Ask anyone near you, what are the best wireless earbuds. I’m confident the answer will be AirPods Pro 2nd gen, and for good reason. Apple has done an exceptional job in a category they created in 2016. However, the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro (review), with its updated style, improved audio, and noise cancellation, gives stiff competition to Apple’s offering. Now that I’ve used both TWS for a week, in this Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs AirPods Pro 2 comparison, I’ll help you decide among them is the best premium earbuds on the market.
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs AirPods Pro 2: Build and Design
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the AirPods Pro 2nd gen will look quite similar at first glance. But look closely, and you’ll see that while the AirPods have a more ergonomic rounder design for its buds and the stem, Samsung took an edgier approach. The Buds 3 pro looks like something you would get free with a Tesla Cybertruck.
The angled triangular stem, the slate gray color, and the Blade Lights at the stem. Compare that with Apple’s minimal design language with all the curves in the right places. Not only do the AirPods look elegant in terms of design, but they also sit comfortably well in my ears. They almost disappear once I put them on. Compared to Samsung’s uncomfortable fit that needs to be readjusted now and then.
But probably that’s just me. Maybe the Buds 3 Pro will sit more securely in your ears than mine. Samsung has also revamped the case for their Buds, going for a more compact design with a clear lid. This shows that the buds and the Blade Lights are in all their glory. If you’re wondering what the lights are for, they’re indicators for low power levels.
Apple goes with an opaque white case that hides the AirPods like a treasure chest. That’s where the differences end and the similarities begin. Both cases have an LED light to show they’re charging, have a pairing button, and a USB-C port. They both also support wireless charging, so you don’t necessarily have to plug them in to top them off.
Based on design, I’d say that Samsung made a bold move this time around, but it still needs more refinements. The angular stem does look flashy and some might like it a lot. But you’ll often find yourself fiddling around with them, and they’re not easy to put back in the case, and neither does it sit well in the ears. Apple’s design just melts like butter in your ears.
Sound Quality
Before I talk about the sound quality, you have to remember that the AirPods Pro 2nd Gen came out back in 2022. So Samsung has an obvious lead in terms of the latest hardware. With that said, the AirPods come with a custom high-excursion Apple driver and the Apple H2 chip. Meanwhile, the Samsung Buds 3 Pro houses dual-channel 10.5mm dynamic driver and a 6 mm planar tweeter.
Technical jargon aside, the AirPods Pro 2 has a very balanced sound signature. None of the frequencies feel too overwhelming over the other, offering a wide but comfortable sound stage. It’s tuned quite well, in a way that a lot of people would love. Especially when you’re watching movies or listening to podcasts. But in music, Samsung takes the high ground.
You see, AirPods Pro 2 doesn’t support any high-quality audio codec. Samsung on the other hand comes with their in-house scalable and seamless codecs in HiFi and UHQ versions. This lets you listen to songs in high resolution (24-bit/96kHz). Now your ears won’t be able to hear the bitrate, but you can make out the details in instruments, and the slight nuances in the vocals.
Given Samsung’s ownership of Harman, the Buds 3 Pro is tuned to have a Harman curve, offering a balanced sound with more emphasis on the mids. Mohit Chauhan’s voice in Tum Ho (Rockstar) has this depth that makes you feel the emotion, which is something I felt lacking with AirPods Pro 2.
That said, I think AirPods handles darker regions better, as the bass felt a bit more punchy there. Listening to the song Limit to Your Love by James Blake and Alan Walker’s tracks, I noticed neither has bloated bass, but AirPods do better with sub-bass while Buds 3 Pro sound flatter. But you can tweak the equalizer from its Wear app, which improves the bass effect.
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs AirPods Pro 2: Spatial and 360 Audio
Samsung and Apple offer their own flavor of spatial audio. It’s supposed to give you an immersive feeling. This is subjective, but I enjoyed Apple’s implementation more than Samsung’s. It’s because Apple lets you create personalized Spatial Audio by mapping both your ears to tune it for your head.
