Samsung recently announced a slate of its innovative new products, including the new Galaxy Buds2.
This isn’t Samsung’s first foray into wireless earbuds, with iterations of the Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Buds Pro also on offer, but the Galaxy Buds2 is already being hailed as one of the best.
So, what’s so great about these new earbuds and, more importantly, how do they compare to Apple’s flagship AirPods Pro?
[related_content first=”1717404″]
Galaxy Buds2 vs AirPods Pro: Specs
Specs for earbuds sometimes feel a little redundant, mainly because everyone hears things differently. Still, Samsung and Apple have tried to pack their mainline earbuds with the best possible technology to suit the widest number of listeners.
Here are the AirPods Pro specs according to Apple’s website:
- Dimensions: 30.9 x 21.8 mm (earbud), 60.6 x 45.2 x 21.7 mm (charging case), 5.4 grams
- Colours: White
- Audio modes: Active Noise-Cancelling, Transparency
- Spatial Audio
- Microphone: Dual beamforming, inward-facing
- Water-resistant IPX4
- Bluetooth: 5.2
- Battery: 4.5 hours (up to 5 with ANC and Transparency turned off), wireless charging compatible
And here are the Galaxy Buds2 specs from Samsung’s website:
- Speaker: Dynamic 2 Way, Woofer & Tweeter
- Microphone: 3 Mics + VPU
- Audio modes: Active Noise-Cancelling, ambient sound
- Dimensions: 17 x 20.9 mm (earbuds), 50.2 x 50 x 27.8 mm (charging case), 5 grams
- Colours: Olive, Lavender, White, Graphite
- Splash resistant IPX2
- Bluetooth: 5.2
- Battery: 5 hours (ANC), 7.5 hours (ANC turned off)
As you can see, the AirPods Pro and Galaxy Buds2 are pretty evenly matched.
Features and Design
One of the most important features in headphones nowadays is active noise cancellation, a feature that both the AirPods Pro and Galaxy Buds 2 have.
They also both feature a version of the ambient sound mode, which allows you to play audio whilst also hearing noise from the outside world. Both earbuds also feature tap and touch gestures.
AirPods 2 do feature adaptive spatial audio, whereas the Buds2 do not, so that’s worth considering if you care about 360-degree sound.
Another clear difference between the Galaxy Buds2 and AirPods Pro is their designs.
The AirPods Pro are shaped similarly to other AirPods in Apple’s range with a short stalk and they only come in classic white.
The Galaxy Buds Pro on the other hand are rounder and more compact, with a design that hardly extends past your ears. They also come in a wider range of colours.
This may not be a huge factor in a buying decision, but you do have to wear these so appearance and comfort matter. Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell which earbuds are for you until they’re in your ears.
In terms of water resistance, Apple lists AirPods Pro as IPX4 water and sweat resistant but the Galaxy Buds2 are only IPX2 splash resistant.
Both feature rather lacklustre battery life at just 5 hours but get a decent life from charging within the case.
Galaxy Buds2 vs AirPods Pro: Price
Here’s where the starkest difference lies. The price.
The Galaxy Buds2 are quite frankly more affordable than AirPods Pro.
AirPods Pro have an RRP of $399 (although most retailers sell them closer to $299 nowadays). Meanwhile, the Galaxy Buds2 come out of the gate swinging at just $219.
Which one should you choose?
One major factor in your buying decision might be your corporate loyalty. If you’re a die-hard Apple or Samsung fan and have all the devices to match to you might want to consider a pair of earbuds in the same ecosystem.
Both the AirPods and Galaxy Buds can easily be paired with devices outside of Apple and Samsung, thanks to Bluetooth, but they both have some advantages when used with partner devices.
Both buds are similar in terms of specs and sound quality, albeit with different designs, but the Galaxy Buds2 undercut the Air Pods Pro in price by a fair margin.
AirPods Pro are almost outdated now having been released in 2019, but Apple is said to be working on a new edition. Whether that’s worth waiting for is up to you.
Earbuds are a personal choice so it’s pretty hard to say which of these headphones is right for you. However, if you’d like a more detailed breakdown of both earbuds, you can read our in-depth reviews of the AirPods Pro and Galaxy Buds2.