
FMF Without the DEUS II Complexity
FMF is central to the Icon's proposition.
XP claims its simultaneous multi-frequency technology makes the detector suitable across varied terrain, including open ground, wet sand and saltwater environments. Those broader performance statements should currently be treated as manufacturer claims rather than independently established conclusions for the standard Icon, particularly where beach performance is concerned. XP Icon product information
The more interesting question is what XP has retained around FMF.
Sensitivity offers 25 levels from 0 to 25. Ground handling includes Grab, Manual and Auto/Tracking functions. There are 28 Multi-Notch segments, and the machine provides non-motion pinpointing.
Audio options include Pitch, 2, 3 and 5 tones and Full Tones. The documentation also describes PWM and Square audio with stereo Audio Morphing.
This is therefore simplified rather than rudimentary.
The distinction becomes clearer when looking at reactivity. The Icon provides five levels from 1 to 5. XP's manual describes the underlying trade-off familiar to experienced detectorists: lower reactivity can favour theoretical detection range in cleaner ground, while increasing reactivity can improve target separation where the ground is contaminated or mineralised. XP Icon/Icon X manual
XP also makes an important point about detector testing generally. Its manual warns: “So do not just rely on performance in the air!” XP Icon/Icon X manual
That is particularly relevant when discussing reactivity because theoretical clean-ground depth does not necessarily translate directly into the best field performance. XP states that greater reactivity can recover more targets in mineralised conditions even where theoretical detection range is reduced.
The principle is well established within XP's own operating guidance, but independent testing of exactly how the Icon behaves across typical UK conditions remains thin.
Wireless Architecture and the XP Ecosystem
One of the Icon's more substantial features is that XP has retained its wireless architecture.
The compatible coil, remote and headphones communicate wirelessly, with XP quoting approximately 4 ms latency and 36 automatically selected channels. The machine also supports XP's MI-6 pinpointer and Go Terrain connectivity. XP Icon product information
Compatibility with DEUS II FMF coils is particularly significant.
It potentially gives existing XP users access to an established range of coils rather than placing the Icon in an isolated hardware ecosystem. HF2 compatibility is also stated or reported across the published sources.
There is, however, a major caveat.
Coil compatibility does not turn the Icon into a DEUS II.
The detector's remote and software still determine what controls and information are available to the operator. Independent observations indicate that this distinction can become important under difficult ground conditions.
Treasure Hunting World also reports an owner's observation that fitting a DEUS II 9-inch FMF coil altered the available selectable mono frequencies to approximately 4.4, 17.6 and 32 kHz. That observation has not been independently verified and should not be regarded as a standard Icon specification. Treasure Hunting World analysis
The interaction between compatible coils and the Icon's selectable mono-frequency behaviour therefore remains an area where better independent testing would be useful.
Weight and Ergonomics
Low weight is one of the most consistently supported strengths of the Icon.
The machine uses XP's S-Telescopic Lite stem, collapsing to 58 cm and extending to 130 cm. That makes it both compact for transport and unusually light by conventional detector standards.
The important number for a fully equipped detector is roughly 843–845 g with the remote fitted, based on LP Metal Detecting and Treasure Hunting World's figures. LP Metal Detecting XP Icon listing Treasure Hunting World analysis
Removing the remote from the stem brings the reported figure down to approximately 735 g.
Low weight and compact construction recur across the manufacturer, retailer and independent material rather than appearing as an isolated marketing point. Early owner sentiment reported by Treasure Hunting World has also been positive about ergonomics.
For detectorists who spend long days covering pasture or cultivated land, weight is not simply a specification-sheet curiosity. Hundreds of grams become noticeable after several hours of swinging a detector, particularly with larger coils.
Here the Icon's design has a clear practical attraction without needing to make assumptions about detection performance.
Battery Life, Charging and Waterproofing
XP quotes approximately 11 hours of battery life for the remote, headphones and coil, with a charging time of around three hours. XP Icon product information
The detector is waterproof to 5 metres.
There is an important qualification for anyone intending to use it fully submerged: underwater detecting requires the compatible optional bone-conduction headset. That additional equipment needs to be considered separately from the detector's waterproof rating.
USB-C software updating is documented in XP's manual, as is connectivity with Go Terrain. XP Icon/Icon X manual
XP documents a five-year parts-and-labour warranty. The precise wording concerning registration and possible extensions varies between the official material, so the five-year parts-and-labour cover is the firm point that can be stated without attempting to reconcile differing registration wording.
How Does the XP Icon Actually Perform?
