Apple’s AirPods Pro are great wireless headphones that have active noise cancellation and better sound than the original AirPods. But with a regular price of $ 250 (£ 249 or AU $ 399) they are not cheap, and alternatives like Samsung $ 150 (£ 159 or AU $ 299) Galaxy Buds Plus You may be wondering if you are paying an unnecessary premium for the Apple version. I took these two wireless earbuds for two weeks to compare them in form, sound quality, battery life and smart features to find out if the AirPods Pro really is worth the extra $ 100, or if it’s better to save money with the Galaxy Buds Plus.
Angela Lang / CNET
The AirPods Pro are Apple’s premium in-ear headphones and have incredibly effective active noise cancellation. Calls, podcasts, and music also sound great. Although you can control many functions in the Control Center or Bluetooth Settings drop-down menu, the lack of a dedicated app to adjust the sound profile or settings from one interface is disappointing. You can use AirPods Pro on Android, but you will get the best experience when paired with iOS. Read the AirPods Pro review.
Angela Lang / CNET
Samsung improved the sound of the Galaxy Buds Plus compared to the first generation and they are an excellent choice for Android or iPhone owners. They don’t have active noise cancellation, but the noise-isolating design blocks out a good amount of sound, and the music sounds more dynamic than on AirPods Pro. The battery also lasts an incredibly long time, so it can carry the Galaxy Buds Plus all day. Read the Galaxy Buds Plus review.
Galaxy Buds Plus internal design is more flexible
The Galaxy Buds Plus come with three tip sizes, plus three different wingtips to truly adjust the fit. AirPods Pro have three tip sizes that you can change in and out of your ear canal.
The way each earphone fits varies greatly depending on the size and shape of the ear, so what feels good to my ears may be completely different from what you like. I prefer the fit and feel of the Galaxy Buds Plus because they feel more secure than the AirPods Pro. I have small ear canals, and the smaller tip of the Buds feels more comfortable than the equivalent on the AirPods Pro. As a result, the Galaxy Buds Plus stayed in my ear better during active training, like an outdoor race.
Angela Lang / CNET
Please note that both wireless headphones have an internal design that provides a layer of noise isolation, but only AirPods Pro have active noise cancellation (ANC).
Both wireless headphones will be fine during your sweaty workouts or if you get caught in the rain. But AirPods Pro is IPX4 rated, meaning they are more waterproof than the Galaxy Buds Plus, which is IPX2 compliant. Each case has wireless charging, but you can use USB-C or Lightning cables to charge the Galaxy Buds Plus or AirPods Pro, respectively.
Winner: Although it is not as waterproof as the AirPods Pro, I like the Galaxy Buds Plus for its more comfortable fit.
AirPods Pro has noise cancellation, but the Galaxy Buds Plus sounds better
Here’s the thing: if you want ANC, look no further and get AirPods Pro. It’s incredibly effective and makes the listening experience great for traveling or traveling. But if ANC is not a priority, Galaxy Buds Plus really does sound better to my ears.
In addition to tracks with heavy bass, which sound better on the AirPods Pro since they don’t distort as much, I prefer the default sound profile of the Buds Plus in general. When using Buds Plus in iOSI like the dynamic sound profile that gives the bass a little boost without being too heavy. When I am on an Android phone, normal sound profile is my choice.
To my ears, the overall sound on AirPods Pro is more neutral. This is great for calls and podcasts, but for music I’d choose the Galaxy Buds Plus.
Both headphones can let in more external sound in situations where you need to listen more, like the office or running outdoors. AirPods Pro call it transparency mode, while Galaxy Buds Plus call it surround sound. However, I prefer the transparency mode, because the amplified sound from the outside world sounds more natural and less “metallic” than the Galaxy Buds Plus.
I prefer the transparency mode on the AirPods Pro as it sounds more natural than the equivalent on the Galaxy Buds Plus.
Angela Lang / CNET
AirPods Pro also has a live listening mode that helps amplify sound for the hard of hearing. It works by using your iPhone’s microphone to amplify sound and sending it to your AirPods so you can better hear a conversation in a noisy room, for example.
Calls sound great on both headsets. AirPods Pro was better at isolating audio from the caller (thanks to ANC), and the caller commented that it sounded less noisy when standing on the street. From the same position, I called Galaxy Buds Plus again and the same person said that my voice was louder and slightly clearer, but they could hear more of the noise from the street.
Winner: It is a shake; I love the noise cancellation and live listening mode of the AirPods Pro, and the Galaxy Buds Plus for its sound quality.
AirPods Pro has better range
Using a iPhone 11 Pro For the AirPods Pro and a Note 10 Plus for the Galaxy Buds Plus, I was very impressed by how strong the connections with both headphones were. I only remember one time when the Galaxy Buds Plus failed to connect to the iPhone when removed from the case. Then I had to manually establish the connection through the Bluetooth settings. The AirPods Pro, meanwhile, connected with the Note 10 Plus without a problem.
AirPods Pro have a slightly better range. I did an informal scoping test by leaving each phone on a table and walking down a hallway with the AirPods Pro in one ear and Galaxy Buds Plus in the other. Samsung’s wireless headphones fell off first, while AirPods Pro lasted about six feet longer.
Winner: AirPods Pro
Angela Lang / CNET
Galaxy Buds Plus are more customizable, but AirPods Pro are better for hands-free
You can also use a voice assistant on both headphones, but only the AirPods Pro allow you to invoke it with your voice saying “Hello Siri” (on the Galaxy Buds Plus you will have to touch or press the touchpad). Both can also read messages to you.
Another difference between these buttons is that the AirPods Pro have a stem that you can pinch to change tracks or change modes, while the Galaxy Buds Plus has a touchpad. You can also customize these controls to some degree. With AirPods Pro, the settings are in the iOS Bluetooth settings menu, and the Galaxy Buds Plus has its own app.
Angela Lang / CNET
While none of these headphones have physical volume controls (like the PowerBeats Pro, for example), there is a setting on the Galaxy Buds Plus that allows you to touch the side edge of the buttons to increase or decrease the volume. This is found in the Labs section of the app.
If you lose your headphones around the house or in a bag, you can play a sound to find them using Find My on iOS or the Galaxy Wearable app. But AirPods Pro has the added feature of being able to see your last location on a map.
Winner: Galaxy Buds Plus for greater customization overall, but AirPods Pro has a distinct advantage if you’re a big Siri user.
Do you want the longest battery life? Get Galaxy Buds Plus
Samsung rates the Galaxy Buds Plus for 11 hours of listening time, and the case itself has enough charge for 22 hours of total listening time. The AirPods Pro will give you around 4.5 hours of listening time with ANC on (you can get closer to 5 hours without ANC) and the case has 24 hours of full charge. Both cases also support a quick charge feature, so three minutes in the case will give you an hour of listening time on the Galaxy Buds Plus, while five minutes of charging give you the same listening time on the AirPods Pro.
Winner: Galaxy Buds Plus is the clear winner here.
