Jabra Elite 75t vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live: Which Should You Buy?

Both pairs of earbuds strive for the best in the business through very different approaches. Samsung has re-invented how its true wireless earbuds fit, but Jabra is sticking to the traditions it has built in recent years by simply trying to improve its features. Let’s see how the two stack up in terms of comfort, sound and support.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live vs. Jabra Elite 75t: The best fit

Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central

Jabra is not new to fighting for top spot in real wireless space. The company has been routine there in recent years, and the Elite 75t are a culmination of that. Samsung chose to abandon the design of Galaxy Buds and create something that looks like a few beans. The resulting contrasts stand out in a few respects. We break them down to find the best wireless earbuds for you.

	Jabra Elite 75t	Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
Sustainability	IP55	IPX4
Bud battery life	7.5 hours	4.5 hours
Charging the battery charge	20.5 hours	24 hours
Connection	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0
Digital Assistant Support	Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri	Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri
Support audio codecs	SBC, AAC	SBC, AAC
Cracks large	6 millimeter drivers	12 millimeter drivers
Active noise cancellation	no	Yes

The ratings for water resistance for both are not as far apart as they seem, so you can get away with using both pairs for a run or in sports school. Jabra has something of an advantage as it makes an otherwise identical pair in the Elite Active 75t that extends the protection up to IP57. From a comfort perspective, the Galaxy Buds Live are unlike any other release pair. Because they lack a protruding button that enters the ear canal, they simply sit in the outer part of the ear and remove any feeling of pinching.

Based on the specs, it seems that Samsung has a big edge in output with the 12-millimeter drivers. The extra power is needed because sound has to travel further to get through your ears, while the earbuds deviate from ambient noise. One consequence of this is the lower battery life. While the 4.5 hours is with active noise cancellation, you only collect 30 minutes extra when the feature is off. High volume levels can also drain it faster.

Jabra was once in the same boat on battery life until the Elite 75t made it a leap forward. It is easy to get more than five hours per charge at higher volumes, while you can get 7.5 hours if you stick to the standard volume level. Jabra supports Alexa and Samsung has Bixby, though Google Assistant and Siri also work fine on both devices.

You would think that Jabra is losing out on the lack of ANC support, but that is not all that is limited besides the Buds Live. It’s nice that Samsung has incorporated ANC into such a unique design, but physics gets in the way. The buttons are still exposed, which means they do not get much help with passive sound insulation to shut off at least some background noise.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live vs. Jabra Elite 75t: Play for sound

Source: Joe Maring / Android Central

What helps to make both models dynamic is the extra support. They each use apps to customize or initiate certain features. Jabra has a slight edge in that its Sport + app has a customizable equalizer, while Samsung relies on a handful of different presets to change the sound. It does not hurt that the design of Jabra allows excellent passive sound insulation that is enough in the bass to give the sound image more balance.

You lose ANC though, but at least the overall success of the seal gives HearThrough mode something to do. Using the microphones to muffle noise from outside makes it easy to hear surroundings or talk to someone without taking them off. Samsung does not have that problem because the design is not directly conducive to passive isolation of everything. This makes the Galaxy Buds Live really effective for daily listening as an activity with extra security.

The Elite 75t has a highly balanced sound signature that has enough of the depths, mids and heights to satisfy most musical genres.

Samsung needs to work harder when pumping out more bass, which is a big reason why the drivers are 12 millimeters. Despite having just 6 millimeter speakers, the Elite 75t has a very balanced sound signature with plenty of depths, mids and hills to satisfy most musical genres. As enjoyable as the Buds Live are, Jabra’s earbuds are the best the company has done so far. Damage from excess bulk and weight, including for the case, puts them on a whole different level. That is not to say that Samsung faltered. It’s just that such an unusual design with an open concept can swap with sound.

Both brands play on the access and integration of voice assistants they offer, but that is a fairly subjective quality. It’s easy enough to access whatever digital assistant you want from the binder, and the microphones work with you to record commands and queries. You need to be selective in what you talk to, but that’s probably a choice you’ve already made on your phone.

Phone quality is excellent for both options. Jabra uses physical buttons for controls on board, and operates the Elite 75t well because of the consistent feedback you get. The Galaxy Buds Live have touch controls that are finer and inconsistent by comparison. If you were to work out or run with one of these, you would probably touch the Jabra’s less.

When it comes to colors, there are some eclectic options. The Elite 75t comes in black, titanium black and beige, while the Galaxy Buds Live come in mystical black, mystical white and mystical bronze.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live vs. Jabra Elite 75t: Which should you choose?

Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central

This comes down to personal preference for the look and feel you are going for. If you were unlucky with earbeds that fit your ears well with durable comfort, the Galaxy Buds Live are created as an alternative design philosophy. If that is not the case, Jabra makes a strong case as the best that the sector has to offer through pure consistency and performance across the board. Even though the Elite 75t offered by the ANC Samsung is missing, the results are not good enough to take them down a notch.

Then there is price. Jabra does not ask for so much money to serenate your ears. You get more money for Jabra’s pair, but since the price difference is not that important, it may be worth paying a little more if you want the Samsung version to fit in your ears.