This is where the current information becomes more limited.
There is plenty of official information explaining how XP intends the detector to perform, but substantially less controlled independent testing of the standard Icon.
Treasure Hunting World reports one standard Icon owner testing the detector with a DEUS II 9-inch FMF coil against an existing test bed.
The result is interesting.
The Icon reportedly detected every target in the test bed. However, the owner also reported that it did not perform as well as his DEUS II. Treasure Hunting World's reported owner testing
That second observation needs restraint.
The published account does not provide sufficiently detailed target depths, soil information, matched settings and repeatability data to support a general conclusion that the Icon is inherently shallower or less capable than DEUS II.
What it does demonstrate is more modest: in that particular owner's test bed, the Icon could detect the established targets, while the owner still perceived his DEUS II as the better-performing machine.
Treasure Hunting World's wider assessment of early owner feedback is also noteworthy. It found no apparent widespread pattern of failed coils, excessive falsing, poor build quality, unreliable wireless communication or fundamentally poor detection performance.
That is encouraging, but it remains an assessment of early owner reports rather than a controlled reliability study.
A DEUS II User Tests the Icon in Difficult Ground
The most technically interesting independent account in the available material comes from an experienced DEUS II user posting on TreasureNet.
The tester borrowed a standard Icon and used it for approximately two hours in heavily magnetite-mineralised ground in the United States. He used the same 11-inch coil and compared the Icon against targets he had already identified with his DEUS II.
The Icon detected those flagged targets. TreasureNet XP Icon field-test discussion
That matters because it provides at least some independent indication that the Icon's simplified controls do not automatically prevent it from detecting targets found by the more adjustable machine.
But detection itself was not where the tester encountered the largest difference.
The problem was target interpretation in iron.
The tester reported receiving less useful ferrous information from the Icon and consequently excavating deep iron targets that he believed his normal DEUS II configuration would have identified as iron before digging.
He attributed at least part of that difference to the Icon's restricted or fixed controls compared with the DEUS II.
This distinction gets to the heart of the Icon.
A detector can produce a signal over a target without necessarily providing the same quantity or quality of information about that target. Experienced operators frequently use much more than a simple target ID number: audio characteristics, ferrous responses and machine configuration all contribute to the decision about whether to dig.
If reducing the controls also reduces the operator's ability to extract that information under difficult conditions, simplification has a genuine technical cost.
However, this result must not be generalised to normal UK detecting conditions.
The test was conducted by one user, for around two hours, in unusually magnetite-rich American ground. It does not establish that an Icon will behave similarly on British pasture, cultivated land or relatively mild soils.
It does, however, illustrate a plausible circumstance in which the additional controls available on DEUS II can have practical value beyond simply giving experienced users more settings to adjust.
HF2 Coil Testing
The same TreasureNet tester also paired an HF2 coil with the Icon and reported that it worked.
Again, the limitation was not basic compatibility.
The tester felt constrained by the reduced adjustment options compared with his normal DEUS II workflow. TreasureNet Icon discussion
This reinforces an important distinction between hardware compatibility and functional equivalence.
The ability to attach and operate a DEUS II-family coil does not mean the Icon suddenly inherits the DEUS II remote's software capabilities.
For existing XP users, compatibility remains useful. It potentially allows coils and other equipment already owned to be used with another detector.
But buying compatible hardware is not a route around the Icon's deliberately simplified control system.
What Are Detectorists Saying?
Independent commentary on the standard Icon is still relatively sparse, so it would be premature to claim a broad community consensus.
What exists does show a pattern.
Treasure Hunting World characterises early owner reaction as broadly positive towards the detector's low weight, ergonomics, simplicity and basic detecting ability. At the same time, it repeatedly cautions against treating the machine as a bargain-priced DEUS II.
Its conclusion is neatly expressed in the line: “The ICON can be a good detector without being a Deus II at a bargain price.” Treasure Hunting World XP Icon analysis
That assessment aligns surprisingly well with the more demanding TreasureNet test.
The experienced DEUS II user found the Icon straightforward to operate and capable of detecting the targets he had flagged. His criticism concerned the reduced target information and restricted adjustment available when working difficult mineralised ground.
Those two sources are therefore not actually describing opposing experiences.
Both suggest that the Icon is capable of doing its basic detecting job. Both also indicate that buyers should not assume that sharing XP's FMF platform and compatible coils means it offers DEUS II functionality.
The distinction is between finding a target and having the controls and information necessary to interrogate that target as thoroughly as an experienced DEUS II user might want.
