Samsung Galaxy Buds vs. Apple AirPods (2019)

The tech world is no stranger to blatant rivalries, and few are more contentious than the Apple vs. Android debate. We put Apple and Samsung face to face with the

AirPods (2019)

and

Samsung Galaxy Buds

.While we can tell you that both charging cases feel great to hold and each has a sturdy build in their own right and leave it at that, we think when it comes to audio there's subjective preference and then there is objective science.

Editor's note: This Samsung Galaxy Buds vs Apple AirPods article was updated on February 16, 2021, to include information regarding the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro.

A different approach to minimalism

Just like our

Sony WH-1000XM3 vs. Shure AONIC 50 feature

, we will work from the outside in with this comparison, i.e. hardware first. These true wireless earbuds sport very different designs from each other. The Samsungs have a playful design and practicality as Apple applies its minimalist philosophy to updated AirPods.

Both have touch controls, and both can be remapped and customized to your liking. The AirPods (2019) are ahead of the Galaxy Buds due to automatic ear detection, which can be turned on or off via the settings menu on your iPhone. The Galaxy Buds also support automatic ear detection, but our unit struggled to run it reliably during regular use.

Samsung Galaxy Buds include wireless charging from compatible Galaxy phones at no additional cost.

Additionally, AirPods allow users to choose whether sound is recorded and relayed through the left or right microphone. On the other hand, the Galaxy Buds dual-mic array does not allow you to change the recording settings. two sets of touch controls work well, and both models allow for wireless charging. Admittedly, Apple

AirPower cancellation

Proved to be quite a sight, the wireless charging case works with Qi-enabled pads. Users will have to pay a premium for this with second-generation AirPods as it raises the price.

Samsung Wireless Charging, on the other hand, is all-inclusive and can be charged directly from any Galaxy S10 phone. Not only is it a neat party trick, it's also really convenient and is automatically included with Galaxy Buds.

Some may prefer the larger, relatively flat panels of the Galaxy Buds while others may be more drawn to the design of the AirPods Ultimately, however, we take our hats off to Samsung on this one as it's a better value for money and does not increase the price of wireless charging.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds

Microphone quality

The AirPods do a decent job of accurately relaying the human voice and outperform the Samsung Galaxy Buds.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds microphone efficiently transmits the human voice through its dual microphone array.

Regarding the material, it is

microphone

quality. Again, the new AirPods use a mic in each earbud, while the Samsung Galaxy headphones use a dual-mic adaptive array that alternates between the inner and outer mics to dramatically reduce background noise. voice fluctuates from 160 to 240kHz which is best relayed with AirPods as the Samsung Galaxy Buds attenuate this range.Generally the newer AirPods sound much more accurate than the Galaxy Buds which tend to echo with the voice .

Apple AirPods Microphone Demo (2019):

https://www.soundguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Apple-AirPods-2019-microphone-demo.mp3

Samsung Galaxy Buds Microphone Demo:

https://www.soundguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/samsung-galaxy-buds-microphone-demo.mp3

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Codecs and Bluetooth connectivity

Apple's H1 chip improves efficiency, connectivity and talk time for iOS users.

What about

support for codecs and Bluetooth

?Well, both work via Bluetooth 5.0 and support

AAC

The products diverge from here, however, as the new AirPods use apples.

H1 chip

, the successor to his

W1 chip

.Not only does this make hands-free access to Siri easier, but Apple claims it results in faster connection times and reduced playback control latency.Plus, you also get a 50% increase in talk time.

If you use it with iOS device,

connectivity

is stable and reliable. The same cannot quite be said when using AirPods with an Android device. Although Samsung does not support aptX, which is a bit of a faux pas, it uses the The company's proprietary scalable codec. It works similarly to Adaptive aptX in that it constantly optimizes throughput without compromising connectivity.

Initial testing gave the impression that the connectivity was still reliable, however, as I continued to use them between other products, it became apparent that the Galaxy Buds still have some way to go. several instances where I had to completely unpair and fix the Buds with my Galaxy S10e. Hopefully Samsung fixes this with future updates, but for now, that's up to the kids of Cupertino.

Winner: Apple AirPods

Samsung Galaxy Buds have better battery life

This one is quite easy to

measure

.We subjected each pair of headphones to a constant output of 75dB (SPL), as we do with all headphones, and observed the results.The new AirPods offered 4,125 hours of playtime with an iPhone X streaming via the AAC codec. While that's a bit shorter than Apple's claimed five hours of playback, it's 21% more than the first iteration, likely due to the new H1 chip. This is a feat.

