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 in the hand and each has a rugged build in their own right and leave it at that, we think when it comes to audio there's a subjective preference. and then there is objective science.< /p>

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

feature Sony WH-1000XM3 vs Shure AONIC 50

, we will work from the outside towards this comparison, that is, hardware first. These true wireless earbuds sport very different designs from each other. The Samsungs have a playful and practical design while Apple applies its minimalist philosophy to the updated AirPods.

Both feature touch controls and 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 through your iPhone's settings menu. The Galaxy Buds also support automatic ear detection, but our unit struggled to perform 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 doesn't allow you to change recording settings. Both sets of touch controls work well, and both models allow for wireless charging. True, Apple's cancellation of AirPower

turned out to be quite a sight, the wireless charging case works with Qi-enabled mats. Users will have to pay extra for this with the second generation AirPods as it increases the price.

Samsung's wireless charging, on the other hand, is all-inclusive and can be charged directly from any Galaxy S10 phones. Not only is it a party trick, but it's also super convenient and comes automatically included with the 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 better value for money and doesn't raise 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.

The material is of good quality

microphone

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

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

AAFC

. The products diverge though, as the new AirPods use the Apple chip

H1

, the successor to his

W1 chip

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

If you use it with iOS device,

connectivity

is stable and reliable. The same can't quite be said when using AirPods with an Android device. Although Samsung doesn't support aptX, which is a bit of a faux pas, it does use the company's proprietary upgradable codec. It works similar to aptX adaptive in that it constantly optimizes throughput without compromising connectivity.

Initial testing showed 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. There have been several instances where I had to completely unpair and repair the Buds with my Galaxy S10e. Hopefully Samsung fixes this with future updates, but for now, that point is 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 75 dB (SPL), as we do with all headphones, and observed the results. The new AirPods offered 4,125 hours of playback with an iPhone X streaming through the AAC codec. While that's a bit shorter than Apple's claimed five hours of playtime, it's 21% more than the first iteration, likely due to the new H1 chip. This is not an easy task.

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

Other than the H1 chip inside, there is hardly any difference between this and the previous AirPods.

Additionally, the Galaxy Buds' fast-charging capabilities are a far cry from Apple's true wireless earbuds. Just 15 minutes in the case of the Buds grants 1.7 reading; However, 15 minutes of charging the AirPods 2 gives around three hours of playback. Ultimately it comes down to 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 curated, it's easy to forget that behind all the bells and whistles, it's ultimately just expensive headphones and earbuds. Since you're paying extra for whatever pair you go with, it's important that they sound good too.

Below you will find the

frequency responses

of both pairs of headphones. These graphs illustrate the importance given to a specific frequency range. The newer AirPods have a more exaggerated bass response, which is a friendlier and necessary sound because the AirPods do not create a seal with the ear. Not only does this degrade audio quality, but many struggle to keep the AirPods on during rigorous movement, a compromise 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 muted sound signature and can be EQed in the Galaxy Wearable app. Additionally, the wing and ear tips that are inserted directly into the ear canal allow for a more secure and comfortable fit.

Clarity and overall sound quality are better with the Galaxy Buds because they are inherently true. ears that seal to your ear. Due to the solid fit, AKG didn't have to tweak the frequency response too much to get the Buds to sound good.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds

That's right, 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.

Safe to say, 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 we don't want to overlook the importance of personal preferences. If you like that AirPods don't create a convincing seal, that might be a reason to buy them rather than avoid them; Otherwise, there are many alternatives to

AirPods

. 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)

$ at Amazon

$159 at Best Buy

$149 at Crutchfield< /p>

Samsung Galaxy Buds

All prices are 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.

$ at Amazon

$59.99 at Best Buy

$129.99 at Samsung< /p>

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

The

Buds Plus are virtually identical to the original headphones< /p>

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

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

You can also 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 case to headphones. You get hands-free access to Google Assistant, live Google Translate functionality, but there's room for improvement, and a product that's extremely easy to use. They don't 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< /p>

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

At the beginning of 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 red bean-inspired design. . 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 Apple's AirPods.

See as well:

Apple AirPods vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are the best true wireless earbuds Samsung has to offer

The new Galaxy Buds Pro feature active noise cancellation.

Earlier this year, Samsung released its pair of premium true wireless earbuds: the Galaxy Buds Pro. These earbuds reintroduce rubber tips into their design, which provide vastly improved isolation and noise cancellation performance, especially when compared to the Galaxy Buds Live.

The improved isolation of the Galaxy Buds Pro also translates into good sound quality, with a friendly sound signature that emphasizes bass notes. Other features to round out these sub-$200 headphones include wireless charging, decent microphone quality, and 360° sound when paired with a Samsung Galaxy device.

Don't overlook the Apple AirPods Pro with noise cancellation

Apple's AirPods Pro respond to listener complaints about the lack of waterproofing of previous generations.

From version

Apple AirPods Pro

, you no longer need to leave the Apple ecosystem to get a secure fit and solid isolation. The AirPods Pro have been completely redesigned from the original and second generation AirPods with the inclusion of dedicated nozzles, noise cancellation and a default Qi wireless compatible charging case. The AirPods Pro cost a lot more than Apple's older wireless earbuds, but we think it's worth saving up as they're also more durable than ever with an official IPX4 rating to show for that. If you want the best sound quality from a pair of Apple headphones, the

AirPods Pro

is the set you need. Android users who want true wireless noise canceling headphones will benefit from comparing the

AirPods Pro with the Sony WF-1000XM3

.