For some detectorists, reducing that complexity may be the attraction.
For others, it is precisely what they would not want removed.
The Case for Simpler Controls
It is easy to treat fewer settings as inherently inferior, but that misses part of XP's design objective.
A large number of adjustable parameters can be valuable to experienced operators who understand how those parameters interact. They can also make a detector more complicated to configure.
XP's own positioning emphasises accessibility, while LP's shorthand is essentially “Power ON > Choose program”. LP Metal Detecting XP Icon page
That philosophy has practical consequences.
The Icon still gives the operator sensitivity adjustment, ground handling, notch control, multiple audio options, five reactivity levels and user programme storage. It simply does not expose the breadth of adjustment available from XP's more advanced machines.
A detectorist who wants to spend time developing highly specific programmes may therefore see the limitations quickly.
Someone who wants XP's lightweight wireless format and FMF platform without constantly disappearing into settings may view exactly the same design decision differently.
The important point is that the reduction in controls is deliberate and fundamental to the product. It should not be treated as an obscure limitation discovered after purchase.
How Much Does Reactivity Matter?
Reactivity deserves more attention because it is one of the controls XP has retained, albeit within a narrower five-level range.
Lower reactivity generally allows the detector more time to analyse a signal and can favour theoretical range in clean ground. Higher settings shorten the response and can help distinguish targets close together in contaminated or mineralised conditions.
XP specifically warns that air testing can give a misleading impression here. XP Icon/Icon X manual
A setting that appears to reduce outright range under artificial clean conditions may actually recover more targets when mineralisation or adjacent iron becomes the limiting factor.
That is an important technical nuance for Icon users because the machine's simplified philosophy does not eliminate the need to understand fundamental detector behaviour.
XP itself states: “Metal detecting requires a certain amount of practice.” XP Icon/Icon X manual
The Icon may reduce configuration complexity, but it cannot eliminate the effect of ground conditions, target orientation, contamination, sweep technique or the operator's interpretation of audio.
Simpler does not mean automatic.
Where the XP Icon's Limitations Become Clear
The most obvious limitation is the restricted adjustment compared with XP's more sophisticated machines.
There are fewer programmes, fewer selectable mono frequencies, fewer reactivity choices and fewer fine controls.
That matters most where a detectorist actively wants those adjustments.
The TreasureNet mineralised-ground test provides a practical example: the machine could detect the targets, but its experienced operator wanted more information for interpreting iron.
A second limitation is the current lack of substantial independent testing.
There is not yet a controlled UK field test establishing repeatable figures for depth, separation, target-ID accuracy or wet-beach performance on the standard Icon.
Nor is there a properly controlled head-to-head comparison against DEUS II, Icon X or similarly priced competitors using matched coils, settings, targets, depths and documented soil conditions.
Claims about absolute depth or superiority should therefore be treated cautiously.
Beach and saltwater performance is another area where the strongest statements currently come primarily from XP and retailer material rather than independent extracted testing.
Long-term reliability is similarly difficult to judge because the detector is new. There is little meaningful evidence yet concerning battery degradation, long-term remote durability or coil longevity.
These are gaps in current knowledge rather than demonstrated weaknesses.
Is the Icon Really a Cheaper DEUS II?
Technically, that is the wrong way to frame it.
Both machines belong to XP's modern wireless FMF ecosystem, and the Icon can use DEUS II FMF coils. Those similarities are substantial.
But the remote and software are different.
The Icon deliberately restricts the number of programmes, frequency choices, reactivity levels and finer adjustments available to its operator. Independent testing also provides at least one example where an experienced DEUS II user found those restrictions affected his ability to interpret difficult targets.
Treasure Hunting World's phrase “It just isn’t the cut-price Deus II” therefore captures an important distinction. Treasure Hunting World analysis
This does not establish that the Icon is a poor detector.
It establishes that DEUS II compatibility and DEUS II equivalence are different things.
The Icon is better understood on its own terms: a lightweight, wireless FMF detector deliberately designed around a reduced control set.
Who Does the XP Icon Appear Designed For?
XP itself positions the detector as an accessible route into its ecosystem.
The published specifications support that positioning.
Its compact S-Telescopic Lite stem, very low overall weight, wireless architecture and relatively limited programme structure reduce some of the physical and configuration complexity associated with higher-end detectors.
Yet this is not an ultra-basic switch-on-and-dig machine.
Ground control, reactivity, notch behaviour and audio configuration remain meaningful. Users still need to understand how changing these affects what they hear and how the detector responds.
The Icon therefore occupies an unusual middle ground.
