Apple AirPods vs. Galaxy Buds Comparison Review: Which Is Better?

As smartphone companies Apple and Samsung continue to release devices designed to outdo each other’s offerings, consumers grow more and more confused as to which is the best among them. Apple fans are likely to stick with Apple devices and accessories, and Samsung fans are also likely to stick with the Korean tech giant’s offerings.

To help ease the confusion regarding wireless audio accessories known as truly wireless headphones, Consumer Reports looked into what Apple’s AirPods and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds have to offer and are convinced that only one of them is better -- regardless of brand or market share. Here’s what the marketplace organization found.

Price

First off, if consumers can’t afford it, they won’t buy it. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds easily overtakes the AirPods in this aspect with a selling price of $130 versus $160 (plus $40 for a wireless charging case). The price alone makes the Buds a winner.

Sound Quality

While the AirPods do a great job reproducing dialog and are a good choice for casual listening, the Galaxy Buds offer better sound quality thanks to a few factors. First, the AirPods do not provide an adequate amount of seal necessary for sound isolation unlike the Galaxy Buds; Second, the Buds provide better highs, mids and lows compared to the AirPods.

Consumer Reports’ testers even went to say that “the AirPods’ audio is nearly identical to that of the $30 wired earbuds that used to come free with Apple iPhones.”

Call Quality

The AirPods, with an H1 chip, is capable of providing better call audio quality compared to the Galaxy Buds. It is also better in eliminating background noise compared to Samsung’s offering.

Battery

Apple’s AirPods are rated to last up to 5 hours on a single charge, charging case not included. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds are believed to last for up to 6 hours on a single charge, the charging case also not included. Some might say that one hour additional battery life is not much, but it still matters especially for those who listen to music for longer periods of time.

Charging case

Speaking of charging case, Apple requires those who want a wireless case to shell out additional cash for the feature. Samsung, on the other hand, simply includes the feature in the $130 package.

In summary

Conssumer Reports looked into a few more details, but arrived at this conclusion: the Galaxy Buds are way better than the AirPods in general. It sounds better, lasts longer, costs cheaper, and won’t need to play music at louder volume levels for its wearer to hear the music it plays. In fact, Consumer Reports says it bests other truly wireless headphones, too.