Since the stellar release of the original Apple AirPods, it seems like every company under the sun is busting into the wireless earbud game. The latest and most impressive attempt come from Samsung with the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. These sleek little earbuds have tech lovers salivating across the world, however, many still don’t know whether they’re worth investing in over Apple’s newest Airpods, the Pros. In the battle of Samsung Galaxy Buds vs AirPods Pros, which one is worth buying?
Let’s take a look.
The Look
They might both be wireless earbuds, but the Galaxy Buds Live and AirPod Pro look different in just about every way.
The AirPod Pros look something like classic Apple earbuds. They’re stark white like Apple is known for, and there’s a stem at the bottom of each bud, which has been shortened in this new version. The Airpods Pro introduce noise-canceling silicone tips, a welcome improvement over the classic AirPods, but not necessarily a better-looking one.
The Galaxy Buds Live come in a few colors, including metallic finishes. The Galaxy Buds Live are more rounded and compact, almost bean shaped, with no hanging stem. The earpiece has noise-cancelling features, but no silicone rubber, which some people will prefer.
The charging pods are both very similar. They flip up like ring boxes, and both are more compact than the previous versions’ offerings. The Galaxy Buds’ is a bit larger, while the AirPods Pro charging doc is wider.
Which One Looks Better?
AirPods have become a bit of a fashion symbol these days thanks to their look, but the Galaxy Buds Live just look cooler.
They’re more compact, the lack of stems is a major plus, and the noise-canceling without silicone is great. When it comes to the charging pod, however, Apple edges out the Galaxy Buds. It’s more compact and easier to carry.
The Functionality
So, how well does each product work?
The AirPods Pro pair with your iPhone quick (the phone asks if you’d like to connect them right when you open the charging pod) letting you use them right away. Once connected, the AirPods Pro stay connected, with no connection drops the majority of the time. You can view the battery life of the AirPods Pro right from the front of the charging pod, and tap the stem of the AirPods to summon voice assistant and pause/play music.
Galaxy Buds Live connect equally fast with Samsung device, however, they do drop connection on rare occasions. They have the same touch-controls for music and voice assistant. The one major upside the Galaxy Buds have over the AirPods Pro, though, is the Galaxy Wear app.
With the Galaxy Wear app, you can customize the EQ settings on your Galaxy Buds. You can up the bass, treble, and even allow ambient noise like cars and bikes to ensure your safety when biking or walking. You can even customize what set taps on the buds do, like answering calls or manipulating volume.
Both headphones have “Find my” features if you lose them, and have generally the same features.
The Sound Quality
Arguably the most important part of all of this: how do they sound?
The AirPods Pro sound great, a few notches above the wired earbuds that come with your iPhone. They’re loud, the bass is nice, and music sounds rich overall. The noise cancellation is much improved over the previous versions of the AirPods.
When it comes to calling, though, the AirPods Pro are fantastic. The isolated-voice tech in the microphone is fantastic, allowing your voice to go through crisp and clear.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live sounds a lot nicer when played side-by-side with the AirPods Pro. The sounds are more crisp and definable, the bass is booming, and they go nice and loud. They’re also more compact, which seems to block out a lot more ambient noise.
Both headphones offer ANC (acitve noise canceling) and the AirPods Pro’s seems to work a little better.
The Galaxy Wear app, as mentioned before, lets you customize the sound to your liking. This is another major bonus, and can really make the buds sound a lot better. Call quality, while good, isn’t quite as crisp as on the AirPods Pro, though.
Which One Sounds Better?
Just depends on what you’re primrily using them for. Apple AirPod Pros have superior sound quality on call, but, on the Buds, while the call quality isn’t as good, the sound from the Galaxy Buds Live is better, from clarity to bass and beyond. Plus, you can customize them to your liking — what’s not to love about that?
The Battery Life
Finally, let’s take a look at the battery life.
The AirPods Pro last about 4.5 hours on a full battery, and the charging case can get you 24 more hours. This gives you about 4 chances to recharge your AirPods on-the-go. You can also get about 3 hours of calls off the AirPods.
The Galaxy Buds Live get you 6 hours of listening time, and 8 with ANC turned off. The charging case can get you another 29 hours roughly. Both devices are charging-mat compatible, making for a truly wireless experience.
Which Battery Is Better?
The Galaxy Buds Live seem to be the big winner here.
You get a lot more time out of both the headphones and the charging case with Samsung’s offering. If you’re going on any long trips, these are the headphones you want with you.
Samsung Galaxy Buds vs AirPods: The Winner
In the battle of the Samsung Galaxy Buds vs AirPods, the Galaxy Buds Live edged out the AirPods Pro. If you’re looking for the best listening experience, go with the Galaxy Buds Live. You may miss out a little on the call quality, but otherwise, you’re getting a high-quality product at the end of the day.
If you love that Apple aesthetic, though, the AirPods Pro are still an excellent decision.
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