It offers technology normally associated with more sophisticated XP equipment while intentionally limiting the operator's access to some of the deeper configuration behind it.
Whether that is an advantage or disadvantage depends heavily on how much control the individual detectorist actually wants.
Package Configuration Matters
Potential buyers should pay attention to exactly what is included in a package.
LP Metal Detecting's material indicates that WSA ST headphones are not necessarily included in every configuration, so comparing prices without comparing package contents can be misleading. LP Metal Detecting XP Icon listing
The same applies to weight.
Approximately 735 g and approximately 843–845 g can both be accurate figures when they describe different configurations.
Underwater use introduces another configuration issue because the detector's 5-metre waterproof rating does not mean the standard headphones automatically provide a complete submerged setup. A compatible optional bone-conduction headset is required for full underwater use.
These details are worth checking before comparing the Icon directly with another detector on price or specification alone.
What We Still Need to Learn About the XP Icon
The biggest unanswered questions concern field performance rather than features.
We know what technology the detector uses. We know its controls, physical specifications and compatibility. There are also early reports demonstrating successful target detection.
What remains poorly documented is how consistently it performs across the conditions particularly relevant to UK detectorists.
There is currently insufficient controlled independent evidence to establish how the standard Icon performs on typical UK pasture, cultivated fields or iron-contaminated historic sites.
Its target separation would benefit from properly documented testing.
So would target-ID stability at depth.
Wet sand and saltwater capability particularly needs independent verification because the present case rests largely on manufacturer and retailer claims.
A rigorous comparison against DEUS II would also be valuable, but only if performed under controlled conditions. Simply putting the machines over a few targets with different programmes and settings would tell us relatively little.
The existing owner reports are useful precisely because they reveal areas worth investigating further, but they should not be stretched beyond what their methods can support.
XP Icon Review: Overall Impression
The XP Icon is best understood as a deliberately simplified implementation of XP's FMF platform rather than a reduced-price DEUS II.
Its underlying specification is substantial. It provides simultaneous multi-frequency detection, selectable mono operation, adjustable reactivity and sensitivity, ground controls, Multi-Notch, multiple audio configurations, wireless connectivity, compatible XP hardware and 5-metre waterproofing.
It also remains exceptionally light. Published figures place a fully equipped machine with remote at approximately 843–845 g, while configurations without the remote mounted are around 735 g.
The compromise is control.
Three factory programmes, three user slots, two standard selectable mono frequencies and five reactivity levels make the Icon considerably more restricted than XP's higher-end platform.
The independent observations published so far do not suggest that simplification prevents the machine from finding targets. One reported test-bed exercise found every established target, while an experienced DEUS II user in highly mineralised ground also detected the targets he had previously flagged with his usual machine.
That second test exposes the more interesting limitation: detection and interpretation are not identical. The tester reported less useful ferrous information and found the restricted controls limiting compared with his configured DEUS II.
That finding should not be generalised to UK ground, but it demonstrates why experienced users need to understand what has been removed as well as what the Icon retains.
Conversely, detectorists who do not want DEUS II's level of adjustment may regard the reduced controls as central to the Icon's appeal rather than a deficiency.
The largest outstanding issue is simply the maturity of the independent evidence. Proper UK testing of depth, target separation, target-ID stability, contaminated ground and wet-beach performance remains limited. Long-term reliability is also largely unknown because the detector is new.
For now, the clearest picture is of a very light, compact and intentionally straightforward wireless FMF detector that provides access to much of XP's hardware ecosystem while keeping a firm boundary between the Icon and the much more configurable DEUS II.
You can view current XP Icon packages at LP Metal Detecting.
Sources and Further Reading
Official Manufacturer
XP Metal Detectors XP ICON Metal Detector — Powerful, Simple, Ready for Adventure https://xp.xpmetaldetectors.com/xp-icon/
XP Metal Detectors ICON / ICON X Manual — EN https://www.xpmetaldetectors.com/uploads/files/document/gb-icon.pdf
UK Retailers
LP Metal Detecting XP Icon https://www.lpmetaldetecting.com/products/xp-icon
Independent Reviews
Treasure Hunting World XP ICON: What We Know Now That We Did Not Know at Launch https://treasurehuntingworld.com/xp-icon-what-we-know-now-that-we-did-not-know-at-launch/
Community Discussions
TreasureNet — jmc24 XP Icon Impressions From A Long Time Deus II User https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/xp-icon-impressions-from-a-long-time-deus-ll-user.722993/
Video Reviews
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Additional Sources
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