Whenever we purchase devices and products, we always look at its features and functionality. We must find the ideal product that will fit our lifestyle. Whether we’re on-the-go or a stay-at-home type of person, an ideal device should be flexible enough to be enabled for both lifestyles. This is true even with the earbuds that we use.
Many devices offer the same functions, but not all of them can meet the requirements or the expectations that many have set to find the best out of all the other choices.
© Photo by Bongkarn Thanyakij from Pexels
When the AirPods first got released in 2016, it instantly became a hit. Samsung followed suit in 2019 when it first released the Galaxy Buds, which also captured the interest of tech enthusiasts. While both sport similar features, one can’t deny that, between these two sought-after gadgets, one will reign supreme.
If you’re looking for true wireless earbuds, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we’ll be looking at two of the most sought-after earbuds today.
It’s the battle of the Galaxy Buds vs AirPods. Which one of them will reign supreme? We’ll look at a couple of factors and decide which one is going to be hailed as the best true wireless earbuds. Hopefully, this will help you in your search on finding the right wireless earbuds for you!
Galaxy Buds vs AirPods: Overview
Samsung Galaxy Buds
Samsung Galaxy Buds are on the run of becoming the king of earbuds. Delivering natural sound with excellent range and accuracy, Galaxy Buds are for people looking for affordable but premium audio.
AirPods
AirPods deliver effortless, all-day audio to users. Best for mobile gaming, this pair of earbuds has a powerful chip that eliminates latency between audio and visuals.
Samsung Galaxy Buds
Delivering a premium listening experience, the Galaxy Buds allow you to listen and chat all day on your phones or tablets for over seven hours. Further, it’s 15-minute quick charge function adds up to an hour to your device’s life, which allows you to use it when you’re running out of juice while you’re on the go.
The Galaxy Buds feature premium sound quality with sound by AKG that provides a balanced and natural sound with excellent range and accuracy.
With the Galaxy Buds, you’ll also have the option to hear what you want to hear. With Ambient Aware, you can control how much surrounding noise you can hear while you’re using the buds.
Further, you’ll also be able to customize the buds to fit your lifestyle, which ensures that you’ll be getting the best fit and the best experience out of it.
Try out the Samsung Galaxy Buds now and sample premium sound quality complete with a noise-canceling option.
Apple AirPods
With a promise to deliver effortless, all-day audio, Apple AirPods brings an unparalleled wireless experience with its new wireless charging case. The AirPods are completely wireless and provide easy connection for Apple devices. You’ll get at least five hours of listening time and three hours of talk time with just one charge.
Moreover, with its 15-minute quick charge, you can get up to an extra three hours of listening time — perfect if you don’t have access to a plug.
AirPods deliver a faster and more stable wireless connection and higher-quality sound with the Apple H1 headphone chip. Whether you’re listening to your favorite tunes or playing games, it’s guaranteed that you’ll be getting sound of the best quality.
Get the Apple AirPods now and enjoy effortless, all-day audio with a faster and stable wireless connection.
With this basic overview, it’s clear that each device has its uniqueness but will that be enough to help you decide which one is better. Let’s dig in a little deeper to find out which one of them is truly the best.
Galaxy Buds vs AirPods: Prices
The first factor that we will be looking at is pricing. Both products might be similar in terms of design and their specs, but one of the most important factors that buyers usually look at is the price.
Apple AirPods can get a little bit pricey because of its new optional wireless charging case. This puts the device for $199.
You can, however, opt to swap the wireless charging case for a cheaper one, which will lower the price. You can also purchase the charging case on its own at $79. Replacement buds are priced at $69 each.
The Galaxy Buds, on the other hand, come at a much lower price at $129.99. Both of them can charge wirelessly and come in similar magnetic charging cases.
You will need to shell out a little more if you’re planning to buy the AirPods but if you’re looking for wireless earbuds that deliver the same features at a lower price, the Galaxy Buds are the way to go.
Winner: Galaxy Buds
Galaxy Buds vs AirPods: Form Factor
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For this part, we’ll be looking at two aspects. First is the design, and the second is comfort.
As far as design goes in the battle between Galaxy Buds and AirPods, models of the AirPods are very similar in design — they are sleek and minimalistic. They have the same dimensions and are made of the same material.
Comfort-wise, the AirPods are lightweight, which is perfect for extended wear. In general, they stay on during everyday activities, but the tips of the AirPods make them prone to falling out. Due to its fit and form, the AirPods also help you stay aware of your surroundings because of its open design.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Buds are a little bit more playful with their design as they feature more color options compared to AirPods, which only come in white. You can get your Galaxy Buds in white, yellow, and black.
In terms of comfort, the Galaxy Buds have a tighter and more snug fit compared to that of the AirPods. Because of its tighter seal and snug fit, the buds also cancel out more ambient noise, which is ideal if you’re looking for some peace while listening to your favorite tunes.
If we’re talking about the cases, the Galaxy Buds sport a wider case while the AirPods’ case is a lot smaller and features Apple’s signature white color. It’s also worth noting that you can put your AirPods cases inside an outer case for extra design and protection.
Winner: Galaxy Buds
Galaxy Buds vs AirPods: Battery Life and Charging
AirPods have an estimated five hours of battery life. This should be enough for a day of listening to music, making calls, and watching videos. The charging case provides a quick charge that can deliver up to three hours of listening time after just 15 minutes of being in the case.
