People on Apple’s side can grab AirPods if they want tightly integrated audio, but the closest we have on Android is Samsung’s Galaxy Buds lineup. If you own a Samsung phone, these true wireless earbuds work like a dream come true and are still pretty good on third-party phones with the Galaxy Wearables app. Samsung even offers bonus money when you buy a new phone to make accessories like headphones cheaper … if you can decide which ones to buy. Over the past few years, Samsung has been launching new Galaxy Buds at every opportunity, and they are all still on sale today. So which ones should you get?
Four models, similar characteristics
Samsung’s current line of true wireless earbuds consists of the Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Buds +, Galaxy Buds Live, and Galaxy Buds Pro (top left to right). IN Galaxy buds are the oldest, launched just over two years ago. These are perfectly serviced earbuds that last about five hours on a single charge, and the wireless charging case has two more charge cycles inside. Samsung still offers the OG Buds for $ 149, which is too much if you look at the rest of the Buds family.
The Buds + have improved battery life and sound quality over the original, but they’re not Samsung’s best headphones anymore.
IN Galaxy Buds + released a year after the first buds, adding a dual-driver array for better sound and much longer battery life. The Buds + can play for 10-11 hours on a single charge, and there are still about two more charge cycles in the case. It still supports wireless charging and faster wired charging. The $ 150 price tag is reasonable and sometimes the Buds + are even cheaper than the OG Buds.
Samsung rolled out $ 170 Galaxy buds livewhich I fondly call Galaxy Beans, just a few months after Buds +. The Buds Live are the most different in Samsung’s current lineup because they are not in-ear buds. They fit comfortably in the ear, but there is no silicone tip in the ear canal. They offer noise cancellation, but due to the lack of a tight seal, there is little benefit to it. That said, if you have bean ears like mine, Buds Live is super comfortable.
The beans are very snug in my ears.
Last Galaxy Buds Pro Released earlier this year alongside the S21, they finally offer useful noise cancellation. The silicone tips close the ear canal, blocking out the real world. Samsung has also equipped the Buds Pro with updated speakers and more microphones. They can last eight hours on a single charge without ANC, and there are two more charge cycles in the case. With ANC, it’s more like five or six hours per charge. Naturally, the Buds Pro case has wired fast charging and wireless charging. These buds are slightly more expensive at $ 200.
Which Galaxy Buds should you get?
For the majority of people Galaxy Buds Pro are ready to buy… The $ 200 asking price is reasonable for what you are getting. These headphones received a 9 out of 10 and the Most Wanted award when we reviewed them a few months ago, and everything David says remains true. Sound quality has improved markedly and ANC performs much better than on Buds Live. The fit is fairly typical for in-ear headphones, but some people have found it to be uncomfortable.
All ears are different, but if you don’t need silicone ear tips, Buds Live is a good fallback… The sound is not as powerful due to the open design, but my ears really love how they fit in there. If you can get a big discount on them, it might be worth ditching Buds Pro. The original Buds are no longer worth buying, but Buds + can be purchased if they drop for about half the price.
Where can one buy
Galaxy Buds +: Amazon, Samsung, B&H