It simulates a spacious feeling when turned on compared to the Galaxy Buds. I watched the opening of Transformers: Dark of the Moon on both earbuds. The AirPods gave a grand experience similar to what I heard when I saw the movie in theaters. The vastness of space filled with the noise of bullets and their echo was all there in the AirPods. Which kind of felt cramped and flat on the Buds 3 Pro.
Microphone Quality
Samsung pointed out that they went with a stem design to improve microphone pickup. Something that AirPods Pro 2nd Gen does quite well. I took calls from both the earbuds, and I think Samsung’s efforts proved to be fruitful. The noise clarity is good with both of them, but in crowded or high background noise situations, there’s not even a comparison.
The Buds 3 Pro sounds clear, and natural. Even the background noise is barely audible to the person on the other side. As I mentioned this in my review of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, my friend couldn’t even tell I was talking to him in a crowded metro. This could also be because the AirPods Pro has a dual mic setup, whereas the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro has 3 mics on each earbud.
Noise Cancellation, Transparency and Adaptive Mode
Both these wireless earbuds come with Adaptive, noise cancellation, and transparency modes.
Noise Cancellation
Let’s talk about noise cancellation first. AirPods Pro 2nd Gen is often considered the benchmark for cutting out environmental noise, behind the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra. No doubt, Apple’s algorithm does a good job muting the surrounding noise and even keeping the high-frequency noise at bay.
But Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro aren’t far behind. These buds did a phenomenal job at canceling out noise. Most background noise disappears and, like AirPods, random loud sounds are managed well so they don’t harm your ears. The cancellation effect is also not as hard as the AirPods. I can’t tell how much dB they’re both cutting out exactly, but the Galaxy Buds are a tad bit better.
Transparency
Again, both Samsung and Apple are neck to neck in this department. In transparency mode, both of them sound pretty natural, as if it isn’t an artificial mode but just your ears taking in the sound. However, this sound feels a bit recessed on the AirPods, I mean it is not quite open, and you would feel you are still hearing through the earbuds.
On the Galaxy Buds, the transparency mode seems more open, it also elevates the surrounding noise, especially human voice. When talking to someone, my voice sounded more natural with the AirPods, and the Buds 3 Pro has a minor artificial touch to it. As I said, both are pretty on par in this department. Just minor differences that wouldn’t bother you much.
Adaptive Mode
This is something I dislike on both the buds, as neither of the two devices gives you an accurate experience. The Adaptive mode should switch to transparency mode when it detects a loud noise to make you aware of your surroundings. Often the buds mistook the door opening behind me, or someone getting up from their chair, as a loud noise. Randomly switching to transparency mode ruins the music listening experience. So I turned it off for the rest of my usage.
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs AirPods Pro 2: Battery Life and Charging
In terms of battery life, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro can last you about 6.5 hours with noise cancellation turned on, while the AirPods Pro 2nd Gen can last up to 5.5 hours. This means you’ll get one extra hour of listening before the fun ends, and you have to put them back in the case for charging.
But if you run out of juice on both the buds and the case, then Samsung will take around 1 hour 20 minutes to charge to full meanwhile, Apple takes around 1 hour to 5 minutes. This could be because the AirPods Pro have a smaller battery in comparison to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Both earbuds can charge wirelessly. Apple even lets you charge the AirPods with the Apple Watch charger.
Which One Should You Go For?
I’m sure, after such a long analysis, you must be as tired reading it as I am writing it. So I’ll keep this section short. Samsung has made several improvements this year, making the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro the best option to go for. But while Apple lets you use most of the features like Spatial Audio on older devices, Samsung has restricted it to its newer flagships.
On other Android phones, even older Galaxy smartphones and Apple devices, most such features are absent. That even includes high-res audio. So if you are in the market to get a new Samsung flagship then you should definitely go for the Buds 3 Pro. You might get a good deal for it too. But if you’re solely looking for earbuds alone, I’d recommend AirPods Pro 2nd Gen or any other premium option like Sony’s XM5 over this one.
