Galaxy Buds Plus are $100 cheaper than AirPods Pro. So should you buy them?

Angela Lang / CNET

The AirPods Pro are Apple’s premium in-ear buds and have incredibly effective active noise cancellation. Calls, podcasts, and music also sound great. Although you can control many functions in the pulldown control center or in the Bluetooth settings menu, the lack of a special app for adjusting the sound profile or settings via an interface is disappointing. You can use AirPods Pro on Android, but you’ll get the best experience if you pair it with iOS. Read the AirPods Pro test.

Angela Lang / CNET

Samsung has 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 a reasonable amount of sound, and music sounds more dynamic than the AirPods Pro. The battery also lasts for an incredibly long time, so you can wear the Galaxy Buds Plus all day. Read the Galaxy Buds Plus review.

The in-ear design of the Galaxy Buds Plus is more flexible

The Galaxy Buds Plus comes with three tip sizes and three different wing tips to really optimize the fit. The AirPods Pro have three tip sizes, which you can change depending on the ear canal.

How each earphone fits depends a lot on the size and shape of your ear. So what feels good to my ears can be completely different from what you like. I prefer the fit and feel of the Galaxy Buds Plus because they feel safer than the AirPods Pro. I have small ear canals and the smallest tip of the buds feels more comfortable than the AirPods Pro. As a result, the Galaxy Buds Plus stayed better in my ear during an active workout such as an outdoor run.

Note that these two wireless earbuds have an in-ear design that provides a layer of noise isolation. However, only the AirPods Pro have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).

Both wireless earbuds are fine during your sweaty workout or when you’re caught in the rain. However, the AirPods Pro are rated IPX4, which means they’re more waterproof than the Galaxy Buds Plus, which meets an IPX2 rating. Each case has wireless charging. However, you can also use USB-C or Lightning cables to charge the Galaxy Buds Plus or AirPods Pro.

Winner: Although not as waterproof as the AirPods Pro, I like the Galaxy Buds Plus because of its more comfortable fit.

AirPods Pro have noise cancellation, but the Galaxy Buds Plus sounds better

Here’s the thing: if you want ANC, look no further and get the AirPods Pro. It is incredibly effective and makes the listening experience fantastic for commuting or traveling. But if ANC isn’t top priority, the Galaxy Buds Plus actually sounds better to my ears.

Aside from tracks with strong bass that sound better on the AirPods Pro because they are not so distorted, I prefer the standard sound profile of the Buds Plus as a whole. When using the Buds Plus iOSI like the dynamic sound profile that gives the bass a little boost without being too heavy. When I’m on an Android phone, the normal sound profile is my go-to.

For my ears, the overall sound of the AirPods Pro is more neutral. This is ideal for calls and podcasts, but for music I would choose the Galaxy Buds Plus.

Both earphones can be used in situations where you need to hear more, e.g. B. in the office or when you are running outdoors, make more external sound. The AirPods Pro calls it transparency mode, while the Galaxy Buds Plus calls it ambient noise. However, I prefer the transparency mode because the amplified sound from the outside sounds more natural and less “thin” than with the Galaxy Buds Plus.

The AirPods Pro also have a live listening mode, which can be used to amplify the sound for the hearing impaired. You use your iPhone’s microphone to amplify the sound and send it to your AirPods so that you can hear a conversation in a noisy room, for example.

Calls sound great on both earbuds. The AirPods Pro was able to better isolate the caller’s audio (thanks to ANC) and the caller noticed that it sounded less loud when I was on the street. From the same position, I called Galaxy Buds Plus back and the same person said my voice was louder and a little clearer, but they could hear more street noise.

Winner: It’s a mistake; I like the AirPods Pro’s noise cancellation and live listening mode and Galaxy Buds Plus for the sound quality.

AirPods Pro have a better range

Use one iPhone 11 Pro With the AirPods Pro and the Note 10 Plus for the Galaxy Buds Plus, I was amazed at how solid the connections to both earbuds were. I can only remember once when the Galaxy Buds Plus could not connect to the iPhone when it was removed from the case. I then had to establish the connection manually via the Bluetooth settings. The AirPods Pro could easily be connected to the Note 10 Plus.

The AirPods Pro have a slightly better range. I did an informal range test by leaving each phone on a table and walking down a hallway with the AirPods Pro in one ear and the Galaxy Buds Plus in another. Samsung’s wireless earphones failed first, while the AirPods Pro held about a meter further.

Winner: AirPods Pro

Galaxy Buds Plus are more customizable, but AirPods Pro are best for hands-free calling

You can also use a voice assistant for both earbuds, but only with the AirPods Pro can you summon it with your voice by saying “Hey, Siri” (on the Galaxy Buds Plus, you have to tap or touch the touch panel). Both can also read messages to you.

Another difference between these buds is that the AirPods Pro have a stem that you can pinch to change lanes or switch modes, while the Galaxy Buds Plus has a touch panel. You can also customize these controls to some extent. With AirPods Pro, the settings are saved in the iOS Bluetooth settings menu, and the Galaxy Buds Plus has its own app.

While none of these earphones have physical volume controls (such as the PowerBeats Pro), the Galaxy Buds Plus has a setting that lets you tap the side edge of the buds to increase or decrease the volume. This is in the Labs section of the app.

If you lose your earbuds in the house or in a pocket, you can use Find My on iOS or the Galaxy Wearable app to play a sound to find them. However, the AirPods Pro also offer the option of displaying their last location on a map.

Winner: Galaxy Buds Plus for more customization options overall, but AirPods Pro has a clear advantage if you’re a strong Siri user.

Do you want the longest battery life? Get the Galaxy Buds Plus

Samsung rates the Galaxy Buds Plus for 11 hours of listening time and the case itself offers enough charge for 22 hours of total listening time. With the AirPods Pro, you have a listening time of approximately 4.5 hours when the ANC is on (you can move it closer to 5 hours without the ANC), and the case has a total charge of 24 hours. In both cases, a quick charge function is also supported, so that you have an hour of listening time with the Galaxy Buds Plus after three minutes, while you have the same listening time after five minutes with the AirPods Pro.

Winner: Galaxy Buds Plus is the clear winner here.