It's worth praising Apple for improving its efficiency, the Samsung Galaxy Buds cleans the floor with the AirPods as they offer 6.53 hours of playtime on a single charge. Admittedly, the Galaxy Buds case only offers seven hours additional battery life, while the AirPods case provides an additional 20 hours.

Other than the H1 chip inside, there is basically no difference between it and previous AirPods.

Additionally, the Galaxy Buds' fast-charging capabilities are no match for Apple's true wireless earbuds. Only 15 minutes in the case of the Buds grants 1.7 of playback; however, the AirPods' 15-minute charge 2 gives around three hours of playback. Ultimately it depends on how you prioritize your usage, but when it comes to standalone playback, Samsung wins this round.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds

Sound quality and fit

The Samsung Galaxy Buds have an actual in-ear fit while the new AirPods retain the same form factor as the older model.

With all of this great data collected and separated, it's easy to forget that behind all the bells and whistles, it's ultimately just expensive headphones and earphones. Since you're paying a premium for whatever pair you go with , it is important that they sound good too.

Below are the

frequency responses

Samsung Galaxy Buds vs. Apple AirPods (2019)

of the two pairs of headphones. These graphs illustrate the emphasis on a specific frequency range. The new AirPods have a more exaggerated bass response, which is a friendlier sound and necessary because the AirPods do not create a seal with ear. Not only does this degrade audio quality, but many find it difficult to keep the AirPods on during rigorous movement, a deciding factor for

athletes

Apple does a good job of targeting a consumer response, but that bass will eventually be drowned out by literally everything going on around you.

Bass notes are boosted and will sound louder than all other notes during music playback.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds, however, have a slightly tempered sound signature and can be equalized in the Galaxy Wearable app. Additionally, the wing and ear tips that are inserted directly into the ear canal allow for a more secure fit and More comfortable.

Clarity and overall sound quality are better with the Galaxy Buds as they are true in-ear headphones that seal to your ear. Due to the solid fit, AKG didn't have to tweak the response too much in frequency for the Buds to sound good.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds

It's true, the Samsung Galaxy Buds outperform the new AirPods

Samsung devices compatible with Android 7.0 or later can use the upgradable codec with Galaxy Buds.

Arguably Samsung is winning this battle, but who knows the war? Ultimately, Apple users will likely lean towards the new AirPods, while Android users will be more inclined to buy a pair of Galaxy Buds .Again, we can tell you about the data recorded but don't want to overlook the importance of personal preference. otherwise there are plenty of great

Alternatives to AirPods

there. However,

if you want the best

audio quality, comfort and battery life, get the Galaxy Buds.

The two

Samsung Galaxy Buds

and

Apple AirPods

are available on Amazon.

Apple AirPods (2019)

All prices quoted in USD unless otherwise stated. Prices may change over time and vary by region. Unfortunately, we cannot list Amazon prices on the site as they vary widely by currency.

$ on Amazon

$159 at Best Buy

$149 at Crutchfield

Samsung Galaxy Buds

All prices quoted in USD unless otherwise stated. Prices may change over time and vary by region. Unfortunately, we cannot list Amazon prices on the site as they vary widely by currency.

$ on Amazon

$59.99 at Best Buy

$129.99 at Samsung

Android users may want to save for the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus or Google Pixel Buds (2020)

The

The Buds Plus are virtually identical to the original headphones

with a few improvements under the hood, including better battery life, fast charging efficiency, and Spotify access built-in. Plus, the microphone quality has improved over the 2019 Galaxy Buds, so anyone who frequently takes hands-free calls may consider the new mic system an easy way to justify the upgrade.

The new Pixel Buds (2020) charging case supports wireless charging to boot.

Alternatively, you can consider the

Google Pixel Buds (2020)

;this helmet is a real

AirPods competitor

and is one of the best-designed true wireless packages we've seen from the case to the headphones. You get hands-free access to Google Assistant, Google Translate live functionality, but there's room to improvement, and to a product that is extremely easy to use. They do not support Bluetooth multipoint, but connecting to a device is as simple as opening the case and activating Bluetooth on the desired device.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are a unique take on true wireless earbuds

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live look polished, but fall short when it comes to noise reduction and sound quality.

Earlier in August, Samsung announced its most ambitious set of headphones yet: the

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

.These headphones are equipped with support for multiple audio codecs (SBC, AAC and Samsung's Scalable Codec), active noise cancellation and IPX2 water resistance, all wrapped up in a design inspired by red kidney beans. Although its isolation performance leaves something to be desired and its sound quality is decent, the Galaxy Buds Live is still a worthy alternative to other headphones in its sub-$200 price range, including AirPods from 'Apple.