Samsung introduced the new Galaxy Buds Live, a bean-shaped wireless headset that premieres active noise cancellation technology for the Galaxy Buds line. The accessory promises quality sound and good ergonomics to rival Apple’s AirPods Pro directly.
Samsung’s headphones arrived in the United States costing $169. The AirPods Pro arrived and is being sold at the official store at $249 but is already seen for $234, a discount of $15. Check below for more details about the two headsets and find out which one is best for you.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live vs Apple AirPods Pro
| Galaxy Buds Live | AirPods Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | August 2020 | October 2019 |
| Price | $169 | from $234 |
| Drivers | single 12 mm bass duct | Not disclosed |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC, and Scalable | Not disclosed |
| Noise cancellation | active | active |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Battery | 6 hours on headphones and 15 hours on the case | 5 hours on headphones and 19 hours on the case |
| Sweat resistance | IPX2 | IPX4 |
| Weight | 5.6 grams | 5.4 grams |
| Colors | black, white, or bronze | White |
Design
The two headphones look very different. The Apple AirPods Pro repeats the same shape as previous generations: headphones on one end and an elongated base on the other to give the product firmness and stability. Unlike the regular AirPods, the Pro allows the silicone to be changed for a better fit and comfort in use.
Unlike Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds+, Galaxy Buds Live also features a non-removable fit and comes in a bean shape. Samsung justified that the look would be more elegant and enough to compensate for the absence of the intra-ear spikes.
In terms of color, the AirPods Pro is available in white only. The Galaxy Buds Live is available in white, black, or bronze.
Sound Quality
Apple doesn’t disclose the technical specifications of the headset, something that makes the task of judging strengths and weaknesses more difficult. What Apple says is that AirPods Pro offers an adaptive playback mode – the headset calibrates audio according to content to highlight what’s most important according to what you hear. Also, the Pro models feature more enhanced bass, especially when compared to standard AirPods.
Samsung goes deeper into explaining what comes inside Galaxy Buds Live. Perhaps the most important technical data about the headset is the presence of only one dynamic driver – Buds+ has two – responsible for sound reproduction. To balance the lack of a double driver, Samsung has equipped the Live with the “Bass Duct”, a channel that reminds the passive radiators of the speakers and has the function of highlighting the bass. Also, air vents in the body of the headset should reinforce the sound stage feel.
Features
Galaxy Buds Live offers active noise cancellation technology and features a set of microphones that promise clean sound phone calls, plus the ability to call the Bixby assistant with voice commands.
With a touch surface, the headset allows you to call and play Spotify playlists with an extended ring tone. The headphones also offer the ability to share sound from a handset with a friend who also has a pair of the accessory.
Although compatible with iOS, the headphones should feel more at home on Android and Samsung handsets, as they offer pairing technology and simplified connectivity in Galaxy.
The same goes for AirPods Pro, which will work better when paired with Apple computers and mobile phones due to faster connectivity and less latency sound transmission. The apple headset also lets you call Siri via voice and applies active noise cancellation technology.
In both cases, the connectivity is Bluetooth 5.0. In terms of codecs, Samsung reports that the Live offers AAC, SBC, and also the codec Scalable, owned by Samsung.
Battery
Galaxy Buds Live offers six (6) hours of autonomy, with an additional 15 hours via case. Like other headsets in the line, Live is charged via USB-C but is also compatible with wireless chargers. According to Samsung, five minutes of charging is enough to run the Live for one hour.
On the Apple side, the promise is five hours of use of the headsets, with another 19 hours available through the case. Like Samsung, Apple claims that five minutes in the case will keep the AirPods Pro up to one hour away from the outlets.
The difference between the headphones is sweat resistance. The AirPods Pro boasts IPX4 certification, which should make it resistant to sweat droplets in sports. The certification of the Live is IPX2, lower, and should pose a headset more prone to damage caused by liquids.
Price and Availability
The AirPods Pro is in the market for $249 at Apple’s official store. Outside the Apple store, Techidence detects the product at figures starting at $234 depending on the day’s offer.
Samsung’s new headsets have started to be sold in the United States for $169, which is $70 lower than the price of AirPods Pro on Amazon.
- Buy AirPods Pro
- Buy Galaxy Buds Live
Competitors
The list of premium wireless headphones is quite varied. The WF-XB700 model by Sony, found at $98 can be a good option. Another headset that could be interesting is the WF-1000XM3 and WF-1000XM4, which are sold in the range of $348 and $349 respectivey.
Another alternative is the JBL Tune 220 TWS, for $69.95 is also a more considered option in the segment.
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