The Galaxy Buds also presents a noteworthy battery performance by holding out for up to seven hours, which makes it seem like an apparent winner of this round. However, as far as quick charging goes, you’ll only get up to an additional hour of playtime after plugging your buds into the case.
Ultimately, you’ll be able to get more out of the AirPods as it holds more charge. especially if you’re out and about with no access to an outlet. If this is your first pair of AirPods and you can’t quite grasp the idea of how to charge them, you can check out this quick guide of how to charge AirPods so that you won’t encounter the same problems in the future.
Winner: AirPods
Galaxy Buds vs AirPods: Sound Quality
Photo by Samsung
Sound quality is probably one of the most important factors to consider in Galaxy Buds vs AirPods as this would make up most of the device’s primary function.
It’s worth noting that both devices possess good sound quality; however, the winner for this round will depend on what you intend to use them for.
The AirPods feature adequate sound quality. However, you’ll notice that the sound is much weaker and thinner. Further, because of its open design, you might need to make your music a bit louder if you’re in an area with a lot of ambient noise.
The Galaxy Buds, on the other hand, scores points for having better sound quality. Accompanied by its snug fit and its Ambient Aware feature on the Galaxy Wear App, you’ll have more power over the sound quality, which makes this an ideal pair of noise-canceling earbuds — if that’s what you’re looking for.
For audiophiles, the Galaxy Buds are the clear winner because of its Ambient Aware feature that will ultimately give you a better listening experience if you’re out and about. However, if you’re going to need a device for more professional uses such as making calls and whatnot, the AirPods would be the better way to go.
While both devices do support dual microphones, the AirPods isolate voices in calls better. It produces clearer call quality for both the caller and the person on the other line. For calls, the winner would have to be the AirPods for its clearer call qualities that are a product of Apple’s H1 chip.
Winners: AirPods for calls, Galaxy Buds for noise cancelation
Galaxy Buds vs AirPods: Cross-Platform Integration
In terms of cross-platform integration, it can get a little bit tricky when talking about Galaxy Buds vs AirPods. Both devices can be used across different platforms.
Yes, you can use the Galaxy Buds on Apple devices. Alternatively, you can also use the AirPods on Android devices. However, you will have to take note of the functions that you won’t be able to access.
Functionality becomes a really big factor when it comes to cross-platform integration as there will be certain functions that will become unavailable for some devices.
You can easily connect your AirPods to an Android device or a laptop by using Bluetooth. Just simply set it up on your device’s Bluetooth menu and you’re good to go.
You won’t be able to use a couple of features that are distinct to Apple-only products such as:
- Siri. It’s no surprise that you won’t be able to access Siri on a non-Apple device. In the same way, you won’t be able to access Google Assistant using AirPods either.
- Double-Tap Functionality. When paired with an Apple device, double-tap functions can be customized to skip songs, summon Siri, and play/pause among other things. If you use your AirPods on a non-Apple device, you’ll only be able to use the double-tap function for play/pause.
- Battery Checking. As with the previous functions, this is an Apple-only function that allows you to check your AirPods’ battery life.
- Ear Detection. Its automatic play/pause when you remove them from your ear won’t function on non-Apple devices either.
All these features work perfectly on Apple devices though. If you’re still confused about how to connect your AirPods, you can check this guide on how to pair AirPods.
The Galaxy Buds, on the other hand, will have similar restrictions. Just like the AirPods, you can easily connect the Galaxy Buds to an Apple device using the device’s Bluetooth menu.
A quick note on pairing. Both devices allow for an automatic pairing on the devices that they are previously connected with. All you have to do is to take out your wireless earbuds from its charging case.
Here are the functions that you might not be able to use when you connect the Galaxy Buds on an Apple device.
- Automatic Sync. Contrary to using an Android device, you won’t be able to sync your Galaxy Buds with your Apple device for quick use.
- Ambient Aware Mode. You won’t be able to customize sound settings on an Apple device.
You’ll be able to do more with the Galaxy Buds on cross-platform devices. In the contrary, AirPods tend to be restrictive when it comes to non-Apple devices.
Winner: Galaxy Buds
Galaxy Buds vs AirPods: Who’s the Winner?
Ultimately, of course, it’s always up to the user to decide for themselves which device is the best. Their choices can be affected by a lot of things including functionality and their immediate needs. There will be situations where there will be certain functions that you might need but are unavailable to you. That is why it’s important to consider your immediate needs before getting a device.
However, if you’re looking to find one that will offer all the features that you might need for the best price, then we’ve got the right one for you.
Needless to say, the Galaxy Buds take the prize in the battle of Galaxy Buds vs AirPods. Not only do they offer more features but they also offer them at a much lower price compared to AirPods.
Of course, you can’t discount the features of AirPods either — especially if you’re an Apple user. One can’t deny that all of the AirPods features work best when paired with an Apple device. Moreover, AirPods also offers wireless charging, which makes charging easier and faster. Further, you might also want to keep an eye on the AirPods. It has a powerful H1 chip that might just make your listening and talking experience much better in the future.
However, the Galaxy Buds are the winners if you’re looking for an affordable pair of premium buds that are feature-rich and won’t let you down no matter what device you’re on. Get your pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds today for the best listening experience!